LUNA Capital
LUNA Capital Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Setup
A. Separate the Construction cards from the Concession cards. Then separate the Concession cards into one deck for Short-Term Concessions and another for Long-Term Concessions. Shuffle each of these three decks separately, face down.
B. Give each player 3 random Construction cards and 1 Sponsor tile, along with the three corresponding Identification tokens. Each player places their Sponsor tile in front of them to show their player color.
C. Place the board with the four card spaces facing up and place one of the Construction cards face up on each of the spaces. Place the Construction card deck in the card dispenser face down and place it on one side of the playing area. Place the Last Delivery marker on the card closest to the Construction card deck.
D. Draw a Long-Term Concession card and two Short-Term Concession cards. Place them face up above the row of Construction cards so that everyone can see them. Leave the Selenite Robot tokens and Logistics Redistribution tokens in the reserve where everyone can reach them.
E. Separate the Project tiles into groups by the Phases on their back.
F. Taking into account the number of players, return the tiles with a number of dots equal or higher than the number of players. This means that if there are two of you playing, you discard the tiles with 2 or 3 dots in their top right corner. If there are three people playing, you discard those that have 3. If four people are playing, then none of the tiles are discarded.
Mix each set of Project tiles separately. Leave the Phase B and Phase C tiles to the side for now. Place one random Phase A tile face up under each of the Construction cards on the board and place the rest of the Phase A tiles face down in the Project Tower.
G. Randomly choose who will be the first player and give them the First Player marker. The turn will run clockwise starting from the First Player marker. Now, starting with the last player (who is sitting to the right of the first player) and working counterclockwise, each player has the option of exchanging one Construction card from their hand for a card in any of the 4 spaces on the board.
Game Components
- 68 Construction cards
- 24 Concession cards (15 Short-Term Concessions and 9 Long-Term Concessions)
- 4 Sponsor tiles
- 8 Selenite Robot tokens
- 1 Project Tower
- 1 card dispenser
- 1 Last Delivery marker
- 12 Identification tokens (3 for each sponsor)
- 1 First Player marker
- 165 Project tiles (55 Phase A tiles, 55 Phase B tiles, and 55 Phase C tiles)
- 1 scoring pad
- 4 Logistics Redistribution tokens
- Double-sided board (1 side for the solo mode)
Let's Build LUNA Capital!
During our games of LUNA Capital we will often use these Project tiles. It is worth it to know about them before getting into the details of gameplay. If you want to learn the end game scoring details, check the Final Scoring section.
Vital Systems
Collectors and Condensers
Hydrogen collector, Oxygen collector, Water condenser
Any human settlement that wants to survive longer than five minutes must have a clear plan for the rational use of its hydrogen and oxygen collectors, as well as the condensers that combine these two elements to make water.
SCORING: Each of these vital systems is scored separately by counting only the single largest group of orthogonally connected sites.
Greenhouses
Pears Greenhouse, Apples Greenhouse, Lemons Greenhouse, Varied Fruits Greenhouse
If we are going to have people running around the surface of the moon, we had better be sure their stomachs are full! To begin with, we must be sure we are able to grow those fruits that are best suited to the special technologies we have developed for the lunar soil: pears, apples and lemons.
SCORING: The single largest group of connected greenhouses scores as a vital system, regardless of the type of fruits grown inside them. Additionally, greenhouses give the player points if they have sets of all three colors in their Settlement (the varied fruits greenhouse is a wildcard).
Constructions
Hab-mods (Habitation Modules)
There are five types of Hab-mod, each showing the type of project it scores for: victory points x greenhouse, victory points x hydrogen collector, victory points x oxygen collector, victory points x water condenser, victory points x meteorite.
These mobile constructions are the places that the technical staff inhabit while they are working on the Moon. The idea is that the Hab-mods are located near the structures where their specialists work so that they do not have any superfluous commuting.
SCORING: These give players 2 victory points for each project of the indicated type in any of the 8 sites around it (10 sites if the one the Hab-mod is placed on is a double-site).
· THEY CAN BE PLACED ON TOP OF LUNAR SCAFFOLDING ·
When placing this Hab-mod (over the Lunar Scaffolding or on an empty site), it will score 2 victory points for any greenhouse around it. In the illustrated case, it would score 4 victory points.
Residential Complexes
There are two types of residential complex: victory points x sales office, and victory points x Hab-mod.
These structures are for the families that permanently settle on the Moon, with shops, discos, movie theaters, and all kinds of entertainment. It is far easier to sell the apartments in these complexes if the settlement has enough sales offices and if the Hab-mods are close so that the engineers and scientists will be nearby if they are needed.
SCORING: This gives players 1 victory point for each project of the indicated type found anywhere in the player's Settlement.
· THEY CAN BE PLACED ON TOP OF LUNAR SCAFFOLDING ·
Moon Landing Grounds
Connections to the Earth are essential for inhabitants of the Moon, because they will naturally want to host their loved ones when they come to visit them from the old planet! Naturally, the landing grounds also serve as a center for logistics, receiving resources and goods, as well as being interstellar hubs for ships that travel to remote places in the solar system and even deep space.
RULE: When this project tile is placed, the player immediately draws 3 Construction cards from the deck and keeps 1 of them. The other 2 cards are put at the bottom of the deck.
· THEY CAN BE PLACED ON TOP OF LUNAR SCAFFOLDING ·
Sales Offices
It is all well and good to set up a colony on the moon, but if we cannot get people to move up here, the business will go under. We offer people a cup of coffee and lay out our pitch to those families willing to live in space with spectacular lunar properties complete with views that are literally out of this world.
SCORING: Each sales office in the player's Settlement generates 2 victory points.
Demolition
Sometimes, the progress of the colony does not quite fit with the plans laid out in the beginning. It's no problem! A quick intervention by the demolitions team and everything is once again ready for new constructions without missing a beat.
RULE: This Project tile can be placed on any Building Site, it covers any tile or printed element on the card as well as Lunar Scaffolding, meteorites, or anything else. This space is then considered empty and can be occupied later by any other Project tile.
Selenite Robots
These little characters are fundamental in the construction of the human settlement on the Moon. They can move with great agility over the lunar terrain and help us plan the layout of the installations, so they are efficient and safe.
RULE: Whenever a tile is placed that has Selenite Robots on it, that player takes the corresponding number of Selenite Robot tokens from the reserve (1 or 2) and places them on their Sponsor card. During later turns, when placing a Construction card in their settlement, the player can cover the number on that card with a Selenite Robot token and ignore the rule that requires that the numbers in the rows of cards increase from left to right (the rest of the rules in reference to the placement of the cards still apply normally).
Logistics Redistribution
Sometimes, you have to use your influence as a sponsor to ensure we get the resources we need to win the race to become the capital of the moon.
RULE: When a player takes this tile, they place it on any empty site in their settlement and they take 1 Logistics Redistribution tile from the reserve, which is placed on their Sponsor card to be used in any later turn. To use it, at the beginning of any of their turns, the player discards the token and swaps the location of two Project tiles on the board before choosing their set of card and tiles.
Meteorites
While meteorites can be a hassle during construction work in the settlement, they also hold a certain scientific interest. They are treasure boxes of surprises that may contain unknown metals, elements from other galaxies, or even traces of extraterrestrial life. But don't get me wrong: in general they are nothing more than worthless cosmic rocks.
SCORING: See who has accumulated the most meteorites in their settlement and they are given victory points according to the number of players in the game.
Game Play
The game is played in 3 phases (A, B, and C) of 4 rounds each. During each round, every player plays one turn (for a total of 12 turns per player).
The Player's Turn
Turns are always taken clockwise around the table starting from the first player. During the game, each player will create their own Settlement by building rows of Construction cards in front of them. Each Construction card shows a number of Building Sites. By placing Project tiles on their Building Sites, the players will improve their Settlement, earning victory points.
To start their turn, the player takes 1 of the 4 available sets of a Construction card and the Project tile(s) below it. The card is added to the player's hand and the tile(s) is left in front of them for now. If the player chooses the combination with the Last Delivery marker on it (the last one drawn), they must first discard one of the cards from their hand and place it at the bottom of the deck.
Play 1 Construction Card. The player must now select 1 of the Construction cards they have in their hand (those they had before plus the one they just collected) and place it face up in their Settlement. The placement of the card must meet all 4 of these conditions:
- It cannot be placed covering any other card or rotated in any way. The number on the card must be visible in the upper left corner.
- From the second card on, each card must be placed adjacent to and at a right angle (above, below, to the left, or to the right) of at least one of the Construction cards placed in a previous round: At least two corners of the new card must touch two corners of an existing card. Once a card has been placed on a Settlement, it cannot be moved or rearranged.
- There can be a maximum of 3 rows of cards in each player's Settlement. The length of each row has no limit. Each row can have a different length as well.
- The Construction cards are numbered from 1 to 10. Within each row, the numbers on the cards must increase from left to right and no number can repeat within the row. If the player has no card that fulfills this condition in their hand, they must place the new card face down (while still fulfilling conditions 1, 2, and 3). Since the number will not be visible, it will not be taken into account. Also, the player will not be able to place any Project tiles on that card.
Play Project Tiles. After placing their card, the player must place all the Project tiles that they took that turn. Project tiles may be played on top of any empty Building Sites in their Settlement. The player is not required to place them on top of the card that was just added to their Settlement (except for the first turn when there are no other options).
Each tile must be placed on a Building Site that is completely empty, without any Project tile or building of any type. Some Construction cards have their own projects built on them beforehand that are treated the same way as Project tiles that are placed later. Some Building Sites are larger than others. A player can still place only one Project tile in these "double" sites.
There are two exceptions. The only tiles that can be placed over other elements of the game are:
- Constructions, which may be placed on empty sites or on Lunar Scaffolding printed on the cards.
- Demolitions tiles, which may be placed on top of any element and make that site empty.
Some Project tiles give players Selenite Robot tokens and/or Logistics Redistribution tokens. These tokens are placed on their Sponsor tile until the player decides to make use of them.
Once their turn is completed, the player draws a new Construction card from the deck and places it face up in the empty area. They also take a number of Project tiles from the Tower equal to the number of the current round (1, 2, 3, or 4) and place them below the Construction card. The Last Delivery marker is then moved to that position and assigned to that card and tile(s) combination. If the next player takes this, they must discard one of the cards from their hand (see above).
Once this is done, the next player in the clockwise direction begins their turn.
End of the Round
When the turn comes full circle and returns to the player who has the First Player marker, before they begin their turn, one more tile is added to each combination of card and tiles. That way, in the first round, there will be 1 Project tile below each Construction card. At the start of the second round, there will be 2. At the start of the third round, there will be 3. Then, at the start of the fourth round, each combination will have one Construction card and 4 Project tiles. At the end of the fourth round, the current Phase ends.
End of the Phase and Concessions
At the end of each Phase, before the players begin the next round, each player checks whether they have fulfilled the requirements for any of the exposed Concessions that are still available.
Each player who has fulfilled the requirements for one or more of the Concessions places an Identification token on top of each of the Concessions for which they meet the requirements that does not already have any Identification tokens on it. It is possible for multiple players to claim the same Concession, but only if they do so at the end of the same Phase. Once a Concession has at least one Identification token on it, it will no longer be available to the other players for the rest of the game. You can find more detailed information on the Concessions in the Detailed Information on the Concessions section.
Once you have played 4 rounds, a new phase starts. The Construction cards on the board remain there (you must always have four of them in play at the start of each turn). Remove the leftover Project tiles from the Tower and the game board and return them to the box. Take the Project tiles for the next game phase and place one randomly under each Construction card and place the rest in the Project Tower. The First Player marker is then passed to the next player.
Final Scoring
After the end of Phase C, the game ends and the players calculate their Victory Points based on the following concepts. Consult the detailed information on the Project tiles in the Let's Build LUNA Capital! section.
Vital Systems
There are four types of vital systems that are required for safe life on the Moon: hydrogen collectors, oxygen collectors and water condensers, as well as greenhouses (regardless of what type of fruit is grown in them). Each player finds the single largest set of orthogonally adjacent tiles of each type to score.
Depending on how big the area is, the victory points awarded will be as shown on this table:
| Area size | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victory points | 1 | 3 | 6 | 10 | 15 | 20 | 25 | 30 | 35 | 40 |
Greenhouses
In addition to scoring as vital systems, greenhouses generate their own points. Each player counts the number of complete sets of crops they have in their Settlement (pears, apples and lemons) and are awarded 5 / 12 / 22 victory points for having 1 / 2 / 3 complete sets. The greenhouses in a set DO NOT have to be adjacent to each other. Some greenhouses have all three types of fruits. Each of these may be counted once as any type of fruit as best suits the needs of the player (so they serve as a "wildcard").
Meteorites
Check to see who has accumulated the most meteorites in their settlements. Players are awarded points based on their rank and the number of players in the game:
- 2 players: 10 victory points for first place only
- 3 players: 10 victory points for first and 2 victory points for second place
- 4 players: 10 victory points for first, 5 victory points for second and 2 victory points for third place
If there is a tie, the victory points of the tied awards are added together and split between the players (rounding down when needed). For example: in a three-player game, two players tie for the number of meteorites; each of the tied players is then awarded 6 victory points (10+2 divided by 2=6).
Sales Offices
Each sales office in a player's settlement generates 2 victory points.
Constructions
The constructions are scored according to the conditions indicated for each building:
Each Hab-mod awards 2 victory points for each tile of the indicated type in any of the 8 sites around it (10 sites if the one the Hab-mod is placed on is a double-site).
Each residential complex awards 1 victory point for each tile of the indicated type in any location in the player's Settlement.
Cards in the Player's Hand
Each player gets 3 victory points for each Project card they have in their hand.
Concessions
The victory points for each of the Concessions the player has successfully claimed is added to their total.
Finally, the Lunar Colonization Authority adds up all the scores and the player with the highest score is declared the winner. Their settlement becomes the LUNA Capital to the great delight of all its investors and supporters! If there is a tie, the one with the least Lunar Scaffolding showing in their Construction cards shall be declared the winner.
You can check a scoring example by seeing the image on the back of the box. We've counted the victory points scored by Astro Burger, and written them down in this scoring pad.
Detailed Information on the Concessions
Concessions are special contracts that—provided the player is one of the first to fulfill the conditions required to obtain them—can give a huge boost to a Settlement's drive to become the capital city of the moon. Here is a detailed explanation of the Long-Term Concessions and the Short-Term Concessions.
Short-Term Concessions
- Have 4 Project tiles of any type arranged as shown on the Concession card. — 8 victory points
- Complete a Phase without any Lunar Scaffolding showing in the player's settlement. — 8 victory points
- Have at least 4 different vital system buildings that are orthogonally adjacent to one another. Greenhouses are all one single type of vital system, regardless of the fruit. — 8 victory points
- Have 3 cards in a column and at least one hydrogen collector on each one. — 7 victory points
- Have 3 cards in a column and at least one oxygen collector on each one. — 7 victory points
- Have 3 cards in a column and at least one greenhouse (any fruit) on each one. — 7 victory points
- Have 3 cards in a column and at least one water condenser on each one. — 8 victory points
- Have 3 cards in a column and at least one sales office on each one. — 6 victory points
- Have 3 cards in a column and at least one meteorite on each one. — 6 victory points
- Have 3 meteorites in a line (either vertical or horizontal). — 7 victory points
- Have 3 oxygen collectors in a line (either vertical or horizontal). — 6 victory points
- Have 3 greenhouses (any fruit) in a line (either vertical or horizontal). — 6 victory points
- Have 3 hydrogen collectors in a line (either vertical or horizontal). — 6 victory points
- Have 3 water condensers in a line (either vertical or horizontal). — 7 victory points
- Have 3 sales offices in a line (either vertical or horizontal). — 6 victory points
Long-Term Concessions
- Have fewer rows of cards than the other players. — 10 victory points
- Have 5 or more oxygen collectors. — 9 victory points
- Have 5 or more greenhouses of any type. — 10 victory points
- Have 5 or more hydrogen collectors. — 9 victory points
- Have 5 or more water condensers. — 10 victory points
- Have 4 or more sales offices. — 8 victory points
- Have 6 or more meteorites. — 9 victory points
- Have 8 Construction cards of any type arranged as shown. — 10 victory points
- Have 5 or more Construction cards in the same row. — 10 victory points
Solitaire Mode
Surprise! Your company was not the first one to set foot on the moon! The mega-corporation of Harrington & Sons, specialized in the production of fine boating hats, beat us to the punch. They sent an expedition made up of an extremely efficient automaton that is managing all of the business opportunities on offer in order to take the prize of the selenite capital. Compete against the elegantly-dressed automaton from Harrington & Sons and seize your victory!
Set up a game as if 2 people were playing, but with the following changes:
- Place the board on its solitaire side, with 3 spaces for construction cards.
- Deal 3 Construction cards face up to each player (yourself and the Automaton). After seeing your own cards and those of the Automaton, you may exchange your 3 cards for his. Then, return the Automaton's cards to the bottom of the deck.
- Eliminate the "Have fewer rows of cards than the other players" Concession from the game.
- The Automaton will have no Sponsor card, Identification tokens, or any kind of special tile.
Game Play
You will be the first player in all of the rounds. You play your turn normally, paying special attention to the Concessions (as indicated in the scoring section below). Before you replace the set of card and tiles you have chosen, the Automaton takes a turn.
The Automaton's Turn
Out of the two cards and tile combinations that are left, the Automaton will choose the one furthest from the card dispenser that does not have the Last Delivery marker on it.
Place the Construction card and tile combination chosen by the Automaton off to the side. The Automaton does not place Construction cards or Project tiles. He simply piles up his cards and tiles according to type in order to make the scoring calculation easier later. You can always look through the cards and tiles that the Automaton has taken. After his turn, refill the cards and tiles as normal (without forgetting to place the Last Delivery marker) to prepare for your next turn. After playing all 3 phases, the score is counted up.
The Player's Score
Count up your points as normal, but with these changes:
- The Short-Term Concessions score their full value if they are completed in Phase A. They are worth half their full value (rounding up) if they are completed in Phase B and are worth nothing at all if they are obtained in Phase C.
- The Long-Term Concessions score their full value if they are completed in Phase A or B and are worth half their value (rounding up) if they are completed in Phase C.
Following these conditions, at the end of each phase, check whether you have completed the Concessions and mark them with an Identification token at the top of the card if you get the complete value and at the bottom of the card if you get a half score.
The Automaton's Score
His score will take into account both his Project tiles and the projects printed on his Construction cards.
- Vital Systems: Score all of his Project tiles and projects on the cards as if they were all adjacent.
- Greenhouses: Score normally.
- Sales Offices: Score normally.
- Buildings (Hab-mods and complexes): each construction of these types gives the automaton 5 victory points.
- Meteorites: Score normally (10 victory points if he has more meteorites than you).
- Cards in Hand: Score as though the Automaton had 3 cards left from the first deal: 9 victory points.
- Concessions: The Automaton always fulfills the Concessions, and scores them fully.
- Special Tiles: (demolition, logistics redistribution, landing grounds) 2 victory points each.
Add up both scores and see who is the winner. If there is a tie, the Harrington & Sons automaton wins.
The Sponsors
Astro Burger: The most popular fast food restaurant chain in the galaxy has finally landed on the moon with its whole range of cosmic burgers - soft drink, fries and surprise included. You can come along with your children and spend their birthday having fun in our zero-gravity kiddie park.
Moon Paradise Real Estate: We will design your perfect property in space, up to your most exclusive demands. Schedule a tour to visit our sample house with pool and a million dollar view of the Earth. The best location to raise your family!
Luna Taxis: Make the best use of your time by cruising the city in style, laying back and reading the papers while you breath the scented oxygen, available only in our lunar rovers. Our staff of professional drivers know the surface of the moon like the palm of their hand.
Space Royal Cruise: Landing on the moon in a high luxury space rocket is something that you will only find in our space cruise line. Spend your well deserved holidays orbiting the satellite and enjoying a soothing void-bath in your private suite.
Credits
Author: José Ramón Palacios Illustrator: Albert Monteys Proofreader: Jaume Muñoz Graphic design: Meeple Foundry 3D, wood and punchboards: BG FX Editor: David Esbrí English translation: Andrew Campbell English adaptation: William Niebling
Devir Iberia S.L., Rosselló 184, 08008 Barcelona — www.devir.com
The author would like to thank his friends and families for their support, and also all the people who played this game when it was still just a project.