Star Maps Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Game Rules
  • Components
  • Setup
  • How to Win
  • Round
  • Roll Phase
  • Choose Phase
    • Using the Dice
    • Make a Connection
  • Arms
  • Lock/Unlock
  • Game End
  • Final Scoring
  • Bonuses

Game Rules

Components

2 six-sided dice. Pencils/pens.

Setup

Each player will need an identical game sheet and a writing utensil. The dice are placed in the center of the table. You're ready to begin.

How to Win

The game ends when a player can no longer make a legal move. That is, when a player cannot use the dice rolled in any way, and cannot mark off a connection. Players tally their scores and the player with the highest score wins (see Final Scoring).

Round

A round is made up of two phases.

1. Roll
2. Choose

Roll Phase

Any player may roll the dice. Once rolled, announce the results aloud.

Choose Phase

A player may choose to either use the dice results to note a location, or forgo using the dice to make a connection. A player must use the dice or make a connection if they can.

Note: If any player cannot use the dice or make a connection, the game ends immediately after this phase.

Using the Dice

To use the dice rolled, follow these steps:

1. Choose one die to represent the star you're trying to find. Its shape depends on the value of the die you choose.
2. Now, in an empty square adjacent to that star, write down the value of the other die (the die you didn't choose for its shape).
3. IF this means a star on the map has two adjacent boxes that are filled in, you have found the star! Write down the difference between the two numbers in the star.
4. IF the star you wrote a value in is the last of its shape on the game sheet, you may immediately use a bonus you have unlocked. Keep track of the number of bonuses you use during play. You may only use two per game sheet (see Bonuses).

Note: A star shape that is locked and pre-filled must be unlocked before a bonus can be gained from its type.

Make a Connection

If you choose to forgo using the dice results, then you are making a connection. When doing so, choose any connection on the game sheet and fill it in with your pencil.

Any squares and/or stars directly connected to this symbol's dotted line are now considered adjacent.

Example: the box with "5" and the star are made adjacent when the connection is filled in. The star is found and the difference written inside.

Arms

Some game sheets have arms. These are areas of the sheet that are not scored unless they are unlocked via connections. Once they are unlocked, they score normally.

Lock/Unlock

When an arm or other part of the game sheet is locked, it will feature a lock symbol. If the star it's connected to contains a pre-filled value, then the player must fill out the two adjacent squares in a way that makes the pre-filled value true.

A player scores unlocked pre-filled numbers normally at the end of the game. Filling in an Unlocked symbol does not require an action.

Game End

The game ends when a player can no longer make a legal move. That is, when a player cannot use the dice rolled in any way, and cannot mark off a connection. Players tally their scores and the player with the highest score wins.

Final Scoring

Using the provided scoring blocks, a player adds the value of all filled out stars of each type. In addition, special scoring rules are included on each game sheet and at the beginning of each chapter.

The player with the highest score wins. If there's a tie, the player who used the least Bonuses wins. If there's still a tie, all tied players win together.

Bonuses

During the course of the game, players unlock bonuses for future use. This is done cooperatively and all bonuses unlocked are available for use by all players.

In a multiplayer game, losers of the game may cooperate to choose one new bonus to unlock on page 113.

Note: Using a bonus might trigger another bonus. This is allowed, but remember only two bonuses may be used per game sheet.