Smash Up: Science Fiction Double Feature
Smash Up: Science Fiction Double Feature Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Objective
Your goal is nothing short of total global domination! Use your minions to crush enemy bases. The first player to score 15 victory points (VP) wins!
Game Contents
This set contains:
- 4 factions with 20 cards each (80 cards total)
- 8 base cards
- 1 VP token sheet
- This rulebook
Growing On You
Science Fiction Double Feature is an expansion to the Smash Up core set. It is still a fully operational battle station for 2 players though!
These rules sometimes talk like you've got more than just four factions, or mention cards that aren't in this expansion. If you don't already have the core set, just think of it as viral advertising.
Look for these expansions to Smash Up in stores now!
Setup
Each player shuffles together two different 20-card factions to make a 40-card deck.
For example: Cyborg Apes! + Super Spies! = Ape Spies!
If you have two copies of The Science Fiction Double Feature Set, different players can use the same faction pitting Shapeshifters against Shapeshifters, for instance. But one player can't play with two copies of the same faction. I mean, come on.
Shuffle all the base cards together to make a deck. Draw one base per player, plus one (for example, use four bases for three players). Place the bases face up in the middle of the table.
Each player draws five cards. If you have no minions in your opening hand, show your hand, discard it, and draw a new hand of five cards. You must keep the second hand.
Whoever got up the earliest this morning goes first. Play continues clockwise.
You're ready to smash up some bases.
Kickin' It Queensberry
For formal play, put 8 factions in the middle of the table. Randomly determine who goes first. The first player chooses one faction. Choice continues clockwise. When everyone has chosen one faction, the last player chooses a second faction. Choice continues in reverse order.
Cheater! Y U Action Twice?
Abilities only happen when you play a card from your hand, or any time a card says "play." When minions just move around, that's not playing them.
This Is How You Roll
1. Crank It Up
Some abilities happen at the start of your turn. This is when that goes down. Yo.
2. Play Cards
On your turn play one minion, play one action, or play one of each… for free! You can play your cards in any order. You don't have to play any cards.
Minions
To play a minion, choose a base and put the minion card beside it, facing toward you. Do what the card says. (Cards that start with Special are a special case. See page 11 for an explanation.)
Actions
To play an action, show your card and do what it says. Boom! Then discard the action (unless it has an Ongoing ability).
3. Check for Scoring
After you are done playing cards, check to see whether any bases are ready to score (see page 7). If any are ready, you must start scoring.
After scoring bases, check to see if any players have 15 or more victory points. If so, see Game Over, Man! on page 9.
4. Draw 2 Cards
Just what it says. The maximum number of cards you can have in your hand at this time is 10. If you have more than 10 after drawing, discard down to 10.
If you need to draw or reveal a card and your deck is empty, shuffle your discard pile. Put it on the table face down—that's your new deck. Start drawing from there.
5. Shut It Down
Anything that happens at the end of the turn happens here. Play passes to the player on the left.
All Hands on Deck!
Minions
A minion card shows:
- Power — the large number in the upper left.
- Name — across the top of the card.
- Minion Identifier — the word "Minion" below the art.
- Ability — the text box.
- Faction Symbol — the icon in the lower right.
Example: Secret Agent (power 5, Minion, Super Spies faction) — "Ongoing: After another player plays an action, he or she must discard a card."
Actions
An action card shows:
- Name — across the top of the card.
- Action Identifier — the word "Action" below the art.
- Ability — the text box.
- Faction Symbol — the icon in the lower right.
Example: ...Really? (Action, Shapeshifters faction) — "Destroy one of your minions. Play an extra minion from your discard pile with the same or lower power."
The Big Score
Score a base if the total power of all minions on that base equals or exceeds the base's breakpoint (see page 9). If more than one base is ready to score, the player whose turn it is decides which one to score first.
When a base has been chosen to score, each player first gets to use any Special abilities that happen "before" the base scores. If the total power on a base drops below its breakpoint, you still finish scoring the base.
For example, a Super Spies player sees that he will be runner up at Monkey Lab, which currently has 23 power on it. She plays Live and Let Chum to destroy an opponent's Furious George, giving her the most power there now by 7 to 6. That drops the total power on the base below 23, but since it's already started scoring, it still finishes.
Me First!
If more than one player wants to use a Special ability, start with the current player and go around the table clockwise until all players pass in sequence (if you pass and another player uses a Special, you can then still choose to use a Special of your own). If your Special allows you to play extra cards, you must play those immediately or not at all.
Awarding VP
The player with the most power on a base is the winner! That player gains victory points equal to the number on the left. The second highest player is the runner up, and receives the middle number. The third highest is just third place but does receive the lovely consolation prize of the number on the right. Dispense VP tokens in the appropriate amounts to everyone who scored. You must have at least one minion on a base to get victory points.
Back to Your Corners
After scoring, players can use Special abilities that happen "after" a base scores. Then all cards still on that base go to their owners' discard piles. This does not destroy them, but might trigger abilities that happen when they go to the discard pile.
Put the scored base into the base discard pile. Replace it with the top card of the base deck, if any.
Check to see if another base is ready to be scored. Score it too, the same way.
Tie Fighter
If players are tied on a base, all involved players get points for the best position they tied for. So, if three players had 10, 10, and 5 power on a base when it scores, the winners with 10 power each get first place points! The player with 5 power then gets third place, not second. If two players tie for runner up, no one gets third place. Harsh.
If players tie for a base's ability (such as the one on Monkey Lab), they each get to use it. See Me First! on the previous page to settle conflicts.
Game Over, Man!
At the end of any turn that someone reaches 15 VP, the player with the most Victory points wins. If there is a tie for the most, keep playing turns until there isn't. No sharing! Except for your two factions. You guys are BFFs.
Get to Know Your Cards!
A base card shows:
- Breakpoint — the number in the upper left.
- Name — across the top of the card.
- Winner VP — the leftmost of the three large numbers.
- Runner Up VP — the middle number.
- Third Place VP — the number on the right.
- Ability — This is what the base does. Its ability always operates while the base is in the middle of the table. It's sort of a combination of Special, Ongoing, and Awesome.
Example: The Vats (breakpoint 15; 3 / 1 / 1 VP) — "You may not play a minion here that has the same name as another minion here."
Terms and Restrictions
Some restrictions apply. See rules for details. Supplies limited.
Affect: A card is affected if it is moved, returned, destroyed, or has an action attached.
Destroy: When a card says to destroy a card, put the destroyed card in its owner's discard pile.
Discard: When a card gets discarded, it goes to the discard pile of the player whose deck it came from, no matter who played or controlled it.
Extra: Normally, you can play one minion and one action each turn. A card that lets you play an extra minion or action lets you play an additional card of that type during that turn. You don't have to play the extra card right away, unless the extra card was gained by a Special ability.
Move: This lets you move a card from one location to another. Moving a card does not count as playing it. Minion abilities do not happen when you move a card.
Ongoing: Most abilities happen and then they're over, or else they end at the end of the turn. Ongoing abilities are active for as long as they're around.
Play: You play a card when it's one of the free cards you get in step 2, or any time an ability specifically says that you're playing it. A card's ability happens when you play it. When cards are moved, placed, or returned, they're not being played, and their abilities don't happen.
Return: This means that a card goes back where it came from. When a card returns from a base, discard attachments on that card.
Special: Most abilities happen when you play a card. Special abilities happen at unusual times or in unusual ways. Special abilities might be on a card already in play or held in your hand. A card's ability will describe how it can be used. If you use a Special ability to play a card on your turn, it doesn't count as one of your free cards for that turn.
Talent: This is an ability that the minion or action may use once during each of your turns, sort of like an extra action. You don't have to use it if you don't want to.
Void Where Prohibited
Often, card text and rules text will conflict. When there's a fight, card text always wins. It has a black belt in rule-fu.
If cards conflict, the one that says you can't do something beats the one that says you can.
If multiple effects would happen at the same time, the player whose turn it is chooses the order.
You can play a card even if its ability can't happen. For example, you can play an action that destroys a minion even if no minions are in play. This helps you get unneeded cards out of your hand.
You must follow a card's ability, even if it's bad for you. However, if a card says you may do something, you have a choice whether to do it.
If an ability says "any number" you may choose zero. You may play a card that says "all" even if there are no targets.
If you get to play extra minions or actions while a base is being scored, you must play those extra cards immediately or not at all.
When a card gets discarded, it goes to the discard pile of the player whose deck it came from, no matter who played or controlled it.
Specials may be played at any time they are applicable, even on other players' turns.
Anyone may look through any discard pile at any time.
The Factions
This set of Smash Up features four factions, which combine to make 6 possible decks. As more factions join and try to take over the world in future expansions, the full number of possibilities will grow. Mix and match factions to suit your play style.
Cyborg Apes
In a daring raid on a top secret research facility, apes stole the latest in cybernetic enhancements, and are now enacting their centuries-old plan to take over the world! Combining their natural athleticism and powerful strength with high-tech augmentations, these apes will go bananas all over your opponents!
Shapeshifters
Far below the surface of the earth, strange amorphous creatures have developed a thriving world, based on the manipulation of their own genetics. Now they plan to apply that knowledge to conquer our world above. Taking samples of the most powerful creatures and warriors they can find, these shapeshifters can use the best of whoever they copy.
Super Spies
The shadow war between International Secret Intelligence and the evil HAVOC (Henchman and Villains of Chaos) continues. HAVOC's schemes threaten the world, from weather-changing satellites to lasers mounted on secret moon bases, they can only be opposed by the daring agents of the ISI. Using the latest in espionage technology, the ISI will be able to foil your opponents plans.
Time Travelers
The time stream has been compromised. Robots from the future mingle with pirates, extinct dinosaurs move with magical wizards... everything is all smashed up! That's where the Time Patrol steps in. Organized in 1976 and led by the enigmatic Doctor When, the Time Patrol works to keep time flowing... in the manner they deem best.
Moar Factions!
Does more than one person want to play Cyber Apes? Great! Combine two sets of Smash Up so people can draft and play the same factions against one another. Remember, you can't put two of the same faction together though! Just use one set of bases when combining.
Haven't Tried the Core Game Yet? Srsly?
Pirates, Ninja, Dinosaurs, and more! Get it today and have even more Smash Up madness!
Grave Digger sez... The original Smash Up box will hold two additional expansions! So when you put them in there and get rid of this box, remember to recycle it!
Roll Credits
Game Design: Paul Peterson
Development: Mark Wootton
Art Direction: Todd Rowland
Cover Art: Victor Perez Corbella, Wen Juinn, Igor Heras, Brynn Metheney
Graphic Design: Kalissa Fitzgerald
Writing: Todd Rowland
Editing: Edward Bolme
Proofreading: Mark Wootton, John Zinser
Layout and Typesetting: Kalissa Fitzgerald
Production: Dave Lepore
Brand Management: Todd Rowland
Art: Victor Perez Corbella, Wen Juinn, Igor Heras, Brynn Metheney
Playtesting: Ken Grazier, John Strobel, Tom Jukic, Brian Reames, Mark Vasko, Kris Woods, John-Paul Riley, Kevin White, Scott Moore, Anthony Collins, Richard Hunt, Annie Stout, Bryan Stout, Meg Stout, Dennis Moxon, Jackie Moxon, Jenn Moxon, Joe Moxon, Adam Bellas, Charlie Downs, Darren Humphrey, Simon MacDonald, Sydney MacDonald, Amber Schulze, Thomas Staudt, Andreas Scheytt, Birgit Uhl, Juergen Uhl, Joachim Bauer, Anthony Gallela
Special Thanks: AEG would like to thank the great Smash Up fans who continue to support us. We have a lot of fun making this game and we hope that you experience that when you play.
Legal Mumbo-Jumbo
© 2014 Alderac Entertainment Group, Inc. Smash Up, Shufflebuilding, Alderac Entertainment Group, and all related marks and images are TM and © Alderac Entertainment Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Blah blah blah.
Printed in China. Warning: Choking hazard! Keep away from small children!
Smash Up mechanic designed by Paul Peterson, used under license by Alderac Entertainment Group.
Smash Up the Interwebs: www.alderac.com/smashup and www.alderac.com/forum
Questions? Email [email protected]
All Your Basics
Set Up
Each player chooses two factions and shuffles them together to make a 40-card deck. Draw a hand of five cards. Place one more base card than you have players in the middle of the table (that is, use five bases for four players).
On Your Turn
Play 1 minion and 1 action in either order. You can play less if you want to.
Follow all instructions on card abilities as you play them.
Check to see whether any bases can be scored. If they can, score them.
Draw two cards. Discard down to a hand of 10 if necessary.
Scoring
After you are done playing minions and actions, if the total power of all minions meets or exceeds a base's breakpoint, that base scores. The player with the highest power at that base is the winner and scores first place victory points. Second highest is the runner up and scores second place. Third highest scores third place. In case of a tie, each player receives full victory points for the highest place he or she qualified for.
Resolve the ability on the base, discard minions there, and then replace it.
Winning
When a player has 15 or more victory points at the end of a turn, he or she wins. If two or more players have more than 15 VP, the one with the most victory points wins. In case of a tie, play another turn.
Additional Rules
When a card disagrees with the rules, the card wins.
If cards conflict, the one that says you can't do something beats the one that says you can.
If multiple effects happen at the same time, the player whose turn it is determines their order.
You can play a card even if its ability can't happen.
You must follow a card's ability, even if it's bad for you. If a card says you may do something, you have a choice whether to do it.
If an ability says "any number" you may choose zero. You may play a card that says "all" even if there are no targets.
Anyone may look through any discard pile at any time.
If you are playing with the Obligatory Cthulhu Set, remember to check for Madness cards VP reduction at the end of the game. If, after players have counted their Madness cards up, any players are tied for most victory points, the player with the lowest number of Madness card wins.