Flip Ships Game Rules

Welcome to the exciting world of Flip Ships! I’m here to guide you through the rules and mechanics of this fun game. So, let’s get started!

Flip Ships is a cooperative game where you and your team work together to defend your planet from an onslaught of enemy ships. As a member of the fleet, it is your mission to flip your ships and launch them to take down the enemy invaders. Are you ready for the challenge?

To begin, set up the game by placing the enemy deck and planet mat in the middle of the playing area. Each player will have their own ship mat, which will be their starting fleet. Take the appropriate number of ship cards and place them on your ship mat, following the setup instructions.

The gameplay consists of two phases: the Ship Phase and the Battle Phase. In the Ship Phase, you will take turns flipping your ship cards. This represents launching your ships to engage the enemy. Each ship has a unique ability, so choose strategically and make the best use of your fleet.

Once all players have flipped their ships, it’s time for the Battle Phase. Here, you will resolve the enemy ship cards in the order they appear in the enemy deck. Combat is resolved by flipping your ships onto the planet mat and attempting to land them on enemy cards. Your goal is to hit the enemy ships and destroy them before they reach your planet.

Landing your ships on enemy cards may not always be easy. You’ll need to take into account various factors like the distance, ship abilities, and enemy defenses. It’s a challenging task, but with teamwork and smart thinking, you can save the day!

Throughout the game, you may also encounter special mission cards. These cards present unique challenges and objectives that you and your team must complete to gain extra bonuses. Keep an eye out for these missions and use them to your advantage.

Remember, communication and coordination are key in Flip Ships. Discuss strategies with your team, decide which ships to flip and where to aim. By working together, you can defeat the enemy and protect your planet.

So, are you ready to embark on this intergalactic adventure? Gather your team, set up the game, and let the battle begin! May the flips be in your favor, and may your aim be true. Good luck, fleet commander!

Wow, what a surprise attack! The massive mothership suddenly appeared out of nowhere, casting a dark shadow over the entire city. It was like an ambush, catching us off guard. Suddenly, countless fighters started pouring out of the mothership, filling the sky with their menacing presence.

We didn’t have many ships ready to launch, but we had to do something. Our brave pilots fearlessly engaged the enemy, using every ounce of skill to defend our planet. Meanwhile, we worked hard to prepare the rest of our fleet for battle. Explosions erupted in the sky, and even though we took some hits, we refused to surrender. Will you join us in this fight?

Welcome to Flip Ships, a thrilling cooperative game of skill and strategy. In this game, you become one of the courageous pilots tasked with protecting our planet from relentless enemy attacks. Get ready to flip your ships, taking out the approaching enemy forces and ultimately, bringing down the mighty mothership before it’s too late.

The Stuff You’ll Need

• I have 28 Ship discs
• There are 12 Pilot Cards
• You’ll find 60 Enemy cards
• Look for 1 Targeting Computer Card
• I have a Docking bay tile
• There are 5 Enemy Mothership pieces
• You’ll find 6 Double-Sided Battle Zone Tiles
• Find 1 City Health Marker
• There is 1 Mothership Health Marker
• You’ll find 1 Turn Order Marker
• We have 1 variant
• There is 1 Launch Pad
• Apply the Launch Pad Stickers
• Read the Rulebook for instructions

Let’s Get Started

First things first, let’s set up the game board. If you’re playing with two players, flip all six interlocking Battle Zone Tiles so that you see the side with the two dots in the lower right corner.

If you’re playing with three or four players, flip all six tiles to the opposite side. Connect the tiles as shown, making sure that the illustration of the city lines up with the edge of the table. These tiles will create the space where the enemy ships will be positioned.

Now, let’s take a look at the different sections on the Battle Zone Tiles:

1. The Atmosphere: This is the area from the edge of the table to an invisible line between the atmosphere and the moons.

The game board has four Moons depicted on the tiles. Each Moon creates a row across the play area. We will call these spaces “Moon spaces.” The health tracks for your city and mothership are located along the right edge of the tiles. These tracks are numbered from 0 to 20.

To set up the game, you will need pilot cards. Shuffle the 1s, 2s, and 3s into separate decks. Deal one card from each deck to each player. Line up the cards to the right of the ‘Battle Zone Tile, as shown.

If you don’t have much space on your table, you can place the cards somewhere behind the mothership, out of the field of play.

When you play this game, you get to choose a color for yourself. Then, you take the ships in that color and put them on the corresponding cards in a straight line. For example, if you choose the red color, you put your red ships on the red cards.

Now, each player takes two of their Level 1 ships from the Pilot Card and puts them on the table just above their Level 3 ships. This is where you keep your active ships until you’re ready to attack.

It’s important to note that in a 2-player game, each player takes all three of their Level 1 ships.

Next, you need to place the docking bay near the pilot cards.

Now, it’s time to shuffle the enemy cards and deal them out based on the number of players and the difficulty level you’ve chosen. You can use the chart below to determine how many cards to deal. Any remaining cards can be put back in the box since you won’t need them for this game.

Finally, take the cards from the enemy deck and lay them face-up to create two rows.

Number of Players	Training	Standard	Expert	Elite
2	25	28	33	37
3	30	34	40	45
4	40	45	50	60

Hey there! Have you ever wondered about the number of players you need for a game? Well, let me break it down for you.

Check out this cool table I found. It shows how the number of players affects different skill levels: Training, Standard, Expert, and Elite. Isn’t that neat?

For instance, with 2 players, the recommended times are 25 minutes for Training, 28 minutes for Standard, 33 minutes for Expert, and 37 minutes for Elite. And as you add more players, the times change.

With 3 players, it goes up to 30 minutes for Training, 34 minutes for Standard, 40 minutes for Expert, and 45 minutes for Elite. And with 4 players, the times increase even more.

So, if you’re planning a game night, be sure to keep these times in mind to make sure everyone has a great time. Happy gaming!

When you’re playing the game Enemy Ships, the first thing you need to do is set up the playing area.
Start by placing the cards in a straight line, with the bottom edges aligned with the bottom edges of the moon spaces. There should be about 1/2″ of space between each card. You can use the marking on the targeting computer card for more accuracy, but it’s not required.
Make sure to keep the remaining deck face-down to the right of the moon spaces, or somewhere else if there’s not enough space.

Next, it’s time to build the mothership. Look at the illustration and follow along. Put it just above the middle card in the back row, aligned with the top edge of the last moon space.
There’s an extra piece for the mothership, marked with a symbol in the lower right corner. You don’t need it for the regular game, so you can set it aside in the box. It’s only used for the competitive speed variant mentioned at the end of the rules.

Hey there! Let’s get down to business. I’ve got some important instructions for you. Don’t worry, I’ll make it easy to understand. Here’s what you need to do:

Step 7: Grab that city health marker and put it on space 20 of the city health track. If you’re playing at the Training or Standard levels, that’s where it goes. But wait, if you’re feeling like a pro and playing at the Expert Level, then put it on space 15. And if you’re really up for a challenge and playing at the Elite level, then place it on space 10. Got it? Awesome!

Step 8: Time to deal with the mothership health marker. You’ll want to put it on the right spot, depending on how many players there are and the difficulty level you’ve chosen. Take a look at this chart to figure out where it goes:

Training	Standard	Expert	Elite
2 Players	2	3	5	7
3 Players	3	4	7	9
4 Players	4	6	9	12

Step 9: Time to introduce the targeting computer card. Place it within your reach, but not on the playing field. We’ll need it later.

Step 10: Almost done! Now it’s time to build the turn order marker. Just place it above the ships for the player on the left side. Simple, right?

I’m going to show you how to apply the stickers to the sides of the launch pad. The launch pad is an optional accessory that can be used in any game. It comes in handy if the table you’re playing on doesn’t have a nice edge to flip off of, but you can use it in any game you like.

If you decide to use the launch pad, make sure to move the edge of the battle zone tile about two inches away from the edge of the table. This will ensure that your ships are always flipped from behind the edge of the atmosphere.

Even if you don’t use the launch pad for flipping, there’s one ship ability that requires it, so it’s best to keep it accessible on the table.

Let’s Play the Game!

The game consists of 4 phases, which are played in each round:

1. Flip Ships
2. Resolve Attacks
3. The Enemy Marches
4. Clean Up

1. Flip Ships

When it’s my turn to play Flip Ships, I can unleash my fleet of spaceships onto the battlefield. The goal is simple: to wipe out the enemy ships and take down their massive mothership.

Now, the order of play is determined by the lineup of ships on the edge of the table. The player with the Turn Order Marker above their ships goes first, and we take turns in that order.

My heart starts racing as I line up my active ships on the table. These are the ships that are ready for action, sitting proudly above their pilot cards. It’s time to flip them and see what fate has in store for us.

With a flick of my fingers, I send my ships flying through the air. Will they find their target? Will they evade the enemy’s deadly fire? It’s a nerve-wracking moment as I wait to see the outcome of my attacks.

Once all my ships have been flipped and their attacks resolved, it’s time to pass the torch to the next player. We take turns, flipping and fighting, until every player has unleashed their full might on the enemy.

In this intense battle of strategy and skill, victory can come down to the flip of a ship. One moment, I’m on the edge of defeat, and the next, I’m celebrating a hard-fought triumph. There’s no thrill quite like it.

If you want to flip a ship, here are the steps you need to follow:

Let me show you how to play the game. First, find a table or a launch pad to set up the ship. Make sure to position it so that part of it hangs off the edge. Remember, the ship should be placed on the side of the table where the Atmosphere tile is located.

Now, it’s time to launch the ship! Use your finger to strike the ship upward, causing it to flip towards the Enemy Ships. Try to make it flip at least one full rotation. If it doesn’t, give it another try.

Once the ship flips, leave it where it lands. If any of the Enemy cards get disrupted and move out of place, don’t worry about fixing them right away.

Here’s an important rule: If the ship lands completely in the atmosphere, you can immediately re-flip it. If it lands in the atmosphere again after re-flipping, you can re-flip it once more. However, if the ship lands in the atmosphere for three consecutive flips, it’s time to place it in the docking bay.

Once I’ve flipped all of my active ships, it’s time to resolve the attacks. Here’s what I’ll do:

2. Resolve Attacks

After I’ve flipped all of my active ships, I’ll follow these steps:

• If my ship didn’t successfully attack any enemies or land in the mothership, I’ll place it in the docking bay. A successful attack means either landing on an enemy ship card or being within shooting range with the targeting computer, if my ship has that ability.
• If my ship lands in the mothership, I’ll remove it and place it in the docking bay. I’ll also move the marker down one space on the mothership health track to show that the mothership has taken damage.
• If my ship lands on an enemy card, I’ll place the ship in the docking bay and discard the enemy card from the game.

Now that everyone has taken their turns attacking, it’s time for the Enemy Marches Phase.

3. The Enemy Marches

If any cards got knocked out of place during the Flip Ships Phase, fix them now.

Starting with the column closest to the Moons and going from front to back (from the atmosphere to the mothership), each Enemy Ship will move forward a certain number of spaces. Look at the number in the lower left corner of the card to see how many spaces they’ll move.

Keep moving.

Hey there! So, imagine this – you know, sometimes you have this situation where you gotta move forward, right? Like, you’re in a tight spot and you just need to keep going. Well, that’s exactly what this “move forward” thing does! It’s this really cool action that you can take and it’s like pushing any ships in front of you forward by two spaces. Pretty neat, huh?

So here’s what you do: keep moving forward until you hit another ship. If there’s nothing there, keep going down, past the last row of Moons, and into the atmosphere.

After you move the first column, move on to the next one, and keep going until you’ve taken care of all five columns of enemies.

So, I’ve just finished moving all of the Enemy Ships. But guess what? Some of them managed to make their way past the last row of Moons and into the atmosphere area. Can you believe it? Those sneaky little devils! Well, don’t worry, because I’ve got a plan. Here’s what we’re going to do:

Calculate the sum of all the damage caused by enemy ships that have targeted you. Look for the number displayed in the bottom-right corner of the card.

Hey there! Let’s talk about moving your Health Marker on the health track. This is an important step in tracking your health. When you move your Health Marker, you’re basically taking note of your current health status.

So, it’s like this: when you move your Health Marker down, it means your health has decreased by a certain amount. On the flip side, if you move your Health Marker up, it means your health has improved.

When it comes to understanding your health, this action of moving your Health Marker is a key aspect. It helps you keep track of how your health is changing over time.

If you’re looking to monitor your health and see if there are any changes, this is a great way to do it. By following this simple step, you can gain valuable insights into your overall well-being.

If you want to make the game more challenging, you can take these Enemy Cards and shuffle them back into the deck. These cards represent enemy ships that will come back to attack you again. They will circle around and pose a threat in future rounds.

4. Get Ready for the Next Round

To get ready for the next round, follow these steps:

Move all the ships back to the space above their Pilot Cards.

During the Enemy Marches Phase, if the health marker reaches one or more spaces with a ship icon, reinforcements are sent in. Each player takes a number of new ships equal to the number of those spaces reached. Always choose your lowest available ship.

To refill the back two rows with Enemy Ships, use the Enemy Deck. Start filling the rows in the back row, from right to left (starting closest to the moon spaces).

Hey there! Let’s talk about how to decide who goes first in a game.

The Start Player marker is a special token that determines who starts the game. It’s like passing a baton in a relay race. When it’s your turn to move the Start Player marker, you’ll move it one space to the right, which means the next player in turn order becomes the starting player for the next round.

It’s important to remember that play order still continues from left to right, looping around if needed. So everyone has a fair chance to start the game.

Some things to keep in mind:

• Make sure to always move the Start Player marker to the right when it’s your turn.
• Pay attention to the order of players and follow the loop around if necessary.

By following these guidelines, you’ll be able to determine who starts the game in a fair and fun way. So go ahead, grab that Start Player marker, and let the games begin!

• In the final round, known as the Last Round before the Final Assault, if there are 6 or fewer Enemy Ships in play, something big is about to happen. All Enemy ships will move with lightning speed and attack at the end of the round. They become kamikazes, inflicting double damage in their final attack. These enemies are completely destroyed and won’t come back. If your city isn’t already destroyed, brace yourself for the Final Assault (more on that below).
• During the Last Round, your city won’t receive any reinforcements if it gets damaged. It’s all on you!
• If, at any point in the game, you manage to destroy the last Enemy Ship and there are no more cards left in the deck, the current round comes to an immediate end. This can happen even if you started the round with more than six enemy ships in play.

Get Ready for the Final Assault

I’m on the brink of victory. All those Enemy Ships? Destroyed. Now, it’s time for the final showdown with the mothership. This is my chance to claim victory or face utter destruction.

Here’s the plan: I take all my active ships and, one by one, flip them at the mothership. Each ship that lands successfully will chip away at the mothership’s health. I watch as the health marker moves down, one space at a time. As soon as it reaches zero, I emerge triumphant!

But there’s a catch. If I flip all my ships and still haven’t attacked the mothership the required number of times, the tables turn. The mothership counterattacks, unleashing a devastating 20-damage blow on my city. That’s game over for me.

Note: Sorry, but you can’t use any special powers for your ship during the final attack.

If you destroy the mothership during the final attack, you win immediately because all of the enemy ships have already been destroyed. However, if you destroy the mothership during a regular round, you still need to destroy all of the enemy ships.

The Game Ends

To win the game, you have to destroy all of the enemy ships (including the kamikaze ships in the final round) and the mothership.

• Victory: Destroy all enemy ships and the mothership.
• Defeat: Take 20 damage during the game or fail to destroy the mothership by the end of the final attack.