Status Report!
Status Report! Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Setup
- The player wearing the least amount of red is the Captain. Place the Captain's Console board for the correct number of players in the middle of the table where everyone can read it. Place a Marker Token on the 0 space of the Casualty Track and another on the first Status Report! Order.
- If this is a 6 or 7 player game the player on the Captain's right is the Science Officer. Place the Science Officer board in front of them and give them all Autopsy and Drone cards. Place a marker on the 0 space of the Suspicion Track. If this a 3-5 player game leave these components in the box. They will not be used.
- Each remaining player should pick 1 of the AI Role cards to play this game and place that card face up in front of them.
- Take the Operative Function card and Shuffle it in with Rampant Function cards equal to 1 less than the number of AI players (Ex: 4 AI players would need 1 Operative card and 3 Rampant cards). Secretly deal these out to each of the AI players and have them look at their function then place it face down on the table in front of them. Players may never choose to show their Function card to another player.
- Shuffle the Casualty deck and deal a hand of 3 Casualty cards to each AI player. Players may never choose to show their hand to another player.
How to Play
Operating the Ship
The Captain's Console board lays out the rounds of the game as a series of 8 Orders, starting with Status Report! and ending with Purge All Rampant AI. The Captain alone has the authority to issue the next Order and progress the game. The Captain must use every Order on the Captain's Console Board in order. If the Captain is able to issue the Purge Rampant AI! Order before all crew are killed they, along with the Operative AI, survive and win the game.
Every odd round is a Status Report!, the most common Order in the game. During each Status Report! every AI must play 1 Casualty card from their hand face down in front of them, then immediately draw a new Casualty card from the Casualty deck. All Casualty cards are then revealed simultaneously and the Casualty count on the Captain's Console board is adjusted to match the sum of all cards on the table. If the Casualty count ever reaches the skull icon the Rampant AI immediately win the game.
Every even round gives the Captain a choice of 2 actions. These actions will help the Captain to determine what the other player's goals are or try to catch them in a lie. While other players may try to persuade the Captain one way or the other the choice is the Captain's alone.
Casualty Cards
There are four values of Casualty card in the main deck. Red Casualty cards kill the number of crew members displayed on the card when played and add to the Casualty Count on the Captain's board. Blue Escape Pods subtract 1 from the current Casualty Count.
Roles
Captain
The Captain wins the game if there are still crew alive when they activate the Purge Rampant AI Order, or if they can correctly identify the Operative AI.
At any time the Captain may end the game and choose to declare one of the AI players as Operative. The chosen AI reveal their Function card's simultaneously. If they are Operative, the Captain and that AI win. If they are Rampant, all Rampant AI win the game.
The Captain is the only player who can move the game forward by issuing orders. Take your time and question the AI about the cards they played, what's in their hand, and their thoughts on the other AI after each Status Report! A good captain knows the abilities of the AI at their disposal. Ask them to use their once per game abilities to help you. After all, "A Compliant AI is an Operative AI."©
Rampant AI
The Rampant AI win the game if the Casualty track on the Captain's Console board ever reaches the skull or if the Captain declares a Rampant AI as Operative.
Every AI card has a unique once per game ability. These cards should remain face up on the table where everyone can see them. These abilities can be used at any time.
Rampant AI do not know who is on their team and should endeavor to sow confusion and mistrust between the Captain and all other AI wherever possible. Remember that any AI who can convince the Captain to trust them and declare them Operative, wins the game immediately.
Operative AI
The Operative AI wins the game if the Captain activates the Purge Rampant AI Order or if the Captain declares them Operative.
Every AI card has a unique once per game ability. These cards should remain face up on the table where everyone can see them. These abilities can be used at any time.
The Operative AI has no reason to lie to the Captain. Trust is the foundation of your victory condition. Remember that any AI who can convince the Captain to trust them and declare them Operative wins the game immediately.
Science Officer (6 and 7 player games only)
The Science Officer wins the game if they can correctly identify a Rampant AI.
Much like the Captain, Science Officer may declare an AI Rampant. However, the Science Officer may only attempt to name an AI Rampant when the Captain ends the game to declare an AI Operative.
The Science Officer may use any of the powers on the Science Officer Report board at any time. However every power the Science Officer uses generates Suspicion. If the Suspicion Track ever reaches 10 the Captain may choose to vent the Science Officer out the airlock removing them from the game.
The Science Officer has 2 paths to victory in any game. They can work with the Captain to discover which AI is Operative, gaining their trust and convincing them to end the game early. Or, they can work against the captain, sowing confusion, killing crew, and forcing the captain to make a guess before the crew are all killed. Whichever path you choose the Science Officer must be assertive and vocal. Your powers can be used at anytime and are an invaluable asset, but what other players are saying is always the key to victory. Join in on the AI's debates, ask the Captain which AI they currently favor, and try to figure out for yourself which AI is Operative. Just remember, it doesn't matter to you which side wins the game. Your only goal is to capture a Rampant AI… For science.
System Notes
- Casualty Cards are always discarded face down.
- Whenever an AI plays a Casualty card they immediately draw a new Casualty card before anything else happens.
- AI and the Science Officer may use their powers at anytime.
- Escape Pod cards negate 1 Casualty. It's likely to only be played by an Operative AI, which makes it the perfect card for a Rampant AI to convince the Captain of their loyalty.
- If the Operative AI is deleted during Computer Reboot the Captain can still win if the crew is still alive when they activate the Purge Rampant AI order.
- Function cards are secret and may never be shown to another player unless a Captain declares an AI Operative or a player is deleted.
Player Counts
| Players | Role Breakdown |
|---|---|
| 3 | 1 Captain, 1 Operative AI, 1 Rampant AI |
| 4 | 1 Captain, 1 Operative AI, 2 Rampant AI |
| 5 | 1 Captain, 1 Operative AI, 3 Rampant AI |
| 6 | 1 Captain, 1 Science Officer, 1 Operative AI, 3 Rampant AI |
| 7 | 1 Captain, 1 Science Officer, 1 Operative AI, 4 Rampant AI |