Nautilus Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
• Setup
  • The Overview Tableau
• Course of the Game
• Phase 1: Expanding the Underwater City
  • a) Buying a Station
  • b) Building On a Station
• Phase 2: Deploying Researchers
  • Moving Researchers
  • Activating Research Stations
  • Multiple Research Stations of the Same Kind in Operation
• The Research Stations
  • The Training Station
  • The Technology Station
  • The Echo Station
  • The Trial Station
  • The Analysis Station
• Phase 3: Deploying Submarines
  • Deploying a Submarine
  • Using the Echo
  • Moving Submarines
  • The Gorge
  • Recovering Sea Finds
  • The Ruins of Atlantis
  • End of a Dive
• End of a Round
• End of the Game
• Scoring
• Distribution of Sea Finds
• Reference Tables (from the Overview Tableau)
• Round Summary (Quick Reference)
• Tips for Your First Game
• Credits

Components

1. The game board shows the sea, divided into 4 different depth zones:

   • Lagoon (light area in the middle)
   • Slope (somewhat darker area around the Lagoon)
   • Deep Sea (even darker area around the Slope and in 2 corners)
   • Gorge (very dark trench)

   The deeper the sea is, the more expensive it is to build stations there. But in the deeper regions of the sea you also find more valuable sea finds.

2. The sea finds lie face-down on the color-marked spaces of the game board. You may recover these finds (i.e., turn them over and take them off the board) when you move one of your submarines onto a space. They are worth varying numbers of victory points. (60 sea finds total, including the 15 Atlantis finds.)

3. The base station is the first station piece placed, and thus the starting point for building the underwater city.

4. Stations are bought in order to build the underwater city. There are two kinds:

   • Residential stations bring no victory points, but are needed to bring researchers onto the board. There are two kinds: green stations with straight connections (locks) and blue stations with diagonal locks. (20 residential stations.)
   • Research stations can bring victory points at the end. Every player may use every research station - no matter who built it. The builder receives a usage fee for it. The more research stations of one type you have, the better. There are 5 different types, all of which grant special advantages in addition to victory points. (20 research stations.)

5. Researchers move through the underwater city by traveling from station to station through same-colored locks. They are needed to bring research stations into operation - only then do they provide advantages and victory points. Researchers are also needed to deploy submarines. (60 researchers, 15 per player color.)

6. Players use submarines to explore the sea and recover sea finds. These bring varying numbers of victory points. (12 submarines, 3 per player color.)

7. Among the sea finds are also special pieces: the "Atlantis finds." When found, they are placed on the "Ruins of Atlantis" tracker board and marked with a station marker belonging to the player who found them. The more Atlantis finds a player makes, the more victory points they receive at the end. Once all Atlantis finds have been recovered, the game ends. (15 Atlantis finds, 1 Ruins of Atlantis tracker board.)

8. Players receive special assignments at the start of the game and keep them secret from the other players until the end. The sea finds shown on an assignment can have their value increased at the end. (4 special assignments.)

9. To buy and build on stations, and to recover sea finds, you need capital, called Nemo. You must make do with the Nemo you receive at the start. You receive a little new capital only when a fellow player uses one of your research stations, or when you find a treasure chest among the sea finds. Budget your Nemo carefully, since even cashing in your special assignment at the very end costs you Nemo again. (Play money set "Nemo": 40x1 Nemo, 40x5 Nemo.)

10. At the end of the game, the victory points for research stations are multiplied by the victory points for sea and Atlantis finds. Whoever has the most points wins. That is why you must engage both in research and in the recovery of sea finds. (30 square marking chips: 20x "0/1", 5x "3/3", 5x "1-5". 80 round station markers, 20 per player color. 4 overview tableaus with quick-reference rules. 1 starting-player marker.)

Setup

Before the first game, the pre-punched pieces must be removed from their cardboard frames.

1. The game board is placed in the middle of the table. It shows the sea with its various depth zones.

2. The base station with 8 locks is placed on the game board for the first game as shown in the illustration on page 2 (of the original manual). In later games it is placed anywhere within the Lagoon. Make sure that the central cross of the base station points toward the edges of the game board (the brown locks must point toward the corners of the board).

3. Sort the various stations into 7 stacks. These are placed face-up next to the game board:

   • 10 blue residential stations
   • 10 green residential stations
   • 4 Echo stations
   • 4 Training stations
   • 4 Trial stations
   • 4 Analysis stations
   • 4 Technology stations

4. The 60 square "sea find" chips (including the "Atlantis finds") are sorted by their backs. There are 3 groups:

   • 26 chips for the Slope,
   • 20 chips for the Deep Sea, and
   • 14 chips for the Gorge.

   The chips of each group are shuffled face-down and then distributed face-down onto the spaces provided for them (marked by colored dots). There are no sea finds in the Lagoon. A table with the exact distribution of sea finds can be found in the "Distribution of Sea Finds" section below.

5. The tracker board for the "Atlantis finds" is placed next to the game board. Next to this tracker, place the following marking chips:

   • with 4 players: 5, 4, 2, 1
   • with 3 players: 5, 3, 1
   • with 2 players: 4, 2

   These marking chips indicate the points that players receive at the end for the Atlantis finds they have recovered - the more Atlantis finds a player makes, the more points they receive. Leftover marking chips for Atlantis finds are put back in the box.

6. The 5 marking chips printed with "3" (in the five colors of the different research stations) are placed next to the game board. These go to the player who has brought the most research stations of a given research type into operation.

7. Each player receives:

   • the game pieces of one color: 15 researchers, 3 submarines, 20 station markers.
   • their play money: with 4 players, 45 Nemo each; with 3 players, 50 Nemo each; with 2 players, 55 Nemo each. The remaining Nemo are placed next to the board as the bank.
   • 1 overview tableau, plus 5 differently colored marking chips, which they place with the "0" side up on the matching colored spaces of their tableau - in the first column, "base value."
   • 1 "special assignments" card. For this, the 4 special assignments are shuffled face-down. Each player draws one card; remaining cards are put back in the box face-down. Each player looks at their assignment and places the card face-down in front of themselves.

8. Whoever can stay underwater longest receives the starting-player marker and begins. If that cannot be determined, the oldest player begins.

The Overview Tableau

The overview tableau shows, on the left half, points for research stations, and on the right half, points for sea finds, plus a quick-reference summary.

• The left half shows how many research stations players have placed researchers in. At the start, all marking chips lie with the "0" facing up in the first column (base value), since no one has yet brought a research station into operation. When a player moves a researcher onto a research station, they push the marking chip one space to the right. When they move a researcher into a second station of the same research type, they push it one space to the right again and turn it to the side with the "1." Now their research in that type is worth 1 point. If they also have the most research stations of that type in operation with their researchers, they even receive the chip with the "3" in the color of that research type and place it on their marking chip. Now their research in that type is worth 3 points. They lose this 3-chip to another player if that player operates more stations of the same research type.

• On the right half of the tableau, sea finds are recorded over the course of the game. Whenever a player recovers one of the depicted sea finds with one of their submarines, they place it on the corresponding space. The number next to it indicates how many victory points that sea find is worth. On the space next to the "?" one of the Atlantis point chips is placed at the end of the game. The more Atlantis finds a player makes, the more points they get.

• In short form you will also find here the sequence of the individual game phases with the most important details. If you read along with these lines during the first few rounds, you will hardly need to consult the rules during the game.

Course of the Game

General:

• The game is played in rounds. Each round consists of 3 phases.
• The starting player begins the round; they play Phase 1 through to completion. Then, in clockwise order, all other players in turn play Phase 1 through to completion.
• In this order, Phase 2 is then played through completely, followed by all of Phase 3.
• Once all players have played through Phase 3, the round ends.
• When a round ends, the player to the left of the starting player becomes the new starting player. They begin again with Phase 1, followed by the other players in clockwise order.
• Phases 2 and 3 then follow again in the same way.
• Play continues with the next round, and so on.

Phase 1: Expanding the Underwater City

In this phase, the underwater city is expanded with residential and research stations. Stations must first be bought. Bought stations are then built onto the underwater city.

a) Buying a Station

• A player whose turn it is may buy a maximum of 1 station per round.
• A research station, of any type, costs 1 Nemo, which is paid to the bank.
• If a player buys a residential station, it is obtained for free. However, a residential station must be staffed with researchers:
  • For each researcher, 1 Nemo is paid to the bank. The researchers are placed on the residential station immediately.
  • A residential station may hold a maximum of 3 researchers with 2 or 3 players, or a maximum of 4 researchers with 4 players.
• A player places a bought station face-up in front of themselves. Play then continues immediately with building stations.

b) Building On a Station

If a player has 1 station (or several that they have accumulated over previous rounds) in front of them, they may build it onto the underwater city during the second half of this phase. The player may also keep the station and build it in a later round (together with other stations).

• The player whose turn it is takes a station and places it on the game board.
• They rotate the station so that at least one of its locks contacts a same-colored lock of the base station, or the same-colored lock of another station. For easier orientation, every station bears a cross of 4 arrows. These arrows must always point toward the edges of the game board, never toward the corners.
• If a player builds on more than 1 station, the second (and every further) station must connect to a station the player has built during this phase. The stations a player builds must therefore be contiguous.
• If a player has built one or more research stations, they immediately place one station marker of their color on each of these stations. Residential stations are not marked.

Building on stations costs money (Nemo), which is paid to the bank.

• The amount of the cost depends on which type of underwater landscape the station is built on. If several stations are built at the same time, the building cost is still only paid once.
  • Landscape: Lagoon 1 Nemo, Slope 2 Nemo, Deep Sea 3 Nemo, Gorge 4 Nemo.
• If a built station covers different landscape types - even if it is only one corner - the price of the more expensive type must be paid.
• If you build several stations in one round, only the price for one station is due, namely the highest.

Special rules for building on stations:

• Stations must always have at least one access to a neighboring station through a same-colored lock. However, it is allowed to build a station such that at one lock it has access to a neighboring station, but at another lock it butts against a wall, since a further neighboring station there has no lock (see the example above right in the original manual).
• Stations may not be built on spaces where a submarine is located, even if the station covers the space only partially.
• If sea finds are fully or partially covered when building, the affected sea-find chips must be removed. They are placed face-up next to the game board. If any of these are Atlantis finds, they are placed face-up on the "Ruins of Atlantis" tracker board. However, no player may place a station marker on the tracker for this.
• A player may buy stations and keep them in front of themselves in order to build them all at once in a later round. However, they may accumulate at most 4 stations this way.
• If the player wants to build stations, they must build all of them at once. If they cannot or do not want to build part of them, the player must put the unbuilt stations back under their stacks. These can be bought again later. The money already paid is of course lost. So it does not matter which player built the station: it is permitted to build only part of them and save the remaining already-bought stations for a later round.
• If a player's turn comes up and they neither buy nor build a station, but already have one or more stations in front of them, they must give up all their stations lying in front of them and put them back under the stacks. This prevents "blocking" of stations.

When a player has finished this phase, their left-hand neighbor takes their turn. Once all players have finished this phase, the starting player begins the second phase.

Example: Red may build the blue Trial station because it fits against the brown lock of the base station. It doesn't matter that there is no lock connecting to the green Training station.

Example: Building the blue residential station costs Orange 1 Nemo. For the residential station itself they previously paid 4 Nemo, since they staffed it with 4 researchers.

Example: For building the two Training stations and the green residential station, Violet must pay 2 Nemo, since building covers the Slope. Even if they had only built the first Training station together with the residential station, it would still have been 2 Nemo, since their residential station would already be partly built on the Slope.

Phase 2: Deploying Researchers

Researchers in residential stations do not yet do research. Researchers begin the game in residential stations and must first be brought into the research stations.

Moving Researchers

• When a player's turn comes up, they may move 1 or a maximum of 2 of their own researchers.
• The two researchers together have 3 steps available, which the player may distribute between their two researchers. They may use the allowed steps entirely on a single researcher for this. It is allowed to move fewer than three steps, or even to forgo movement entirely.
• If a player has 1 Training station in operation, they may distribute a maximum of 4 steps between one or two researchers; from 2 Training stations, even 5 steps. This benefit applies immediately after the station is brought into operation. If the player has not yet moved their second researcher this round, they may immediately move one step more (see the example below).
• Researchers may move through any station. It does not matter whether this is the base station, a residential station, or a research station. It is irrelevant which player built the station.
• If a researcher ends their movement in a research station in which no researcher of their color yet stands, they automatically bring that station into operation. It does not matter whether they built this station themselves or another player did.
• If a researcher stops in a research station belonging to another player (marked with another player's station marker), the player must pay the owner of the station 1 Nemo in order to bring that station into operation.
• If a player has only 1 of their own researchers in a research station, that researcher may no longer be moved out of the station for the rest of the game.
• It is not permitted to "park" a researcher in a research station if the number of steps is insufficient, and to continue moving from there in the next round.
• If a player has several of their own researchers in a research station, all but one may be moved. In this case, "parking" is possible.
• In every station (whether base, residential, or research station), any number of researchers may be present.

Example: Violet moves one researcher into their left Training station and another researcher into their right Training station. Since they have already moved 2 researchers, the remaining steps are forfeited.

Example: Violet moves a researcher into their left Training station. As a result they immediately have 1 more step available. With their remaining 4 steps they move into Red's Trial station, for whose activation they must pay 1 Nemo. Violet has to take the detour via the base station, since there is no passage from the left Training station directly to the neighboring Trial station.

Activating Research Stations

A research station only begins its work once a researcher enters that station.

Important: Every research station may be operated by multiple players!

Activating a research station: Every research station that a player has built themselves is their "own" research station. It is marked with a station marker of their color.

• If a researcher is moved into a research station in which none of the player's own researchers is yet present, they bring that station into operation. The researcher may not leave this station anymore.
• If this research station was built by another player (an opposing station marker is there), the player whose turn it is must pay the builder of the research station 1 Nemo, once, to share its use. If they later enter the same station with a further researcher, they need not pay again. Other players entering this foreign station for the first time must likewise pay the builder 1 Nemo once.
• To mark that research is being conducted, the marking chip for that research type is moved one column to the right on the player's tableau.

Example: The player has brought a Technology station into operation.

• Research at a single station (of one type) does not yet bring points for the final score - the marker still shows the value "0."
• If a player has several researchers in a station, this has no effect on the research itself. However, the presence of 2 researchers (of one player) is a prerequisite for deploying a submarine (see "Deploying a Submarine" in Phase 3).

Multiple Research Stations of the Same Kind in Operation

As soon as a player conducts research in more than one station of the same type, their possibilities improve as a result.

• If a player brings a researcher into the second station of a type into operation, they move the marking chip for that research type one further space to the right. The chip is now under the column with "2." They then flip the chip over - it now shows the number "1." The red bar is a reminder that from 2 stations of a type onward, the chip is flipped.
  • If a player has at least 2 research stations in operation and alone has the most stations of that type in operation, they improve at that station type to 3 points.
  • The player takes the corresponding marking chip with the "3" and places it on the marker with the "1."
  • If the marking chip with the "3" is in the possession of another player, and the active player is now entitled to take the 3-chip, the chip now changes owner (the marker with the "1" becomes visible again for the previous owner).
  • If tied, the marking chip with the "3" does not change owner.
  • Once the first player has all 4 stations of a research type in operation, they can no longer lose the associated "3" chip.

The Research Stations

There are 5 different research types, each represented by its own research station. Each research type grants different advantages in the game.

The Training Station

Bringing such Training stations into operation improves your own researchers' mental and physical abilities. Two researchers can move together up to 3 steps without a Training station. With one Training station, movement distance rises to 4 steps; from 2 Training stations, to 5 steps. Movement of more than 5 steps per round is not possible. This benefit applies immediately after the station is brought into operation. If the player has not yet moved a second researcher this round, they may immediately move one step more.

The Technology Station

Without a Technology station, every submarine may travel 4 spaces. Bringing such Technology stations into operation improves the overall technology of the submarines - thereby increasing their range. With 1 Technology station, each of your submarines may then travel 5 spaces; from 2 Technology stations, even 6 spaces.

The Echo Station

Bringing such Echo stations into operation allows better information to be gained about sea finds. If a player wants to look at sea finds ("scan"), without such a station they may look at all sea finds that are at most 4 spaces from their submarine. With an Echo station, the scan distance rises to 5 spaces; from 2 Echo stations, to 6 spaces. Even with an Echo station in operation, you must pay the scan cost of 1 Nemo (see "Using the Echo").

The Trial Station

This Trial station can only work once one of your own submarines has recovered a sea find. If this is a "Shell" or a "Snail" (value 0), the station immediately conducts trials! The player may look at any one face-down sea find on the board; with 2 Trial stations in operation, even 2 sea finds. These must, if possible, lie at different depths.

The Analysis Station

Bringing such Analysis stations into operation significantly improves your own investigation methods. This allows you to analyze recovered "treasure chests" more precisely, and you discover that the treasure chest's value is higher than the usual 2 Nemo. With an Analysis station, the value of treasure chests rises to 3 Nemo; from 2 Analysis stations, even to 4 Nemo. However, no treasure chest can have a value above 4 Nemo.

Phase 3: Deploying Submarines

Once all players have finished the "Deploying Researchers" phase, every player, on their turn, may deploy submarines and send them on a dive.

Deploying a Submarine

A submarine may be deployed if a player:

1. has at least 2 of their own researchers standing in a research station, and
2. that research station has at least 1 blue lock that leads to a free sea space.

Whoever wants to deploy a submarine:

• removes one of their researchers from the station (back to their own supply).
• then places one of their own submarines on a free sea space next to a blue lock of this research station.
• A player whose turn it is deploys all their submarines first. Only then may they move their submarines.

Using the Echo

If a player has one or more of their submarines deployed, they may use the Echo in order to scan sea finds within range (i.e., look at them secretly).

• The Echo may only be used before a submarine's movement.
• If a player wants to use the Echo for their submarine, they pay 1 Nemo.
• The player may now secretly look at all sea finds (and place them back face-down) that are within scan range of that submarine.
• The scan range without an Echo station is 4 spaces around the submarine (not diagonally). If the player has 1 Echo station in operation, the scan range rises to 5 spaces; from 2 Echo stations in operation, even to 6 spaces.
• The cost for using the Echo must be paid for every submarine for which a player uses the Echo.
• Sea finds in the Gorge may only be scanned if the submarine is located on a space in the Gorge.

If the player has no Echo station in operation, they may only look at the sea finds marked with an "x." If they already have 1 Echo station in operation, their scan range increases to 5 spaces and they may now also look at the sea find marked "y."

Moving Submarines

Once it is a player's turn, they may move all their submarines across the board, one after another.

• Each submarine normally travels 4 spaces.
• If a player has 1 Technology station in operation, each of their submarines may travel 5 spaces; from 2 Technology stations in operation, even 6 spaces.
• Submarines travel in a straight direction, never diagonally. Turning at a right angle is allowed (even multiple times).
• A submarine need not use the full number of allowed spaces.
• A submarine may travel over other submarines, but not over sea finds.
• The journey must always end on a free sea space or a space with a sea find.
• A submarine may also travel over a station. The spaces covered by the station are counted normally in this case.

If Orange has no Technology station in operation, they may end their journey on one of the spaces marked with a dot.

The Gorge

The Gorge, the dark area on the game board, is a particularly difficult body of water.

Only once a player has all 5 different research stations in operation (one of each suffices) may that player travel into the Gorge with a submarine. As soon as the first player has traveled into the Gorge, all other players may likewise travel into the Gorge with their submarines. They may do this even if they do not themselves have 5 different research stations in operation.

Note: Should the underwater city expand so far that a submarine is built directly into the Gorge, then afterward every player may travel their submarines into the Gorge. The 5 different research stations are then no longer required.

Recovering Sea Finds

If a submarine moves onto a space with a sea find, that find must be recovered immediately. That submarine's movement is thereby ended for this phase.

• Recovering a "Tempo chip" or a "treasure chest" (beige background on the front) is free.
• Recovering all other sea finds (blue background on the front) costs, per sea find:
  • on the Slope and in the Deep Sea: 1 Nemo,
  • in the Gorge, per sea find: 2 Nemo.
• When recovering a "Tempo chip," the player may immediately move any one of their submarines up to 3 additional spaces. This can even be a submarine that has already moved this round. This makes it possible to reach and recover a further sea find.
• When recovering a "treasure chest," the player receives 2 Nemo. If they have an Analysis station, they receive 3 Nemo, and from two Analysis stations, even 4 Nemo.
• If a player who has recovered a "Snail" or "Shell" has a Trial station in operation, that player may immediately look at 1 sea find of their choice on the board (and must place it back face-down in its spot). This can even be one in the Gorge. From 2 Trial stations in operation, this is even 2 sea finds. The two sea finds must, if possible, lie at 2 different depths.

All sea finds with a blue background on the front (exception: Atlantis finds) are placed on the player's own tableau. The tableau shows the point values received for them at the end of the game. Beige-colored sea finds are put back in the box.

If a player does not have enough money to recover a sea find, the chip must be put back face-up on its space. Exception: Atlantis chips are placed on the corresponding spaces of the tracker board. However, the player receives no benefits for this (as described below).

The Ruins of Atlantis

Recovering sea finds that show pieces of the Ruins of Atlantis (Atlantis finds) must also be paid for.

• The recovered Atlantis find is placed on the tracker space bearing the same number, and marked with a station marker of the player's own color.
• As a reward, the player may immediately move one of their researchers up to 2 stations (they spread the news of the find).
• Under certain circumstances, this movement can bring a station into operation - with all consequences, such as a change of the "3-point" marking chip, or greater range for submarines.

Example: Yellow has recovered Atlantis piece 10. They place it on space 10 of the "Ruins" tracker board and a station marker on the round space in front of it.

End of a Dive

The movement of a submarine ends once the boat has covered the allowed distance, or when it has recovered a sea find. The dive is continued in the next round.

A submarine can, however, also be taken out of service:

• In such a case, the submarine must move onto a free sea space that is next to a blue lock of a research station in which at least one researcher is present (this need not be one of the player's own).
• Then the player takes a researcher from their supply and places it into that research station. If this gives the player a majority of stations of one research type, the "3-point" marking chip changes as described. If they bring a foreign station into operation, they pay the owner 1 Nemo.
• The player takes the submarine back into their own supply. It may be deployed again starting the next round, even from a different research station.
• If a player has no researcher left in their supply, they do not get one back either. The submarine can still be taken out of service.

End of a Round

The player seated to the left of the starting player now becomes the starting player, receives the starting-player marker, and begins Phase 1 of the new round.

End of the Game

There are various ways the game can end:

• Not all Atlantis chips have yet been found, but chips 13, 14, and 15 have already been recovered (two of which are in the Gorge). Then the current round is finished, and one further round is played after that.
• If the last Atlantis chip is also found during a round, only the current round is finished.
• The game ends early if, in a round, no player has bought or built a station, and no sea find was recovered either. Then the game ends immediately after this round.

Scoring

First, the Atlantis point chips lying next to the "Ruins of Atlantis" tracker board are awarded. Whoever has recovered the most Atlantis finds receives the highest point value; whoever has the second-most finds receives the second-highest, and so on. In case of a tie, the player who found the higher-numbered chip receives the higher point value. Players who have recovered no Atlantis find receive no points. The points for Atlantis count among the points from sea finds.

Now each player reveals their special assignment and may increase the value of the depicted sea finds by 1 point each. (The sea find is shifted one column to the left.) This increase in value costs 1 Nemo for each sea find whose value is increased.

Then each player adds up the points they earned from sea finds (including Atlantis points). Next they also add the points from their marking chips, earned through their research stations. These two results are multiplied together. Finally, 1 point is added for each Nemo remaining. Whoever now has the highest overall score wins the game.

Example: The player has scored 1+3+1+3+0 = 8 points with their research stations. Among the sea finds, they may push the three Shells against a payment of 3 Nemo onto the 1, thereby increasing their value. They cannot use the Luminous Crab as the second sea find on their special assignment, since they did not recover a Luminous Crab. They may not increase the value of their Deep-Sea Urchin or their two Snails, since these sea finds are not depicted on their special assignment. In addition, they achieved second place for Atlantis finds, which brings 4 points. Together that is 4 (Atlantis finds) + 2 (Gold) + 3 (3 Shells) + 1 (Deep-Sea Urchin) = 10 points. The multiplication of points for research stations and sea finds gives 8 x 10 = 80 points. Added to this are 2 Nemo the player has left over. This gives them a final score of 82 points.

Distribution of Sea Finds

	Gold	Luminous Crab	Deep-Sea Urchin	Shell	Snail	Atlantis Finds	Treasure Chest	Tempo Chip
Slope	0	3	3	4	4	6	4	2
Deep Sea	1	2	2	3	3	5	3	1
Gorge	3	1	1	1	1	4*	2	1

*Atlantis finds 13 and 15 are located in the Gorge.

Reference Tables (from the Overview Tableau)

Research stations - benefit by number of stations of one type in operation (0 = base value, 1-4 = stations in operation):

Research station	0 (base)	1	2	3	4
Training Station - steps to distribute among 1-2 researchers	3	4	5	5	5
Technology Station - spaces each submarine may travel	4	5	6	6	6
Echo Station - scan range around a submarine	4	5	6	6	6
Trial Station - sea finds you may view (on a Shell or Snail)	0	1	2	2	2
Analysis Station - Nemo received for a treasure-chest find	2	3	4	4	4

Sea find point values (recorded on each player's own tableau; Atlantis finds are scored separately via the Ruins of Atlantis tracker, marked "?"):

Sea find	Points
Atlantis Find	variable (see Ruins of Atlantis tracker)
Gold	2
Luminous Crab	1
Deep-Sea Urchin	1
Shell	0
Snail	0

Treasure Chests and Tempo Chips are not scored on the tableau - they are resolved immediately for their in-game benefit (Nemo or extra submarine movement) and then returned to the box.

Round Summary (Quick Reference)

Phase 1: Expanding the Underwater City

• a) Buy 1 station: a research station costs 1 Nemo; a residential station costs 1 Nemo per researcher (max. 3 researchers with 2-3 players, max. 4 with 4 players).
• b) Build stations: must connect to a free lock; cost depends on sea depth (1, 2, 3, or 4 Nemo); place station markers on research stations built.

Phase 2: Deploying Researchers

• a) Move 1 or max. 2 researchers: distribute 3-5 steps (see Training Station).
• b) Bring a research station into operation: your own researcher moving into a research station for the first time may not leave it again; for a foreign research station, pay 1 Nemo to its owner; shift the marking chip on your tableau 1 space to the right.
• c) Multiple research stations of the same type: 2 stations of a type in operation flips the chip to "1"; having a majority of stations of that type earns the "3" chip.

Phase 3: Deploying Submarines

• a) Deploy submarines: 2 of your own researchers in a research station and a free sea space at a blue lock, then remove 1 researcher.
• b) Use the Echo: costs 1 Nemo, then view sea finds 4-6 spaces away (see Echo Station).
• c) Move submarines: 4-6 spaces (see Technology Station).
• d) Recover sea finds: end your movement there, pay 1 Nemo (2 Nemo in the Gorge); beige-background chips are free; a treasure chest grants 2-4 Nemo (see Analysis Station); a Tempo chip ("+3") lets any submarine travel 3 more spaces; an Atlantis find is marked on the Ruins tracker and lets you move 1 researcher 2 spaces; a Shell or Snail lets you view 0-2 sea finds (see Trial Station).

Tips for Your First Game

• Even though it may not seem so at first: money is scarce. Remember that you only receive money when fellow players use your research stations, or when you find treasure chests. Toward the end of the game you will need money for the costly recovery of especially valuable finds in the Gorge, and to cash in your special assignment.
• To win, you should try to secure the "3-point chips" in two or three research types. This gives you a good multiplier for your sea finds.
• Don't wait too long to build stations. Otherwise the space you are counting on may be taken by fellow players' stations first.
• Pay attention to who is the starting player each round. In some situations it is very important to go before a fellow player. It can happen that a fellow player builds a station and snatches away the valuable "3-point chip" from right under you.
• Also remember that a submarine can be taken "out of service" again at any time, letting a researcher go back "ashore." This sometimes makes it possible to let a researcher bring a station into operation that you really weren't counting on.

Credits

The authors: Brigitte and Wolfgang Ditt are enthusiastic gamers. In particular, the games of the "Settlers of Catan" family captivated them and inspired them to create a wealth of their own Catan scenarios and variants, many of which have appeared in the "Siedler-Buch" and in "Catan-News." On their website "www.poeppelkiste.de" they offer a wealth of information from the world of games, and about their great underwater adventure "Nautilus," which is their first published game.

Editorial work: TM-Spiele Graphics, design of the plastic pieces, and box photo: Franz Vohwinkel

© 2002 KOSMOS Verlag Art.-Nr.: 690113

The authors and the publisher thank all playtesters and rules readers.