The Artemis Project Game Rules

Welcome to The Artemis Project! Here you’ll find all the information you need to play the game and immerse yourself in the exciting world of space exploration.

In The Artemis Project, you will take on the role of a space explorer, venturing out into the unknown to colonize distant planets. It’s an exhilarating and challenging adventure that will test your strategic thinking and decision-making skills.

The game is played over a series of rounds, with each round representing a year in your space exploration mission. Your objective is to gather resources, build structures, and ultimately establish a thriving colony on the planet.

At the start of each round, you will have a set number of workers at your disposal. Workers are essential for carrying out tasks, such as mining resources, constructing buildings, and researching new technologies. However, be mindful of your workers’ energy levels, as they will need rest and recuperation to perform at their best.

As you progress through the game, you will have the opportunity to build various structures, such as mining outposts, research labs, and living quarters. These structures will provide you with the resources and capabilities needed to sustain your colony and expand your reach into the cosmos.

But it’s not just about internal growth. You’ll also need to compete with other players to secure the most advantageous positions on the planet. Will you focus on dominating the resource-rich areas or establishing a strong defensive presence? The choice is yours, and your strategy will determine your success.

Keep in mind that space exploration is a risky endeavor, with unforeseen challenges and dangers lurking in the darkness. You’ll need to manage your resources wisely, adapt to changing circumstances, and make tough decisions when the unexpected occurs.

By balancing careful planning with bold initiatives, you’ll navigate the uncharted territories and shape the future of space colonization. Are you ready to take on the challenge? Grab your spacesuit and get ready for an adventure of a lifetime with The Artemis Project!

Welcome to Europa, the frozen moon of Jupiter! It’s taken us years to transform this icy sphere into a place where humans can survive. And let me tell you, the hard work was definitely worth it. Why? Because beneath the frozen surface lies a vast ocean teeming with life!

Thanks to the incredible “Threshold” energy shield, the atmosphere on Europa is just right for us. And with the “Doorstep” spaceport up and running, brave teams called Stabilizers are descending to the moon’s surface to compete for control.

But the real treasure lies hidden in a submerged cavern we like to call The Pocket. Here, you’ll find all the resources you need to thrive. The thermal vents keep the ocean warm, and the waters are filled with alien creatures beyond our wildest imagination.

Your mission is to build a colony beneath the icy surface, exploring both the land and the sea. Show the world that you have what it takes to create a new home for humanity. Welcome to the Artemis Project!

Your Goal

Hey there! You and I are in charge of a team called the Stabilizers. Our mission is to create the best colony possible before the game is over.

To achieve that, we need to gather resources like Energy and Minerals, build structures in the ocean to enhance our abilities, and construct buildings above the ice to earn points. We also have to recruit and train colonists who will be a valuable part of our colony and assist us during expeditions.

As we progress in the game, we’ll earn Victory Points (VP) for accomplishing different tasks. And when the game finally comes to an end, we’ll score points based on specific criteria. The player with the highest number of VP will be declared the winner!

What’s in the box?

When you open the game, you’ll find a few essential components. Let’s take a look:

The Game Board

The game board is where all the action happens. It’s where you’ll explore new territories, build your colonies, and face various challenges. Keep an eye on the game board at all times.

Player Mats

Each player will have their own player mat. This is where you’ll keep track of your resources, score, and actions. Make sure to place your player mat in front of you and refer to it often.

Building Tiles

There are 52 building tiles in the game. These tiles represent the different structures and facilities you can construct on the planet. Use them strategically to expand and strengthen your colonies.

Event Cards

There are 14 event cards in the game. These cards introduce unexpected situations and challenges that you’ll have to overcome. Stay prepared and adapt to these events to ensure the survival of your colonies.

Expedition Cards

There are 22 expedition cards in the game. These cards represent the exploration missions you can send your colonists on. They may lead to valuable discoveries or dangerous encounters. Choose your expeditions wisely.

Colonist Markers

You’ll find 84 colonist markers in the game. These markers represent the population of your colonies. Place them on the game board to indicate the number of colonists in each area.

Draw Bag

The draw bag contains various tokens that you’ll need during the game. Use it to randomly select tokens or markers when instructed to do so. Keep the draw bag within reach throughout the game.

Dice

There are 25 dice included in the game. These dice are used for various actions, such as gathering resources, resolving conflicts, and determining outcomes. Roll the dice and let chance be your guide.

Player Markers

Each player will have their own set of player markers. These markers allow you to keep track of your progress and actions on the game board. Use them to mark your territories and indicate your choices.

Mineral Markers

There are 60 mineral markers in the game. These markers represent valuable resources that you can find and extract on the planet. Collect them to improve your colonies and gain an advantage over your opponents.

Event Marker and Phase Marker

The event marker and phase marker are used to track the progress of the game. They help you stay organized and keep the game moving forward smoothly. Pay attention to these markers to stay on top of the game’s flow.

Toolkit Markers and Expedition Badges

There are 35 toolkit markers and 35 expedition badges in the game. These markers represent the equipment and achievements of your colonists. Use them to enhance your actions and showcase your progress.

“5x” Tokens

You’ll find 20 “5x” tokens in the game. These tokens are used to track resources and actions that have a multiplied effect. Keep these tokens handy to easily calculate your bonuses and benefits.

Let’s Get Set Up!

General Setup

Here’s what you need to do to set up the game:

1. First, put the game board in the middle of the table. Then, create piles of Minerals, Energy, Toolkits, Expedition badges, and 5x tokens. You can place these piles next to the board, just like it shows in the picture.

2. Next, take 4 Engineers, 4 Marines, and 4 Stewards and put them on the board close to the Academy.

3. Each player should have 1 Pioneer. Keep these Pioneers separate, and put the rest of the colonists in a bag near the Doorstep. Before starting the game, make sure to mix them up nicely.

4. Finally, take the Building tiles and shuffle them. Separate them into two face-down stacks: one for Surface tiles and one for Ocean tiles. Place these stacks next to the Gantry.

When playing a 2-player game, we need to make sure that we remove any duplicate buildings from both stacks. You can easily identify them because they are marked with a symbol.

Next, we need to shuffle the Event cards. Take the shuffled deck and draw six cards from it to create a face-down Event deck near the game board. The remaining cards should be put back in the box. Don’t forget to place the Event marker near the deck.

In this game, we have a total of six rounds. The Event deck serves as a game timer, reminding us of how many rounds are left.

After that, it’s time to shuffle the Expedition deck and place it face-down near Basecamp.

Preparing the Players

First things first. I’ll need a player mat, my own set of dice, and my player markers. Grabbing 3 Minerals, 3 Energy, and 1 Toolkit from the supply, I’ll stash them in the storage areas on my player mat. I should also put 1 Pioneer colonist in my Shelter.

Now it’s time to get situated on the game board. I’ll place my two player markers on the starting spots of the Score track and the Relief track. This will keep me organized and help me keep track of my progress.

It’s time to determine who goes first. Let’s do it randomly! The lucky person will get the Phase marker.

Now, onto setting up the game board.

Before we start the game and before each new round, we need to go through this setup process. Obviously, when we’re starting the game, there won’t be any “previous round” to consider.

1 Basecamp: First, let’s clear all the Expedition cards from the previous round and put them aside. Now, let’s take a look at the deck and lay out some new Expedition cards face up. We need one less card than the number of players. If we run out of cards in the deck, we’ll shuffle the discarded cards to create a new deck.

If any of these new cards have colonists as rewards, we’ll draw them from the bag and place them on the corresponding Expeditions right away.

Lastly, if any of these cards have buildings as rewards, we’ll draw them from the stack that matches the current round and place them by the corresponding Expeditions.

2 Vents: When I start a new round, I get rid of any leftover Energy from the last round. Then, I add more Energy to my Vents. The exact amount of Energy I should add is shown at the top left corner of all the Expedition cards for this round, combined with an extra 2 energy.

Step 3: The Quarry: Get rid of any leftover Minerals from the last round. Add Minerals from the supply to the Quarry. The number of Minerals you need to add is shown in the top left corner of all the cards for this round combined, plus 2 Minerals.

Step 4: The Gantry: Take out Building tiles from the designated stack (Ocean for rounds 1, 2, and 3; Surface for rounds 4, 5, and 6) equal to the number of players. Put them on the side of the board, alongside any remaining tiles from the last round.

The Gantry can have a maximum of 8 buildings. If you already have 8, stop revealing new ones.

Step 5: The Doorstep: Put random colonists (two more than the number of players) drawn from the bag into the Doorstep. Add them to any colonists that were left over from the previous round.

Hey there! Did you know that there’s a maximum of 12 colonists in the Doorstep? Yep, once you reach that number, you gotta stop drawing new ones.

And check this out, you don’t need any extra setup for the 6 Academy. Pretty neat, right? Same goes for the Outfitters. No need for any extra setup there either!

Event: I’m going to reveal something exciting! Let’s flip the top card of the Event deck. Look closely, because there’s a letter on this card. Take note of the letter and place the Event marker right next to it on the game board’s edge.

Remember, that letter tells us when the Event will happen during the round. If the letter is, well, uh, it, the Event happens right away as soon as it’s revealed. Oh, and make sure to read the Event card out loud so everyone knows what’s going on and when it’ll happen.

Once we’ve got all that sorted, we’re good to start the round!

Harsh Mode

So, let me tell you a secret. Colonizing Europa is no walk in the park. But if you’re finding it a little too easy, here’s a challenge for you. Try playing without adding the extra +2 Energy, Minerals, and Colonists to the Vents, Quarry, and Doorstep during Setup or each round. That should make things really tough!

Game Play

Hey there! Let me walk you through the important steps of each round in this awesome board game. I’ll also fill you in on some general rules to keep in mind.

We start with the Placement phase, where you get to decide where to put your dice. You have 7 different regions on the board to choose from. Think strategically and assign your dice wisely!

Once all the players have made their decisions and assigned their dice, it’s time for the Resolution phase. This is when things get exciting! Each region, along with the special Event of the current round, will be resolved in a specific order. It’s like watching a puzzle come together!

After all the regions and the Event have been resolved, we move on to the Upkeep phase. This phase helps wrap up the round and prepare for the next one. Think of it as tidying things up and getting ready for new adventures!

The game consists of 6 rounds in total. Once those rounds are completed, it’s time for the final scoring. Your victory points, or VP as we like to call it, will be calculated and added to the points you earned during the game. So keep playing smart and accumulating those points!

Ready for Some General Rules?

Hey there! Let’s talk about some important aspects of the game. When you gain or lose VP (victory points), you need to move your marker on the Score track to show how your points have changed.

When you “pay” or “spend” something in the game, that item is discarded and goes back into its supply pile.

“Resources” in the game refers to Minerals and Energy. You can have any combination of these resources.

• If the supply of Energy, Minerals, Toolkits, or Expedition badges runs out, don’t worry! You can use the 5x tokens to make change and return resources to the supply. Each 5x token you have in a storage area on your player mat counts as 5 of that item.
• Remember, colonists can only go into your buildings if there is enough room. A building has room for a colonist if there’s an empty spot specifically for that type of colonist, or an empty blank spot that can hold any type of colonist.

Hey there! I wanted to share some important information about the game rules. Let’s get started, shall we?

Whenever you get a new colonist, you can put them in any available building. If there’s no room, they’ll have to go to your Shelters.

If you gain a new building, you can move colonists from your Shelters, but not from other buildings, to fill it up. Remember, you can only move colonists during the move/swap step of the Upkeep phase.

When the draw bag runs out of colonists, grab the discarded ones and use them to refill it. If there are no discarded colonists left, no new ones can enter the game.

If you’re told to lose something you don’t have, do your best to comply with what you can and ignore the rest. For example, if you’re supposed to lose 2 Minerals but only have 1, then lose the 1 Mineral.

In this phase, we start by rolling our dice to form our dice pool. Once we have our dice, we take turns placing them on the game board. The start player goes first, and then we go in a clockwise direction. When it’s my turn, I choose one die from my pool and place it in one of the seven regions on the board.

If you have any Toolkits, you can use them to change your dice. But remember, you can only make changes before you place the dice, not after.

• Each Toolkit you use allows you to increase or decrease one die by 1.
• You can use multiple Toolkits to change a die multiple times.
• However, you can’t make a die less than 1 or more than 6.
• Basecamp
• Vents
• Quarry
• Gantry
• Doorstep
• Academy
• Outfitter

1. Basecamp

Compete to earn Expedition badges and the rewards shown on the Expedition cards.

Place your die next to the Expedition card of your choice, starting at the bottom of the card. If you place additional dice, stack them on top, regardless of their value.

So here’s the deal. You want to make sure that when you roll the dice in the game Expedition, the total number you get is at least as high as the difficulty level. That’s how you earn yourself a badge and a reward. Pretty cool, right?

If you wanted to join this Expedition, you would place your die above the die that the previous player placed at the bottom of the card. Let me explain how you can send colonists on Expeditions and the role they play in affecting the outcome.

To send a colonist (or multiple Pioneers) from the Shelters on your player mat, you need to spend 1 resource. These colonists will help influence the outcome of the Expedition. Make sure to place them next to your die so that it’s clear they belong to you.

Pioneers: When playing the game, you have the option to send multiple Pioneers with your die. The best part is, it only costs 1 resource to send as many Pioneers from your Shelters as you want. Each Pioneer you send will raise the value of your die by 1, allowing you to go beyond the normal limit of 6. So, think of each Pioneer as an extra “pip” on your die, giving you more possibilities and chances to succeed in the game. Engineers: Another option you have is to send 1 Engineer along with your die. If the Expedition turns out to be successful, you’ll not only earn the regular rewards, but you’ll also gain 2 additional resources. This holds true even if you don’t meet the requirements for any other reward. The Engineer brings added benefits to your Expedition, making it even more worthwhile.

As a marine, you have the ability to send one marine with your die. This marine can immediately reduce one opponent’s die on the same expedition by 1 or 2 points. However, keep in mind that you cannot reduce a die below 1 point.

On the other hand, as a steward, you can send one steward with your die, but your die must have a value of 1 or 2 only. If the expedition is successful and you are the first to choose a reward, you will not only receive the reward but also gain 1 victory point (VP). It’s important to note that this strategy is difficult to execute successfully. Most of the time, you will need to send another die on the expedition in order to secure first place and qualify for the steward’s reward.

So here’s an example of what you can do: let’s say you have 2 Pioneers in your Shelters. You can send them along with your die by spending either 1 Energy or 1 Mineral. Place the Pioneers right beside your die, and voila! Your die is now a “7”.

2. Vents

Now, let’s talk about the Vents. This is where you can harvest Energy, which comes in handy for a bunch of things like gaining, sheltering, and deploying colonists. But here’s the trick—this region uses something called the Exposure mechanism. What does that mean? Well, it’s simple! You just place your die to the right of any dice that are the same or lower than your die’s value. And guess what? The value of your die tells you exactly how much Energy you’ll be able to grab during Resolution. Pretty cool, right?

3. Quarry

Alright, let’s move on to the Quarry. This is the place where you can harvest Minerals, which are super useful for constructing buildings. Just like the Vents, the Quarry also uses the Exposure mechanism. That means you place your die in the same way, to the right of any dice that are equal to or lower than your die. Easy peasy!

4. Gantry

Lastly, we’ve got the Gantry. This is where the bidding happens. You can bid on the buildings you want to construct. Simple as that. Happy bidding!

When it’s time to build a new structure, I choose a building tile and put my die on it. The number on my die determines how many Minerals I’m willing to bid to construct the building.

• If there are already other dice on the building, I can still place mine. But my die’s value has to be higher than all the others.
• I can outbid myself or even outbid another player who has outbid me.
• Putting my die on a building doesn’t mean I need to have all the bid amount of Minerals at that moment. But if I don’t have them when the Gantry is resolved in the Resolution phase, I won’t be able to buy the building. So it’s important to plan ahead!

Imagine you have a number “4” that you want to place on a building. You have two options: the Volcanic Extractor with no dice or the Manufactory with a “3” on it. However, you can’t place it on the Shuttle Bay because your die wouldn’t be the highest there.

Let’s move on to the fifth building, the Doorstep. This building allows you to recruit colonists who will work in your colony’s buildings and help with expeditions.

The Doorstep uses the Exposure mechanism, just like the Vents and the Quarry. The value of your die determines how many colonists you can recruit from the Doorstep during Resolution. Each recruit will cost you 2 Energy.

It’s important to note that you don’t need to have the necessary Energy when you place your die on the Doorstep. However, if you don’t possess the Energy by the time the Doorstep is resolved in the Resolution phase, you won’t be able to recruit the colonists you want.

Now, let’s talk about the sixth building, the Academy.

When it comes to preparing colonists for different jobs, there’s a nifty trick you can use. It involves placing your die alongside a colonist from your Shelters or buildings. The die value determines what the colonist will become, as shown on the board.

But beware! If the Academy has run out of the type of colonist you want to train into, placing your die here would be a wasted action during Resolution.

If you put the number “3” in an Academy spot with a colonist, it will turn into a Marine during Resolution.

Outfitter

Get Toolkits, which you can use to change your dice.

The Outfitter is different from other regions because it activates right away instead of waiting for the Resolution phase!

Put your die in this section based on the value shown. Immediately get the number of Toolkits shown from the supply and store them in the Toolkit storage area on your player mat.

There is no limit to how many dice you can send to the Outfitter. When all players have no more dice, the Placement phase ends.

The Resolution Phase

Let’s start with the Phase marker at Event Spot A and go around the board clockwise to resolve the 6 numbered regions (and any Events that come up).

As the start player, I move the Phase marker around the board to show which region we’re resolving. And don’t worry, everyone gets their dice back as we finish each region.

The Big Moment

When the Phase marker catches up to the Event marker, get ready for something big! It’s time to unravel the mysteries and surprises the Event card has in store for you.

1. Basecamp

When playing the game, I need to resolve each Expedition card one by one, starting with the one closest to the deck and moving away from it.

If the total value of all my dice on the card is lower than the Expedition difficulty, then unfortunately the Expedition has failed. In that case, I don’t receive any rewards, and I have to move 1 step up on the Relief Track (I’ll explain what that is in a moment).

However, if the total value of all my dice on the card equals or exceeds the Expedition difficulty, then the Expedition is successful!

In case of a successful Expedition, the player who has the highest total value of their own dice (including any Pioneers they have) gets an Expedition badge and gets to choose one of the two rewards shown on the card. The player with the second-highest value of dice on the card also gets an Expedition badge and receives the remaining reward. Any other players who have dice on the card don’t receive any rewards, but they do move 1 step up on the Relief Track.

When it comes to resolving ties in the Expedition game, there are a few rules to keep in mind. First, if more than one player plays to the Expedition at the same time, the tie is broken by the player who played earlier. This can be determined by looking at the die placed lower beside the card.

If only one player has dice present on a successful Expedition, that player will receive both rewards. However, they will only receive one Expedition badge.

It’s important to remember that the abilities of your colonists can also affect the resolution of the Expedition. Make sure to take them into account when resolving the game.

After each Expedition is resolved and rewards are claimed, your colonists will return to your Shelters or your Expedition Hub building, if you have one. They will not return to any other building.

By following these rules and considering the abilities of your colonists, you can ensure a fair and exciting game of Expedition!



Let’s talk about our recent Expedition. Here’s what happened: Green had 6, Yellow had 7 (5 plus 2 Pioneers), and Purple had 3. We had a total of 16, which easily beat the difficulty of 8 – our Expedition was a success!



Yellow was the first to pick a reward for getting a badge, and they chose the Pioneer and Engineer. Then, it was Green’s turn to pick after earning a badge. They got the remaining reward, which was a single VP.

Purple didn’t earn any badges or rewards, but they did gain 1 on the Relief Track.



2. Vents

Now let’s talk about the Vents. Starting from the leftmost die and moving to the right, the player who owns each die takes Energy from the Vents equal to the value of that die.

Have you ever wondered what happens when you roll a die in a game? Well, let me tell you. When you roll a die, there’s a chance that you won’t get all the Energy you were hoping for. It’s kind of a bummer, but don’t worry, you still get a little something.

Let’s say you roll a die and it should have earned you 5 Energy, but you only get 3. In that case, you take what you can get and the remaining 2 Energy are wasted. It’s a bit disappointing, but that’s how it goes.

Now, here’s something interesting. If you roll a die and it earns you no Energy at all because there’s no more Energy left, that die is exposed and you don’t get anything. However, don’t be too disheartened because you get a little boost on the Relief Track. It’s a small consolation prize, but every little bit helps.



Let me give you an example of how energy and dice work in the Vents. There are 8 instances of Energy and 5 dice in total.

• The Yellow 1 requires 1 Energy.
• The Green 3 requires 3 Energy.
• The Yellow 3 requires 3 Energy.
• The Green 4 only requires 1 Energy because that’s all that remains.
• The Purple 4 is visible, so Purple gains 1 on the Relief Track.

3. Quarry

The Quarry works in the same way as the Vents, but instead of Energy, it uses Minerals.

4. Gantry

When resolving tiles on the Gantry, each tile with dice is handled separately. The player with the highest-value individual die can choose to pay the equivalent amount in Minerals to claim the corresponding tile.

Let’s say I decide not to spend my precious Minerals to buy a building – either because I don’t want to or because I simply don’t have enough Minerals. Well, guess what? I won’t gain anything on the Relief Track. And guess who gets the next shot at the building? The player with the next-highest value die, of course.

Now, here’s an interesting twist. If you were outbid by another player (and it’s not you bidding against yourself), and that player actually pays for and claims the building, you get a little something too – you gain 1 on the Relief Track. Not too shabby, huh?

But let’s say I won the bid and it’s time for me to claim my shiny new building. I place it neatly beside my player mat, making sure it lines up properly – whether it’s an Ocean or Surface building. Oh, and here’s a neat trick: when I gain a building, I can instantly move any colonists I want from my Shelters to that building, as long as there’s space for them. Talk about a convenience!



I didn’t see any bids for the Volcanic Extractor. But Yellow managed to outbid everyone and won the bid for the Manufactory. They paid 4 Minerals and now they own the building. Purple wasn’t able to outbid Yellow, so they had to settle for going to the Relief track.

Green had an easy win with the Shuttle Bay. They paid 4 Minerals and it was all theirs.

5. Doorstep

Starting from the leftmost die and moving to the right, you can pay 2 Energy points for each colonist you want to claim from the Doorstep. The number of colonists you can claim is limited by the value shown on the die that corresponds to that specific slot on the board.

If we run out of colonists before resolving all the dice, the player who still has an unresolved die gets 1 point on the Relief Track. You can choose not to take any colonists even if there are some left, but you won’t get any points on the Relief Track unless there are no colonists left on the Doorstep when it’s your turn to resolve your die).

So, you’ve got yourself a new colonist! What are you going to do with them? Well, you have a couple of options. If you have some empty space in one of your buildings, you can go ahead and place your colonist there. They’ll fit right in and start contributing to whatever it is that building does. But what if all your buildings are already full? Not to worry – in that case, your new colonist will have to go to your Shelters.



Choosing the Right Colonists: A Crucial Decision

When it comes to building a successful colony, your choice of colonists can make or break your chances of thriving in this new world. But how do you know which colonists are right for your mission? There are a few key factors to consider.

1. Skills and Abilities

One of the most important things to consider when choosing colonists is their skills and abilities. Each colonist brings a unique set of talents and expertise to the table, and it’s crucial to select individuals who complement each other and cover a wide range of necessary tasks. For example, a Marine can provide security and defense, while an Engineer can handle technical and mechanical challenges.

2. Interactions and Compatibility

Another factor to take into account is how your chosen colonists will interact and work together. Compatibility among the crew members is crucial for maintaining a harmonious and productive environment. Ensure that the personalities and temperaments of your colonists align to minimize conflicts and maximize cooperation.

3. Availability and Supply

Understanding the availability and supply of colonists is vital. Some colonists may be scarce or in high demand, which could affect their cost or availability. Keep an eye on the market and plan accordingly to secure the colonists you need for your mission.

4. Backup Plans and Redundancy

It’s always wise to have backup plans and build redundancy into your colony’s workforce. In case of emergencies or unexpected circumstances, having extra colonists with similar skills can be a lifesaver. This ensures that important tasks can still be accomplished even if one or more colonists become unavailable.

5. Balancing Cost and Efficiency

Finally, finding the right balance between the cost of acquiring a colonist and their efficiency is crucial. Some highly skilled colonists may be expensive to recruit, while others might be more affordable but less effective. Consider your budget and prioritize efficiency when making your choices.

By taking these factors into account, you can make informed decisions when choosing your colonists, increasing your chances of building a thriving and successful colony. Remember, it’s not just about finding colonists; it’s about finding the right colonists for the job.

• When you get a new colonist, you can place them in one of your buildings right away, as long as you have space. If not, they will go to your Shelters.



In the game of The Artemis Project, when Yellow plays a “3” into the Academy, their Pioneer transforms into a Marine!

Yellow then gets rid of the Pioneer card and takes a Marine card from the Academy supply.

Outfitter

The dice have already been resolved during the Placement Phase. Now, all players simply retrieve their dice.

The Relief Track

When you make progress on the Relief Track (usually because you had an exposed die, failed an Expedition, or got outbid on a building), move your Relief Track marker one space to the right. Then, you get the reward indicated above the space your marker is in, or you can choose any reward that your marker has already passed.



Hello there! Let me explain what happens when you’re on the second space of the Relief Track. You get 1; then, you move to the third space. At this point, you have a choice: you can gain 2 Minerals, 2 Energy, or 2 Toolkits. Take your pick!

Once you reach the end of the Relief Track, your marker stays there. You won’t be able to move it or enjoy any more Relief Track benefits for the rest of the game, even if you usually would.

After the Resolution phase, it’s time for the Upkeep phase.

Now, the Upkeep Phase

During this phase, we have some tasks to complete in a specific order. Let me walk you through them.

One Move/swap

Hey there! Let’s talk about what you can do in this game.

First of all, you can move or swap your colonists. Each player is allowed to make one move or swap per turn. This means you can either move a colonist from where they are to an empty space in a building (as long as there’s room), or you can swap the positions of two colonists in your buildings or shelters.

Time to Activate Fully-staffed Buildings!

If you have fully staffed ocean buildings, you can activate them now. These buildings usually give you some kind of benefit, but remember they need to be fully staffed, meaning there can’t be any empty spots.

You have the freedom to activate your buildings in any order you like, and you’ll get the benefits they offer. Check out the Building Appendix for more info on each building.

Energy Payment for Colonists in Shelters

When you have colonists in your Shelters, it’s crucial to remember that you need to pay 1 Energy to keep each of them warm. If you don’t have enough Energy to cover all of the colonists, you can choose which ones to pay for and discard the rest from the game.

Time to Refresh the Game Board

After each round, every region goes through a refresh process. If you’ve just finished the final round and there are no more Event cards to reveal, you can skip this step.

The board refresh follows the same steps as the original Board Setup on page 4. You can find a summary of the process on the back of the rulebook.

New Round, New Start Player

Once the round is over, the player who has the fewest resources will get to choose the starting player for the next round. In case there is a tie, the tied player who is furthest in clockwise order from the previous starting player will make the decision. And then, a new round will begin with a fresh Placement phase.

The Conclusion of the Game

Once the sixth round is finished (including the Upkeep phase), it’s time to tally up the final scores and determine the winner. You might have earned VP (victory points) throughout the game, and now it’s time to add up your score using the criteria shown below and on the back of the rulebook. Remember to score them in the specific order listed: