Smash Up: That '70s Expansion
Smash Up: That '70s Expansion Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Game Contents
This set contains:
- 4 factions with 20 cards each (80 cards total)
- 8 base cards
- 4 card dividers
- 1 token sheet (used as both Victory Point tokens and +1 power counters)
- This rulebook
Look for these expansions to Smash Up in stores now!
Use the snazzy dividers in this set with the Big Geeky Box, the ultimate in high-performance Smash Up storage. Look for it in stores!
Growing On You
That '70s Expansion 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 other sets, just think of it as viral advertising.
Setup
Each player shuffles together two different 20-card factions to make their 40-card deck.
Next, grab just the bases from the base set plus the sets the chosen factions came from. For example, if you have Kung Fu Fighter Halflings vs. Mega Trooper Rock Stars, take the bases from the base set, That '70s Expansion, Smash Up Munchkin, Big in Japan and What Were We Thinking? to make your base deck. Shuffle the base cards together.
Draw one base per player, plus one (e.g., four bases for three players), and place them face up in the middle of the table.
Each player draws five cards from their deck. If you have no minions in your opening hand, you may show your hand, discard it, and draw a new hand of five cards; you must keep the second hand. Whoever watched a show made in the '70s most recently goes first. Play continues clockwise.
Kickin' It Queensberry
For formal play, put at least 2 factions per player 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.
Sample Setup
The play area shows each player's Deck and Hand, the face-up initial Bases in the middle of the table, and the face-down Base Deck they're drawn from.
The Phases of a Turn
1. Start Turn
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 Terms and Restrictions.)
Actions
To play an action, show your card and do what it says. Boom! Then discard the action, unless you played it on another card.
3. Score Bases
After you are done playing cards, check to see whether any bases are ready to score (see The Big Score). If any are ready, you must start scoring.
4. Draw 2 Cards
Just what it says: draw 2 cards.
If you need to draw, reveal, search for, or look at a card and your deck is empty, shuffle your discard pile and put it on the table face down—that's your new deck. Start drawing from there.
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.
5. End Turn
Anything that happens at the end of the turn happens here. Then check to see if any players have 15 or more victory points. If so, see Game Over, Man! Otherwise play passes to the player on the left.
Card Resolution Order
- Resolve the card just played.
- Finish resolving other cards that are in the middle of resolving.
- Resolve cards in play triggered by the card of step 1. If more than one, the current player chooses their order.
- Play cards in hand triggered by the card of step 1. If more than one, go clockwise from the current player. (Me First, see The Big Score.)
- Discard the card of step 1 unless played on another card.
Get to Know Your Cards!
Minions have a Power, a Name, an Ability, a Minion Identifier, and a Faction Symbol.
Example: Dragon Warrior — power 5, Minion — "Ongoing: This minion cannot be destroyed. Talent: Transfer any number of +1 power counters from one minion to another."
Actions have a Name, an Ability, an Action Identifier, and a Faction Symbol.
Example: Armored Truck — Action, played on a base — "Ongoing: Your minions here cannot be destroyed or moved by other players' cards."
Bases have a Breakpoint, a Name, a Winner VP, a Runner Up VP, a Third Place VP, and an Ability.
The base's Ability 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: Boogie Wonderland — breakpoint 21 — "After a player plays a standard action that affects one or more of their minions here, they draw a card."
The Big Score
Score a base during the Score Bases phase if the total power of all cards on that base equals or exceeds the base's breakpoint (see Get to Know Your Cards!). If more than one base is ready to score, the player whose turn it is decides which one to score first.
After a base has been chosen to score, players may use abilities that happen "before" the base scores. If the total power on a base drops below its breakpoint after it is chosen, you still finish scoring the base.
For example, the Kung Fu player plays Expert Timing to move three +1 power counters from his minion on the scoring base to another base, while keeping himself in the lead. Even though the total power is now below the breakpoint, it still scores.
Me First!
Abilities of cards in play are resolved first, in the order chosen by the current player. Then if more than one player wants to play a card with a Special ability, starting with the current player and going clockwise, each player uses a Special or passes. You can use a Special after passing, but it stops when all players pass in sequence.
Awarding VP
The players with the highest, 2nd highest, and 3rd highest power on a base are the winner, runner up, and third place! They get victory points equal to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd number on the base card respectively. Anyone with the 4th highest power or lower gets nothing. If there are less than 3 players on a base, no one gets the VPs for the unclaimed spots. Dispense VP tokens in the appropriate amounts to everyone who scored. Abilities that happen "when" a base scores may change how this happens. You must have at least one minion or 1 power on a base to get victory points.
Back to Your Corners
After scoring, players can use abilities that happen "after" a base scores. Then all cards still on that base go to their owners' discard piles. This might trigger abilities that happen when cards go to the discard pile.
Put the scored base into the base discard pile. Replace it with the top card of the base deck; shuffle the base discard pile if needed. 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, they each get to use it. See Me First! above to settle conflicts.
Scoring order:
- Bases are checked to see if any are ready to score. If none are, go to the next phase.
- The current player chooses a base that is ready.
- Players may play and/or invoke any "Before scoring" abilities.
- VPs are awarded according to the current power totals. "When scoring" abilities may trigger now.
- Players may play and/or invoke any "After scoring" abilities. This may affect steps 6-8.
- All cards on the base are discarded.
- The base is discarded.
- A new base is chosen to replace it.
- Go to step 1.
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.
Terms and Restrictions
Some restrictions apply. See rules for details. Supplies limited.
Affect: A card is affected if it is moved or transferred, removed from play (i.e. destroyed, returned, shuffled, or placed), changed in power or controller, or has an action attached, or its ability canceled.
After: "After X do Y", means X is completely resolved before Y is done. (Unless X is "a base scores", see The Big Score.)
Cancel: This means the ability is treated as if it does not exist.
Control: By default, each card you play is controlled by you. If you gain control of a card, it is as if you had played it: minions add to your power total, abilities on the card apply to you and you can use them, etc. Controlling a minion does not mean you control any actions played on it, but their abilities apply normally. When the card leaves play, it goes to the hand, deck, or discard pile of its owner, not its current controller. "Having" cards at a base means you control them.
Destroy: This lets you remove a card that's in play and put it in the discard pile.
Directly: Card X directly affects card Y if X's ability does one of the things listed under "Affect", and Y is a target specified by X.
Discard: This lets you put a card that is not in play or has just been scored into the discard pile. It comes from your hand unless it says otherwise.
Extra: "Play an extra minion/action" means you increase the number of that type of card you can play in this phase by one. You don't have to play the extra card right away, unless it was gained by a Special ability or outside the Play Cards phase. Like regular cards, extra cards are optional.
In Play: Cards in play are in the middle of the table, i.e. an active base or any card on it. Cards in the hand, deck, or discard pile, or set aside, are not in play.
Move: This lets you relocate a minion or titan from one base to another, along with any cards or counters on it. Moving a card does not count as playing it. On-play abilities do not trigger when you move a card, but Ongoing, Special, and Talent abilities still have their effects.
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.
On your turn: This means during the normal Play Cards phase of your turn.
Owner: The player who had the card at the start of the game. Monsters and treasures have no owner.
Place: This lets you relocate a card in a way not covered by other terms, such as from a base to the bottom of your deck, or from the discard pile to your hand.
Play: You play a card when it's one of the free cards you get in phase 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, and put it in its owner's hand.
Special: Most abilities happen when you play a card. Special abilities happen at unusual times or in unusual ways. Special abilities might trigger on a card already in play, or in your hand or discard pile. 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.
Starting: The power of a minion or breakpoint of a base before being modified by other abilities. Normally this is the number printed on the minion or base, but some cards can change it.
Standard: A standard action is one that does not say "Play on a base" or "Play on a minion". It does its job and leaves.
Talent: This is an ability that the card may use once during the Play Cards phase of each of your turns. You don't have to use it if you don't want to.
To: Some cards say, "Do X to do Y" (e.g. "Discard cards equal to a minion's power to destroy it.") With these cards, if X gets thwarted for any reason (e.g., you don't have enough cards in hand), then you can't do any of X, or Y, either. So there.
Transfer: This lets you relocate actions or power counters from one card to another. When adding counters to your cards (from the pool), or discarding counters from your cards (to the pool), that's not transferring.
Clarifications
Boogie Wonderland: This triggers by moving a minion from there, but not to there.
Brojak: You may give it +1 even if it's already at the same base, or after Brojak itself moves.
Dancing King: Here, "another minion" means different from the ones already affected, not different from Dancing King.
Death Wisher: If Death Wisher is itself destroyed by another player, its ability is still triggered.
Diva, Dancing King, We Are Family, Funky Town: It cannot copy effects of actions played on minions or bases, nor of actions previously played. It cannot copy an effect already copied from a third minion by another Diva etc. It can copy once per action causing the effect, not once per minion being affected. "The same way" means e.g. moving it to the same base, or giving control of it to the same player. It can copy an effect even if it does not fit the original prerequisites (e.g. "power 3 or higher"). You must choose whether to copy an effect when the action is played, not when the effect happens. If an effect has multiple parts, choose only one part to copy. The copied effect is considered to come from the original standard action causing the effect, not from the Diva etc. allowing additional affected targets.
Everybody Was Kung Fu Fighting: Players destroy in clockwise order starting with the current player. They may still destroy a minion even if all their own minions there are destroyed before it comes to them.
High-Speed Chase, Rally: The power boost is unchanged even if High-Speed Chase is destroyed, or other actions appear there.
Last Dance: Credit for destroying the minion goes to the player who chooses to have it destroyed.
"Skinny Minnie", "Rubber Chicken", "El Bandido", Convoy, Hotwire, Rally, Truck Stop, The Greasy Spoon: Actions on minions do not count as actions on bases.
Turn the Beat Around: "Each minion affected by this" means the minions that gain the +1 power described earlier, not those that get the -1 power described later. Multiple -1 power losses may be assigned to the same minion.
Examples
At Base X, Anne has two Divas and a Disco Lou.
- If Anne plays Get Down Tonight, giving Disco Lou +2 power:
- Each Diva also gets +2, copying Disco Lou's +2.
- One Diva cannot copy the +2 the other Diva gets, because that is not a direct effect.
- Drawing a card does not affect any minion, so Anne only draws one card.
- If Anne plays I'm So Excited to move Disco Lou:
- If either Diva copies the move, it has to be to the same base.
- If after scoring, Anne plays I Will Survive to return Disco Lou to the hand:
- The Divas may also be returned to the hand.
- Note: Divas can copy only one effect per turn.
At Base Y, Anne has a Diva and a Roller, Bob has Foxy Green, Carol has Dragon Warrior.
- If Anne plays Tough It Out on the Roller:
- Tough It Out is not a standard action, so Roller does not get a power counter, and the Divas cannot copy it.
- Bob places a power counter on Foxy Green since Anne played a card affecting minions there.
- If Anne plays Disco Inferno and places a power counter on Roller, and Bob places one on Foxy Green and Carol places one on Dragon Warrior:
- The Roller gets a second counter since it had none when Disco Inferno was played.
- The Diva copies the effect on the Roller and gets a power counter.
- Four minions were affected, so Anne draws four cards; but Bob still places just one additional power counter on Foxy Green.
- If Carol plays a Cricket at a different base and transfers a power counter from Foxy Green to itself:
- Since the Cricket affected one or more minions there, Bob places a power counter on Foxy Green.
- If Anne plays Last Dance:
- Anne can destroy the Roller and have the Diva copy it, earning 2 VPs.
- Bob can destroy Foxy Green and earn 1 VP.
- Carol cannot destroy Dragon Warrior and cannot earn any VPs.
At Funky Town, Anne has Dancing King and a Diva with We Are Family on it, and Dave has Jacky Bill.
- If Dave plays A Whole Lot Meaner to add +3 power to Jacky Bill:
- We Are Family may copy it and add +3 power to the Diva.
- Dancing King may also copy it and add +3 power to itself (or to the Diva, but not to both). Dancing King can still copy more effects later this turn.
- If Dave plays Make My Day to destroy the Diva:
- Dancing King may copy its effect and destroy Jacky Bill, even though Jacky Bill's power is higher than 3.
- If Anne plays Fast As Lightning and targets Dancing King, giving it +2 power:
- This effect can be copied by the Diva and by We Are Family and by Funky Town and by Dancing King, so the Diva can gain +8 power.
- Or, any one of those cards could copy the effect of going to the hand instead, leaving the Diva with +6 power — but the choice must be made when Fast as Lightning is played.
Void Where Prohibited
Often, card text and rules text will conflict. When there's a fight, card text wins. So there's an invisible "unless stated otherwise" with every rule in this book. Exception: Minion power and base breakpoint are never reduced below zero.
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 or doesn't happen. For example, you can play an action that destroys a minion even if no minions are in play, or if the minion you choose is immune to destruction.
You must follow a card's ability, even if it's bad for you. Exceptions: Extra cards are optional, as are abilities that say you "may" do something.
If an ability says "any number" you may choose one, or even zero. You may play a card that says "all" even if there are no targets.
If you get to play extra minions or actions outside the Play Cards phase, you must play those extra cards immediately or not at all.
Anyone may look through any discard pile at any time.
"A minion" or "an action" means any minion/action in play, unless stated otherwise. Exception: "Play a minion/action" means one from the hand.
When a card that others can see goes to the hand, deck, or discard pile, it goes to the one belonging to the card's owner (i.e. the player whose deck the card came from), no matter who played or controlled it.
When a card leaves play, any cards and counters on it are discarded.
Specials may be played at any time they are applicable, even on other players' turns.
The power of a minion not in play is only the number printed on it, but once in play its power includes all modifications.
Power counters on minions and titans always modify their power. Power counters have no effect on action or base cards.
If not stated, the effects of an ability expire at the end of the turn, or when its card leaves play, whichever is sooner. Exception: with no stated deadline, a control change of a minion lasts indefinitely.
"You" on a minion, action, or titan means the controller of the card; on a base it means any player it describes, often the current player. "Other players" means everyone except "you". "Your" cards are those you control, whether or not you own them.
"Here" means the base the card is at; "there" means the location just referred to on the card.
If you "look" at a card, show it to no one else. If you "reveal" it, show it to everyone else. If you "search" a deck or discard pile for a card you must reveal the card chosen. After searching a deck it must be shuffled.
The Factions
This set of Smash Up features four factions, which combine to make 6 possible decks. Counting all the Smash Up sets, there are now over 1600 possible faction combos! Mix and match factions to suit your play style.
Disco Dancers
Nothing defined the 1970s like Disco. Love it or hate it, this music shaped our image of that decade. And the people who loved it are here to turn the beat around all over their opponents! Don't assume that the leisure suits and roller skates make them pushovers, or you just might not make it to the last dance...
Disco Dancers have learned the power of dancing together. Watch out as they copy each others' moves!
Kung Fu Fighters
Well, everyone was... Kung Fu Fighters have incredible martial skill that defies reality. Well, the defying reality bit was in large part due to wires... but still, they know how to dish out a beating. Kung Fu Fighters know that power flows like water, and can make it flow from minion to minion as they wish.
Truckers
Trucker culture hit its height in the 1970s thanks to some amazing movies that came out in that decade. Truckers were the heroes of the open road, By keeping in touch through their CB radios, they could defy corrupt law enforcement and free small towns, all the while delivering the goods that kept America running. As you'd expect, the Truckers are all about action and transferring things, and you'll see that on their cards.
Vigilantes
There's never been vigilante justice like '70s vigilante justice. Just as mean as the crime they fought, these hard-nosed heroes keep the streets safe for the good people of the city. They never back down, even when the odds are stacked way against them, because a good drink can help you shrug off anything. No matter what your opponent may throw at you, the Vigilantes will answer.
Moar Factions!
Does more than one person want to play Kung Fu Fighters? Great! Combine two sets of That '70s Expansion 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.
Roll Credits
Game Design: Paul Peterson
Development: Mark Wootton, Bryan Stout, Wim Debraekeleer
Art Direction: Todd Rowland
Art: Alberto Tavira, Francisco Rico Torres, Gong Studios, Klaudia Bulantova
Graphic Design: Kalissa Fitzgerald
Writing: Todd Rowland, Bryan Stout
Editing: Bryan Stout
Proofreading: Bryan Stout, Chet Chamberlain, Wim Debraekeleer, Adam East, Garrett Lapham, Evan MacPhaul, Boaz Moser, Duc-Man Nguyen, Robert Payne, Logan Pierce, Robert Zollo
Layout and Typesetting: Kalissa Fitzgerald
Production: Dave Lepore
Brand Management: Todd Rowland
Playtesting Director: Bryan Stout
Playtesting: John Abdullah, Stefanie Albers, Chris Alford, Wesley Anderson, Brittany Baab, Carl Baab, Tatianna Banci, Jack Barth, Norman Barth, Rachel Barth, William Billings, Remi Boros, Matthew Boucher, Malte Büsing, Jason Calandrillo, David Camillieri, Alex Cardona, Debbie Cartwright, Emma Cartwright, Freya Cartwright, James Cartwright, Jessica Cartwright, Sage Cera, Davey Chacon, Chet Chamberlain, Daniel Chang-Fong, Cliff Christiansen, Heidi Christiansen, Ben Colbert, Joschka Cors, Brock Craddock, Kathryn Cramer, Daniel Curtis, Mike Czerniewski, Nadine de Groot, Ayne Delgado, Brian Denning, Paul DiSalvio, Adam East, Elissa East, Jewel East, Seth East, Ernie Enriquez, Jared Frail, Andrew Gerber, Joshua Gibson, Kristy Gibson, Luca Guarini, Maurice Haedrich, Tarja Harney, Justin Harrell, Dean Harris, Sam Harris, Dave Haynes, Luke Hays, Tim Helms, Jesse Henderson, Joseph Hering, Joshua Hinton, Christian Janßen, Jason Lahowetz, Garrett Lapham, Danny Leal, Dave Lepore, Ben Lim, Zach Lyons, Evan MacPhaul, Nick Mahnke, Luis Mares, James Martin, Sam Martin, Daniel J. Matteo, Parker Meek, Casey Miller, Boaz Moser, Daniel Mowat, Andrew Narzynski, Duc-Man Nguyen, Le-Thi Nguyen, Kaz Nyborg-Andersen, Gerrit Oestreich, Dennis Oltmanns, Jonas Onken, Timo Onken, Brinjolfur Owens, Brittany Payne, Robert Payne, David Phillips, Greg Piehn, Katie Pierce, Lane Pierce, Laura Pierce, Logan Pierce, Cody Powell, Josh Rathert, Bryan Reese, Dan Reschke, Nicole Reschke, Jordan Rhodes, Scott Richardson, LaRae Roberts, Mason Roberts, Maya Roberts, Paul Roberts, Alexander Rossi, Eugene Sandberg, Kristin Sandberg, Richard Sandberg, Robert Sandberg, Emily Schepper, Andrew Schwartz, Michael Schwartz, Nathanial Sheridan, Stephanie Sheridan, Robert Simmons, Timothy Simmons, Taylor Skelton, Trevor Skelton, Carlton Smith, Nic Smith, Nicholas Smith, Annie Stout, Bryan Stout, Aaron Stricker, Alex Stricker, Mike Tinsley, Fabien Vannier, Andrew Vlahous, Ashley Vogel, Josh Vogel, Josh Walker, Kayleigh Watters, Adam Williams, Laura Williams, Robert Williams, David Wood, Anna Wray, Landon Wray, Erik Yaple, Andrew Young, John Zinser, Nick Zollo, Robert Zollo.
Special Thanks To: Little Sammy Chung, Sheriff Buford T. Justice, and The Man.
Legal Mumbo-Jumbo
© 2018 Alderac Entertainment Group. Smash Up, That '70s Expansion and all related marks are ™ and © Alderac Entertainment Group, Inc. 555 N El Camino Real #A393, San Clemente, CA 92672 USA. All rights reserved. Printed in China. Blah blah blah.
Warning: Choking hazard! Not for use by children under 3 years of age.
Smash Up mechanic designed by Paul Peterson, used under license by Alderac Entertainment Group.
Smash Up the Interwebs
Questions? Email [email protected]
All Your Basics
Set Up
Each player chooses two factions and shuffles them together to make a 40-card deck. Place any titans near your deck. Draw a hand of five cards. Place one more base card than you have players in the middle of the table (for example, 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 players meets or exceeds a base's breakpoint, that base scores.
The players with the highest, second highest, and third highest power get the victory points for the winner, runner up, and third place, as shown on the base. 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 one or more players have 15 or more victory points just before a turn ends, the one with the most victory points wins. In case of a tie, play another turn.
If you are playing with the Obligatory Cthulhu Set, remember to check for Madness cards VP reduction at the end of the game. Then if any players are tied for most victory points, the player with the lowest number of Madness cards wins. Further ties share the win!
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.