The Thrill of Facing Nemesis

When I first heard about the concept of Nemesis encounters and combat, I was filled with a mix of excitement and trepidation. It’s hard not to feel a rush of adrenaline when you know you’re about to come face-to-face with a powerful adversary, ready to test your skills and push you to your limits.

With the element of surprise and uncertainty, encountering Nemesis adds a whole new level of thrill to the game. You never know when they might show up, lurking in the shadows, ready to strike when you least expect it. It keeps you on the edge of your seat, your senses heightened, as you explore the game world, always aware that danger could be just around the corner.

But it’s not just the thrill of the encounter that makes Nemesis so captivating. The combat itself is a true test of skill and strategy. You can’t just go in swinging your weapon and expect to come out victorious. No, you have to study your enemy, learn their patterns, and come up with a plan of attack.

Each Nemesis is unique, with their own strengths and weaknesses. Some may be incredibly fast and agile, while others might rely on brute strength. As the player, it’s up to you to figure out the best way to exploit their weaknesses and turn the tide of battle in your favor.

And if you manage to defeat a Nemesis, the sense of accomplishment is incredibly rewarding. There’s a satisfaction in knowing that you were able to overcome such a formidable foe, that your skills and perseverance paid off. It’s a feeling that keeps you coming back for more, eager to take on the next challenge.

So, if you’re looking for an adrenaline-pumping experience that will put your gaming skills to the test, Nemesis encounters and combat are exactly what you need. Brace yourself for the unexpected and prepare for an intense battle that will leave you craving more.

When an Intruder shows up in a Room where I am, that’s called an Encounter. It can happen when an Intruder is drawn from the Intruder bag. Sometimes, certain Event cards or Intruder Attack cards can also trigger an Encounter.

But, let’s make one thing clear: If an Intruder moves from one Room to another Room where I am, that’s not considered an Encounter.

So, how do we handle an Encounter? Here’s what you need to do:

1. First, get rid of any Noise markers in the Corridors that connect to this Room. And hey, don’t forget about the Technical Corridors and the Technical Corridors Entrance!
2. Next, pick one Intruder token from the Intruder bag. Each token has an Intruder Symbol on one side and a number on the other side.

I’m going to give you step-by-step instructions on how to handle intruders in the game room. First, take an Intruder miniature and put it in the room. Make sure the Intruder type matches the symbol on the token. You can find descriptions of each symbol on the Intruder board.

Next, compare the number on the Intruder token with the number of cards in your hand. Count both Action cards and Contamination cards. If you have fewer Action cards than the number on the token, you’ll experience a Surprise Attack. But if you have the same number or more Action cards, nothing happens. Don’t worry, you can set the drawn Intruder token aside. It could come back into play if an Intruder of that type hides in the Technical Corridors during the Intruder Movement.

Remember, a Surprise Attack can be a real game-changer, so be ready for anything. Good luck!

Have you heard of the Surprise Attack? It’s a sneaky trick that only happens during an Encounter. Here’s how it works: if you have less cards in your hand than the number on the Intruder token, the Surprise Attack happens.

Blank Token

If you come across a Blank token, something special happens. You see, when a player draws this token, it means that there might be something lurking in the shadows. So, what we do is we place a Noise marker in every corridor that leads to the room where this encounter is taking place. It’s like a sign, a way to alert you that danger may be nearby.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. If the Blank token happens to be the last token in the Intruder bag, something even more exciting happens. We add an Adult Intruder token to the bag. It’s like the game is giving you an extra challenge to overcome. But, if there are no more Adult Intruder tokens available, well, nothing happens. The Blank token simply goes back into the Intruder bag, and the encounter comes to an end.

Entering a room with an Intruder

Imagine this: you’re about to step into a room, and you can sense that something isn’t right. As soon as you enter, you realize you’re face to face with an Intruder. The tension rises, and the fight is about to begin. You and the Intruder are now in combat. It’s a battle of wits and survival, where anything can happen. So, get ready, because it’s about to get intense.

Encounter Example:

In this day and age, technology is everywhere. From smartphones to smart homes, it seems like there’s no escaping it. But have you ever stopped to think about how it affects us? I’ve certainly pondered this question, and I believe there are a few key points to consider.

Firstly, let’s talk about the impacts of technology on our lives. It can be both a blessing and a curse. On one hand, it makes our lives easier and more convenient. With the touch of a button, we can order food, book a ride, or even find the answer to a burning question. But on the other hand, it can also be overwhelming. The constant stream of notifications and distractions can leave us feeling stressed and exhausted.

Another aspect to consider is how technology affects our relationships. With the rise of social media, it’s easier than ever to stay connected with friends and family. We can share photos, send messages, and even video chat with loved ones who are far away. But at the same time, technology can create a sense of disconnection. It’s all too easy to get lost in a virtual world and neglect the real-life relationships right in front of us.

But perhaps one of the most significant impacts of technology is on our mental health. The constant exposure to screens and social media can contribute to feelings of anxiety, depression, and loneliness. It’s important to take breaks and disconnect from technology every now and then to recharge and reconnect with ourselves and those around us.

So, what’s the bottom line? Technology is a powerful tool that has the ability to enhance our lives in numerous ways. But it also has its drawbacks. It’s up to each of us to find a balance and use technology in a way that serves us without overwhelming us. By being mindful and intentional with our technology use, we can harness its benefits while still prioritizing our well-being.

I’m moving from the Hibernatorium to the Room next door. There are 2 Noise markers in the Corridors connected to that Room.

Whenever I enter an empty Room, I have to make a Noise roll. I rolled a 2 this time, and since there’s already a Noise marker, I know I’m in for an Encounter.

I’m going to remove all the scary Noise markers from the hallways that are connected to this room. Then, I’ll grab a special token from the bag called an Intruder token.

This Intruder token has a number “4” on the back. I need to compare that number to how many cards I have in my hand. Right now, I only have three cards.

Uh-oh, I don’t have enough cards! That means something bad is going to happen. I have to draw a card called an Intruder Attack and see what happens.

Fighting

If both me and the Intruder are in the same room, we start fighting. It’s called Combat.

I can choose to attack the Intruder or try to run away during my turn. The Intruder will attack me during their turn.

Attacking an Intruder

If I’m in the same room as an Intruder, I can choose to attack them. I have two options: I can use a Shoot Action or a Melee Attack Action during my turn.

Using a Shoot Action

If I have a Weapon with at least 1 Ammo and I’m in a room with an Intruder, I can perform a Shoot Basic Action against that Intruder by following these steps:

1. Choose a Weapon and select the Intruder you want to shoot.
2. Use up 1 Ammo from that Weapon.
3. Roll the Combat die.

The Combat die will determine the outcome of the attack.

Do you ever find yourself feeling frustrated because you just can’t seem to hit your target? I know I do. It’s so important to take a step back and really understand what might be causing you to miss the mark. There are a few key factors to consider when it comes to hitting your target consistently.

First, it’s important to have a clear understanding of your goal. What exactly are you aiming for? Without a clear target in mind, it’s easy to get lost and miss the mark. Take the time to clearly define what you’re trying to achieve, and keep that goal in mind as you move forward.

Next, it’s crucial to assess your approach. Are you using the right tools and techniques to hit your target? Sometimes, a small adjustment to your technique can make all the difference. Don’t be afraid to experiment and try new approaches until you find what works best for you.

Another factor to consider is your mindset. Are you approaching your goal with confidence and determination, or are you letting doubt and fear hold you back? Your mindset plays a huge role in your ability to hit your target. Believe in yourself and your abilities, and don’t let negative thoughts get in the way.

Finally, it’s important to remember that hitting your target consistently takes practice. It’s not something that happens overnight. Be patient with yourself and keep working at it. With time and perseverance, you’ll start to see improvement.

So, if you’re feeling frustrated because you keep missing your target, don’t give up. Take a step back, assess your approach, adjust your mindset, and keep practicing. Remember, hitting your target is an art that takes time and effort to master, but with the right attitude and approach, you can achieve great things.

If your target is a Larva or Creeper, you’ll deal 1 Injury. But if your target is anything else, you’ll miss.

If the creature you’re attacking is a Larva, Creeper, or Adult Intruder, you’ll cause 1 Injury. But if it’s not one of those, then you’ll miss.

Let’s talk about dealing damage to your target! When I attack, I can cause 1 Injury to the enemy, no matter what type of Intruder they are. It’s a straightforward way to harm them and turn the tide in our favor!

When you use this ability, you’ll deal 2 injuries (regardless of the intruder’s type) to your target. It’s important to note that some weapons have special rules that can modify the shooting action.

Melee Attack Action

If you find yourself in a room with an intruder, you have the option to perform a basic melee attack against them:

1. First, draw 1 contamination card and add it to your action discard pile.
2. Next, choose the intruder you want to attack.
3. Roll the combat die.

Here are the possible results you can get from rolling the combat die:

Uh-oh! You didn’t hit your target, and as a result, your Character ends up with a Serious Wound.

If your target happens to be a Larva or Creeper, you will inflict 1 Injury on them. However, if your target is anything else, you will miss and your very own Character will endure 1 Serious Wound.

If you’re going after a Larva, Creeper, or Adult Intruder, you’ll cause 1 Injury to them. But if you’re not targeting any of those, you’ll miss and your Character will take 1 Serious Wound.

If you hit your target with a powerful attack, they will definitely feel the pain. That’s what the Move called “Deal 1 Injury” does – it inflicts damage on your opponent, no matter what type of Intruder they are. It’s a simple but effective way to take them down.

Hi there! Let me tell you about a really cool power I have. When you use my magic on someone, it causes them to get injured. But here’s the thing – it only hurts them a little, just 1 injury. It doesn’t matter what kind of Intruder they are, my power can affect anyone.

Let’s see how combat works in an example:

So, imagine I’m playing as a Scout, and I want to shoot an Intruder using my trusty Scientist’s Pistol. First, I have to spend one of my Action cards. Then, I’ll discard one Ammo from my Weapon card. Finally, I’ll roll the Attack die to see how many Hits I get.

Okay, the result is two Hits. But here’s the thing: the Scientist’s Pistol card says that if I roll two Hits, it’s actually treated as just one Hit. So, I’ll place one Injury marker on the Intruder miniature.

Now comes the interesting part. After placing the Injury marker, we check the Injury effect to see how the Intruder is doing. We’ll draw one Intruder card and focus on the number in the “blood” icon. Then, we compare that number to the number of Injury markers on the Intruder.

In this case, the Intruder is lucky. The number on the card is higher than the number of Injury markers, so the Intruder is still going strong.

But what if I want to escape?

Well, you’re not stuck in combat forever. As a character, you have the option to try and escape by performing a Movement Action. Just move to a neighboring Room, whether it’s one you’ve already explored or one that’s yet to be discovered.

Hey there! Before you make a move with your little guy, we need to deal with an Intruder Attack.

If you find yourself in a Room with more than one baddie trying to escape, we gotta handle each Intruder on its own.

If you manage to survive the attack, you’ll end up in the Room next door.

If the neighboring Room is empty, it’s time to do a Noise roll. If the Room hasn’t been explored yet, we’ll follow the regular rules and do some exploring.

If things don’t go your way and you end up biting the dust, your little guy stays put in the failed escape Room.

Listen up: There are certain Actions, besides the basic Movement Action, that let you Escape while changing the game – like suppressive Fire and Covering Fire (check out the Action cards).

Note: If your Character manages to Escape to a Room without any other Characters or Intruders, we’ll treat it like a regular move and do a Noise roll.

So, here’s what happened: I was facing off against an intruder and decided it was time to make my escape. I used an action card to move to the Hibernatorium. But, of course, the intruder wasn’t going to let me off that easily.

The intruder launched an attack on me as I tried to escape. They drew a Bite card and, unfortunately, it landed on me. Ouch! I ended up with a serious wound from that encounter. Bitten and wounded, I quickly made my way to the Hibernatorium.

When things get desperate, you have to get creative. In a hopeless situation, anything can become a weapon. A pipe, a tool, even a rifle butt can be used to fight back. But, let me tell you, close combat is no joke. It’s risky business.

If you miss your attack in close combat, you’re out of luck. Not only do you fail to hit the intruder, but you also end up with a serious wound. And that’s not all – there’s always the chance of contamination as well.

What Happens When an Intruder Gets Injured or Killed?

When an Intruder gets hurt, like from a character attack or fire, we put Injury markers on its base to keep track.

Next, we need to see what happens because of the injury:

• If it’s a Larva or Egg, just one injury is enough to kill it. We take its miniature off the board.
• If it’s a Creeper or Adult Intruder, we draw an Intruder Attack card. We only care about the “blood” icon in the top left corner of the card, so we ignore everything else.

If the number in the “blood” icon on the card is the same as or less than the number of Injury markers on the Intruder, it dies. We remove its miniature from the board and put an Intruder Carcass token in the Room where it was killed. This token represents the Intruder’s dead body.

If the number in the “blood” icon is higher, that means the Intruder is still alive. When you encounter a Breeder or Queen, you draw 2 Intruder Attack cards. Then, you add up the value of their “blood” icons and compare the total to the current number of Injury markers on the Intruder.

You resolve the result using the same method as explained above for the Creeper and the Adult Intruder.

It’s important to note that the “blood” icon represents the current “endurance” of the Intruder. This value may change depending on the cards drawn after each successful attack.

To help you keep track of Injuries on bigger Intruders like the Queen or Breeders, two “Five Injuries” tokens are provided.

Now, let’s talk about Intruder Retreat.

Intruders may seem like savage creatures, but they’re far from mindless. They have the ability to retreat if they sustain too many injuries or if a lucky strike hits one of their vulnerable spots.

During the Injury Effect check, if there’s a Retreat arrow in the “blood” icon on any of the drawn Intruder Attack cards, then that particular Intruder will flee:

You’ll need to draw an Event card and move the Intruder through the Corridor indicated on the card. After that, discard the Event card.

If the Queen or the Breeders draw an Intruder Attack card that displays the Retreat symbol, they will also retreat.

Now, let’s talk about Intruder Attacks. There are three cases where these can occur:

1. During the Intruder Attack step in the Event Phase.

2. When a Character is trying to escape.

Whenever an Intruder Attack happens, the following steps are taken:

Choose a Character that the Intruder will target. The Intruder can only attack a Character if they are in the same Room. If there is more than one Character in the Room, the Intruder will always attack the Character whose player has the fewest Action cards in their hand. If there’s a tie, the Character with the First Player token (or the next player in turn order) will be attacked. If the Encounter was triggered by a Surprise Attack, the targeted Character will be the one who triggered it. If the Encounter was triggered by an Escape action, the targeted Character will be the one performing the Escape.

Draw and resolve 1 Intruder Attack card:

If the card shows an Intruder Symbol that matches the attacking Intruder, follow the effect described on the card.

If not, the attack misses.

Listen up: When there’s an Intruder Attack, don’t pay attention to that “blood” icon up in the left corner of the Intruder Attack card.

Once I deal with an Intruder Attack card, I put it in the Intruder discard pile.

If we run out of cards in the Intruder Attack deck, we grab the discard pile and mix it all up. That’s the new Intruder Attack deck, my friend.

Let’s take a look at an Intruder Attack Card:

1. Intruder endurance – This is used to check if an Intruder survives after being injured.
2. Intruder symbols – These symbols represent different types of Intruders that can use this Attack. During an Encounter or the Event Phase, if a card is drawn and its symbol matches the attacking Intruder type, the Attack Effect is applied.
3. Intruder Attack Effect – In this example, the targeted Character receives a Slime marker and 1 Contamination card.

Infest

If a Larva performs the Intruder Attack, no Intruder Attack cards are drawn. Instead, apply the following:

Move the Larva miniature from the board and put it on the Character board of the person you’re targeting with this attack. It should go on the picture of the miniature.

The person you’re targeting receives 1 Contamination Card.

What Contamination Cards Do

When I’m playing the game, I’ve noticed that sometimes my characters can get Contamination cards. These cards can come from different sources, like when they get attacked by Intruders.

It doesn’t matter where the Contamination card comes from, though. Whenever one of my characters gets one, I draw it from the Contamination deck and place it on top of their Action discard pile.

Now, as a player, getting Contamination cards isn’t a good thing. These cards are a disadvantage because they take up space in your hand, just like a regular Action card. The problem is, they don’t give you any extra Actions, and you can’t use them to pay for other Actions either.

Each Contamination card has a hidden piece of information: the Character might be INFECTED or they might not be. If you look at the colorful patterns in the text field, you can try to figure it out. But unless the card is “Scanned,” you won’t know for sure until the game is over.

If you don’t scan your contamination cards before the game ends, you might end up losing the game because of them.

Remember: Certain event cards might make you scan your contamination cards.

Scanning and removing contamination cards

If you want to get rid of your Contamination cards, there are a few ways you can do it. You can use the Rest Action card, the Canteen, Shower, or Surgery Room Action, or the Antidote Item Action.

Each card or Room description will tell you what you need to do. But no matter what, you’ll always need to perform a Scan of the Contamination cards. Here’s how you do it:

Take the Scanner and place its red foil part over the coded field of the Contamination card you want to scan. Keep an eye out for the word INFECTED in the text. If you don’t see it, then the card is NOT INFECTED.

Note: Pay close attention to the cards, because some of the coded words might look like INFECTED, but they’re not.

If there are any additional effects from scanning, you’ll find them explained in the description of the Action card, Room Action, or Item Action.

If you become INFECTED, a small Larva figurine will go on your Character board (and you can’t get rid of this Contamination card!).

If there’s already a Larva on your Character board, you die – and to make matters worse, a Creeper appears in the Room where you died.

If a rule tells you to get rid of a Contamination card, this card is gone for good.

Here’s an example of scanning contamination cards:

Ever wondered how scanning contamination cards work? Let me break it down for you.

First, let’s understand what scanning contamination cards are. They are specialized cards that help detect any contamination on surfaces. These cards are coated with a substance that reacts when it comes into contact with contaminants.

So, how do you use these cards? It’s quite simple. You just need to swipe the card across the surface you want to test. The substance on the card will change color if there is contamination present. This color change indicates that the surface may not be clean and requires further cleaning measures.

Scanning contamination cards are incredibly helpful in maintaining cleanliness and hygiene. They can be used in various settings, such as hospitals, kitchens, and public spaces, to ensure that surfaces are free from harmful contaminants.

It’s important to note that scanning contamination cards are not a foolproof solution. They provide an initial indication of contamination, but further testing may be required for accurate results. Additionally, different cards may have different sensitivities to various contaminants.

So, if you’re looking for a quick and easy way to check for surface contamination, scanning contamination cards are a great option. Just swipe the card and look for any color changes. It’s a simple yet effective tool in maintaining cleanliness and ensuring the safety of your environment.

So, here’s what happened: I’m the Captain, you see, and I decided to take a Rest Action. That means I have to Scan my Contamination card.

I placed the Scanner on the card, and guess what? I found out that I’m INFECTED!

Crazy, right? Anyway, I took the Contamination card back and now I have this Larva thing on my Character board. It means that I got infected by one of those Intruders during the game.

Now, I gotta get rid of this parasite, and fast. The two best options for me are either going to the Surgery Room or using an Antidote Item.

Here’s the thing, though: it’s a bit tricky. I mean, you never know if the stuff coming out of those alien creatures is really blood or not. But hey, shooting them does hurt them, so that’s something.

So here’s the thing, you can never really know just how messed up those Intruders are and if you’ll be able to take them out before you run out of ammo.

See, our crew doesn’t have any previous encounters with these Intruders, which means we can’t be certain how much damage it takes to put one down!

The deal with Character Wounds and Death

Throughout the game, our Characters might end up getting two kinds of Wounds: Light ones and Serious ones.

Light Wounds

When I get a Light Wound, I put a Wound marker on the top space of my Character board’s Light Wound Track.

If there’s already a Wound marker there, I move it to the bottom space. When a Wound marker is on the bottom space of the Light Wound Track, it means I have 2 Light Wounds.

If there’s already a Wound marker on the bottom space, I remove it from the Light Wound Track, and I suffer a Serious Wound.

Serious Wound

When I suffer a Serious Wound, I draw 1 Serious Wound card and place it next to my Character board. From now on, I am affected by the effect described on that card.

Each type of Serious Wound has a different effect, which is described on its card.

If I already have 3 Serious Wounds and I get any additional Wound, whether it’s Light or Serious, I am instantly killed.

When a character dies, I remove their little figure from the board and put a token in the room where they died. Now, it’s like they’re just this object representing their dead body.

When a character dies, they leave all their heavy stuff behind in the room where they died.

Hey, it’s important: If a character has a bunch of the same serious injury cards, those effects don’t stack. It’ll be harder to get rid of the effects, though.

Treating and Curing Injuries

When I’m playing the game, there are many different ways I can treat and cure my injuries. I can use clothes, bandages, medkit item cards, or take advantage of the emergency room action.

Each item card or action in the emergency room provides specific instructions on how to treat the injury. There are two possible options: dressing the wound or healing it.

Dressing a Serious Wound

To dress a serious wound, I flip the serious wound card affecting my character to its backside. This means I ignore its effect from now on, but it still counts towards the maximum limit of three serious wounds.

Healing

When it comes to healing, I have to either remove a light wound or discard a dressed serious wound card, depending on the type of wound mentioned in the action’s effect.

Exploiting the Weakness of Intruders

When we were getting ready to play the game, we put 3 Weakness cards facedown in the Intruder board’s 3 Weakness slots. As we play, we’ll have the chance to find out what these Weaknesses are. They represent the crew slowly learning more about the creatures that are on the ship.

Each of the 3 Weakness cards goes in a space that matches a different Object:

1. The Lifeless Body
2. The Foreign Egg
3. The Lifeless Carcass.

To find a specific Weakness card, you’ll need to investigate the corresponding Object in the Laboratory Room.

Object tokens:

So, here’s what you need to do. When I find out about an Object, I’ll show you the Weakness card that goes with it. Just flip it over and keep it on the Intruder board.

These Weakness cards change the rules a bit for the Intruders. They give you a little edge against them, so it’s a good thing to have.