Metal Minds Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
• The Mission
• The Agents
• Setting Up the Game
• Turn Structure
• Playing Cards
• Powers of Gadgets, Agents and Engines
• Subtypes
• Resources
• Crack Spheres
• Basic Strategies
• Agent Files

Components

• 12 tokens (resource markers): 4 purple, 4 orange and 4 green, for Tetracita, Bilbadón and Exorilio respectively
• 4 red gems (crack-sphere counters)
• 4 resource-tracking boards (markers)
• 75 inventory cards
• 8 character cards (Metal Mind agents with different characteristics; each player takes the identity of one)
• 1 rulebook

The Mission

In Metal Minds, each player assumes the identity of an agent.

On each turn, players draw a card, build devices, execute maneuvers and use their powers.

Your goal as a Metal Mind agent is to obtain as many crack spheres as quickly as possible, while doing everything you can to frustrate the efforts of the other agents: former companions, now rivals in the race to win their freedom at any cost.

The Agents

Each player begins the game by drawing a character card at random (yellow cards). Each character is a unique agent and gives you a special power:

• Ironminds convert and obtain more resources.
• Silverminds draw one additional card.
• Copperminds can create their own crack spheres (the red colour on the marker).

The agent also sets the maximum number of cards in hand and the maximum number of cards in the action zone.

The power and maximums your agent has will guide your game strategy.

See example image:

• Upper zone of the card:
  • Agent name: 1st line (Quintesa Miraz)
  • Agent type: 2nd line (Ironmind Agent)
• Middle zone of the card:
  • Maximum in hand: number next to the hand icon (2)
  • Maximum in zone: number next to the cogwheel icon (3)
• Lower zone of the card:
  • Agent power: explained with icons in the sentence (Discard 1 card to get 1 unit of Tetracita, purple icon, or 1 unit of Exorilio, green icon)
  • Illustrator name
• Caption: Ironmind agent

The maximum in hand (hand icon) is the number of cards you may hold at most in your hand, before drawing a card and ending your turn.

The maximum in zone (cogwheel icon) is the maximum number of devices you may have in play in your action zone (the row of cards in front of your marker), before drawing a card and ending your turn.

Setting Up the Game

To prepare for a game, each player needs a terminal. A terminal consists of a marker and an agent.

• Place your marker (numbered side up) directly in front of you.
• Receive 1 red gem and 3 tokens, one of each colour (purple, orange and green):
  • Use the red gem to keep track of your total crack spheres.
  • Use the 3 tokens to manage the 3 types of resources.

You start the game with zero crack spheres and 1 unit of each resource. So place each of your tokens on the position marked "1" in its corresponding colour on the marker.

• Shuffle the character cards and deal 1 face down to each player. Once received, place your character card face up with your agent visible, to the left of your marker.
• Leave enough free space in front of your terminal for a row of cards. This will be your action zone. Unlike your hand, it is an area visible to everyone, where you will place all the cards and devices you use.

See image:

• The inventory (face-down pile of cards) (draw deck)
• The scrap heap (face-up pile of cards) (discard pile)
• Your action zone (face-up cards)
• Your terminal (character card and marker, with the 4 indicators on it)
• Your hand (cards in hand, not visible to other players)

To form the inventory (the draw deck, from which all players will draw cards during the game), shuffle all the inventory cards and then place them face down to form a deck in a central area.

Keep the cards you draw secret in your hand.

• The game begins with 4 cards in hand. So deal 4 cards from the inventory deck to each player.

The scrap heap is the common discard pile for inventory cards.

Discarding a card means removing it from your hand and placing it on the scrap heap (the discard pile).

Eliminating a device means removing it from your action zone and placing it on the scrap heap (the discard pile).

When the inventory deck runs out, immediately shuffle the cards of the scrap heap (the discard pile) and place them face down to create a new inventory deck.

Turn Structure

The order in which players take their turns is chosen at random.

The game is played in rounds. A round is completed after every player has taken their turn.

Each turn consists of 3 phases:

1. Action phase. You may skip this phase. If you do, draw 1 card or receive 2 resources, of any type, identical or different.

If you do not skip it, you may perform the following, in any order:

• Play any number of cards from your hand.
• Use the powers of the devices in your action zone.
• Use the power of your agent.

2. Maximums control phase. You must make sure that neither of the 2 maximums set on your character card is exceeded. Perform both of the following:

• Discard cards until their number does not exceed your maximum in hand.
• Eliminate devices until their number is within the maximum allowed in your action zone.

3. Draw phase. Perform both of the following:

• Turn all your devices and your agent upright (vertical).
• Draw the first 2 cards of the inventory deck.

Playing Cards

You may play as many cards from your hand as you like, provided you can pay the resource cost each one requires.

Cards with no resource cost shown are played for free.

The inventory has 2 main classes of cards: maneuvers (blue, immediate action, single use) and devices (red or green, delayed action). Devices are in turn of 2 types: machines (red, 1 use per turn) and gadgets (green, single use). Let us look at everything:

1) Maneuvers (blue cards) produce an immediate effect, but are single use.

To play a maneuver card:

• First pay its resource cost, if it has one (the icon on the right, preceded by a number on a yellow background).
• Then resolve its effect.
• Then place the card on the scrap heap.

See image:

• Name of the maneuver: 1st line, blue background (Hipnotozar // Mesmerize)
• Type of maneuver: 2nd line, white background (Assault maneuver)
• Cost: icon on the right, preceded by a number on a yellow background (1 unit of purple)
• Effect: lines of text in the lower zone (Look at all of the opponent's cards. 1 opponent discards 1 card of your choice.)
• Illustrator name (last line, preceded by a pencil, blue background)
• Caption: Assault maneuver

2) Devices have a delayed effect and remain in play until you eliminate them from your action zone.

To play a device card: first pay its resource cost, if it has one; then place it in your action zone.

Important: You cannot use the powers of a device in the same turn it was placed in the action zone. The device may be used on the following turn.

There are 2 types of devices:

• a) Machines (red cards) have a power that may be used once per turn, until they leave your action zone.
• b) Gadgets (green cards) may be used only once, and then you must eliminate them.

See image:

• Red card: Engine-type device (the rulebook text calls these machines)
• Green card: (Free) Gadget-type device

Powers of Gadgets, Agents and Engines

During your action phase you may use the powers of your agent and of any device in your action zone.

To use a power: first pay its cost if it has one; then resolve its effect.

There are 2 types of powers:

(Icon: circular arrow on red)

1) Cyclic power. The power may be used once per turn.

When you use the power of the card, turn it sideways, placing it perpendicular to the others, to show that its power has already been used.

Agents and engines have cyclic powers.

(Icon: trash can on green)

2) Scrapping power. A gadget with a scrapping power carries out the effect its power allows, and then that gadget must be eliminated. Remove the gadget from your action zone and throw it onto the scrap heap.

Important: If a device is eliminated for any reason other than wishing to use its scrapping power during the action phase, the effect will not trigger.

Only gadget-type devices (green cards, single use) have scrapping powers.

Subtypes

Inventory cards are further divided into 4 subtypes:

1. Resource cards: provide free resources.
2. Service cards: grant varied advantages, for example drawing extra cards or transforming resources.
3. Energy cards: create crack spheres.
4. Attack cards: force the opponent to discard cards, eliminate devices, or lose crack spheres.

Resources

(Purple, orange, green)

Resources are used as payment for playing cards from your hand and for certain powers.

Track the resources you have by moving the corresponding token, used as an indicator, on the board with the marker.

You may have more than 6 units of each resource.

When an effect says to gain resources without specifying which, you choose the type.

There are 3 types of resources:

• Tetracita [purple]: a crystal found in caverns. It is used to build apparatus and carry out maneuvers.
• Bilbadón [orange]: a lava used as fuel, which accumulates mainly in mountain lakes. It is used to create and destroy crack spheres.
• Exorilio [green]: a mineral extracted from quarries. It is extracted for use in the construction of engines.

See image:

• Resource marker
• Resource tokens:
  • Purple row
  • Orange row
  • Green row
• Red crack-sphere gem:
  • Red row

Crack Spheres

Your objective is to have the greatest number of crack spheres when the game ends.

The total of crack spheres is counted by moving the red gem, used as an indicator, on the marker. The total may exceed 10.

At the end of a round, if any player has 8 or more crack spheres, that player is the winner.

All players take the same number of turns, regardless of the order in which the turns were played.

If there is a tie, the players with fewer crack spheres place their inventory cards on the scrap heap. The remaining players continue playing rounds until one of them has the highest total of crack spheres.

Translation flag: in the source translation this sentence reads "los jugadores con menos esferas de" and the word "grieta" is missing, so the tie-break wording above is the most literal reading of the printed text. Check against the English original before relying on it.

Basic Strategies

Metal Minds is an easy game to learn, but mastering it takes time.

Here are some suggestions to bear in mind as you develop your strategy:

• To obtain the best result from their effects, plan carefully when and in what order you use your cards and powers.
• If in a turn you cannot play any useful card or use your powers, skip your action phase to draw an extra card or receive resources.
• Try not to wait too long to play a card you cannot afford.
  • You will be vulnerable to discard effects.
• Protect your important devices from the elimination effects with which rivals may attack you, by keeping in your action zone the devices you can most afford to lose, so that those are eliminated in their place.

Agent Files

Quintessa Miraz

She worked as a gardener and decided to become a Metal Mind agent to receive the treatment that restored her sight. She longs to return to her gardens. She still uses a cane and smoked glasses as a reminder of her former life.

Strategy: Use Quintessa's power and play your cards immediately to avoid having to discard cards in your maximums phase. Receive Bilbadón when you skip your action phase.

Pilot Baxter

An arrogant infantry captain of the colony who received gene therapy exclusively in order to improve her cognitive abilities. She was sent to the Outer Reach to spy on the other agents.

Strategy: Be selective about what you use, and discard the cards that are least useful to Pilot's power. Prioritise energy cards, gadgets and engines; you can eliminate them from your play zone to gain a benefit.

Kerry Winters

A free-spirited dancer who travelled to Kal-Purnika to receive treatment for leukaemia. She enjoys her new life as an agent, but wishes to return to her home planet.

Strategy: Use your power sparingly until you have 5 crack spheres. Draw 1 card when you skip your action phase. Kerry's power lets you be selective about what you use.

D. J. Bass

An aeronautical engineer specialising in spacecraft who underwent the treatment for bipolar disorder. He hopes to sign an important contract with the government after successfully completing a mission in the Outer Reach.

Strategy: D. J.'s power is strong: use it often. Focus on using gadgets and engines that are eliminated to gain a benefit. Gain resources when you skip your action phase.

Maj Kunotep

He paid for his own treatment when his ribs were crushed in a high-speed levitation train accident. He is a former rocketball star, highly competitive, who seeks early release from servitude through his own merits.

Strategy: Focus on obtaining Bilbadón, since you can easily convert it into other resources. Play your cards aggressively, especially if they let you discard to gain a benefit.

Nevin Samson

He worked for a research facility as a scientist. He was one of the first volunteers to take part in the Metal Minds programme because of the bone marrow cancer he had.

Nevin is very excited to explore the ruins found in the Outer Reach.

Strategy: Try to obtain as many resources as possible for your power. You can afford to play non-energy cards more often. You gain resources if you skip your action phase.

Hae Won

She spent her days as a monk in a temple far from civilisation. In a collapse during an earthquake, a pillar broke her back.

Hae wishes to give spiritual guidance to other Metal Mind agents.

Strategy: Eliminate devices whose cost is low, often on the turn you play them, so you can play the best devices sooner. Skip your action phase to draw a card or obtain resources to recover faster.

Bel-Fiba Hayne

She was a terraformer for an exterior decoration company. She became a Metal Mind after being cured of multiple sclerosis. She is eager to explore the uncharted lands of the Outer Reach.

Strategy: Take advantage of Bel-Fiba's large action zone by filling it with engines. Do not be afraid to skip your action phase. Avoid using her power until you have at least 6 crack spheres.