Contents

1 Steampunk Rally: A Guide to Playing the Game

Steampunk Rally: A Guide to Playing the Game

Steampunk Rally is an exciting tabletop game that combines strategic thinking with creative problem-solving. In this guide, I’ll walk you through the game’s rules and provide some helpful tips to get you started on your steampunk adventure.

To begin, let’s talk about what makes Steampunk Rally so unique. This game is all about building and racing fantastical machines in a race to the finish line. But it’s not just your average race – you’ll have to manage resources, make crucial decisions, and cleverly overcome obstacles to emerge victorious.

Each player starts with a personal board representing their steampunk inventor’s laboratory. This board contains spaces for various machine parts that you’ll collect throughout the game. These parts include things like boilers, propellers, and weapons, each with its own special abilities.

Now, let’s dive into the gameplay. On each turn, you’ll have a hand of cards that represent machine parts and inventors. You’ll select one of these cards to add to your machine and then resolve its effects. This could mean gaining resources, repairing damage, or even attacking your opponents.

But here’s the twist – as you add parts to your machine, you’ll need to consider how they generate and store heat. Heat plays a crucial role in Steampunk Rally, as too much of it can cause your machine to malfunction. You’ll need to carefully manage your heat levels to keep your machine running smoothly.

In addition to managing heat, you’ll also need to watch your resource levels. Resources such as electricity and cogs are essential for powering your machine and activating special abilities. Balancing your resource consumption with your resource production is key to success in Steampunk Rally.

Once everyone has taken their turn, it’s time to resolve the round’s race. This involves rolling dice and moving your machine along the race track. Certain machine parts may grant you additional movement or special abilities, so make sure to utilize them to gain an edge over your opponents.

As the race progresses, you may encounter various obstacles and challenges. These can range from rough terrain that slows you down to hazards that damage your machine. Be prepared to adapt your strategy and make quick decisions to overcome these obstacles and keep moving forward.

The game continues until one player’s machine crosses the finish line. However, victory isn’t solely determined by the first to finish – you’ll also earn points based on your machine’s performance throughout the race. So even if you’re not in the lead, there’s always a chance to catch up and claim victory.

Understanding the rules of Steampunk Rally is just the first step. To truly succeed, you’ll need to embrace your inner inventor and think creatively. Experiment with different combinations of machine parts, strategize your resource management, and adapt to the ever-changing race conditions.

So grab your goggles, fire up your steam engines, and get ready for an exhilarating journey through the world of Steampunk Rally. With each race, you’ll unlock new strategies, discover hidden synergies, and immerse yourself in the thrilling world of steampunk technology. Are you ready to take on the challenge? Let’s rev those engines and find out!

Welcome to the world of Steampunk Rally! In this thrilling game, you’ll use a combination of strategy and luck to invent amazing machines and race to the finish line. Get ready to roll the dice, place them strategically, and make your Invention come to life!

Your journey begins with a deck of cards and a set of dice. Each round, you’ll roll your dice and place them on your Invention. By doing so, you’ll generate Motion, gain more dice, repair damage, and discard used dice.

If you want to take your Invention to the next level, you can add Machine Parts. These parts will enhance the efficiency of your Invention and give you an edge over your opponents. But beware! Your rivals will also be using Boost technologies to try and sabotage your progress.

The game is played over multiple rounds, with each player taking turns until one player’s Invention crosses the Finish Line. At that point, one final round is played to determine the winner. The player who has traveled the farthest past the Finish Line by the end of the game will be crowned the champion!

Get Started

120 Machine Part cards
40 Boost Cards
1 Play Direction token
16 Inventor Pawn
32 Inventor Machine Part & Cockpit cards
8 Player aids
8 Light Bulb tokens
36 Steam dice
36 Heat dice
36 Electricity dice
6 Challenge tiles
8 Damage Gauges
41 Cog tokens in 3 denominations
8 Double-Sided Track tiles
Rulebook

Setup

First, choose which Racetrack you want to play on, either the Swiss Alps or the Hoverdrome. Make sure all the Track tiles are turned to the side you’ve chosen.

Next, pick three out of the five Middle Track tiles available and construct a continuous Racetrack in any configuration you like.

Finally, place the Start tile at one end of your recently constructed Racetrack.

To set up the race, follow these steps:

Attach the Finish Line tile at the other end of the Racetrack.
Complete the Racetrack by adding the End Track tile to the Finish Line tile.
Make sure the dice and Cogs are easily accessible to all players.
Separate the Machine Part and Boost cards into four decks based on their border color: Gold, Silver, Copper, and Black.
Shuffle each deck and place them face down within reach. Take the top card from each deck and put it face up beside the deck to create four discard piles.
Flip the Play Direction token like a coin and position it between two random players.

Optional Setup: Challenge Tiles

Adding Challenge tiles to the Racetrack can bring fresh excitement and new twists for players who already have some experience. Once the Racetrack has been put together, you have the option to spice things up by including a Challenge. To do this, simply take one of the six Challenge tiles and place it beside an empty space on the Racetrack that doesn’t already have a Challenge.

When setting up the Racetrack, it’s best to limit the number of Challenge tiles to three.
But be cautious when placing those Challenge tiles! If you put one on just one side of a forked path, it could reveal the best route and make the game less exciting.

Getting Started

If you’re new to the game, here are some suggestions for getting started:

When you play, make sure there are six players or fewer.
Choose the Swiss Alps Racetrack for your game.
Don’t use the optional Challenge tiles, but still use the Challenge spaces on the Racetrack.

Setting Up Your Player Area

First, choose an Inventor to play as. This is an important decision, so I recommend that players who didn’t do well in a previous game get to choose first. Once you’ve picked your Inventor, you’ll need their Inventor Cockpit, Inventor Machine Part, and Inventor Pawn.

Place your Inventor Pawn on the Start space of the Racetrack. This is where your journey begins.

Next, it’s time to construct your Invention. Place your Inventor Cockpit and Inventor Machine Part in front of you, with both cards facing up and upright. Make sure the words are not upside down. Your starting Invention must have a complete valve connection.

Make sure to leave some space below or to the side of your Invention for your Dice Pool. You’ll need it later.

Now, take a Light Bulb token and place it in your Player Area. Make sure the “On” side is facing up. This represents your creative spark.

You’ll also need a Damage Gauge. Place it in your Player Area and set it to “0”. This will keep track of any damage your Invention takes.

Once everyone has finished setting up, return any unused Inventor cards and Pawns to the box. Now you’re ready to start inventing!

Valve Connections

When two Machine Parts come together and their valve graphics form a circle, it creates what we call a “complete” valve connection.

Game Play

When playing Steampunk Rally, each round is divided into four phases that we need to go through:

Draft: It’s time to add Machine Parts to our Invention. This is when we gain dice, Cogs, and Boost cards.
Vent: In this phase, we can spend Cogs to subtract pips from the dice currently occupying Die Slots on our Machine Parts. Note that the Vent Phase is skipped during the first round of the game.
Race: Roll your dice and use them to activate your Machine Parts. This is where the action happens!
Damage: If your Damage Gauge goes below 0, you’ll have to discard Machine Parts. So be careful and strategic!

Once we’ve completed all four phases, we need to perform the End of Round tasks. And then, it’s time for another Draft Phase to begin the next round.

I. Draft Phase

When I’m in the Draft Phase, I get two different types of cards: Boost cards and Machine Parts. These cards are my tools for taking action.

Boost Cards

Boost cards have a distinct black border. When obtained during the Draft Phase, you can use them to gain the benefits described on the card.

Machine Part Cards

Machine Parts are crucial for constructing your Invention. They can be activated during the Race Phase using dice or the Light Bulb token. Machine Parts come in three different types, each color-coded to indicate its unique characteristics and any additional Race Effects it may produce:

When I start the Draft Phase, I get to draw one card from each deck. This means I’ll have a hand of 4 cards. But before I start playing, there are a few steps I need to go through. And here’s the catch – I can’t move on to the next step until everyone else is done with the current one. So we all have to do them at the same time.

Choose a card from your hand and place it in front of you, facing downwards.
Take one of the following actions with your chosen card:

Build

Show the Machine Part on your chosen card and connect it to your Invention right away. If you’re unable to connect the card, you must discard it instead. You will then be able to generate Power or Gain Cogs according to the instructions below.

Generate Power

When you decide to get rid of a card, put it in the correct discard pile. Grab some dice from the supply that match the color and number shown in the upper-right corner of the card. Put these dice in your Player Area to make your Dice Pool. Later on, during the Race Phase, you’ll roll and use these dice.

Earn Cogs

When you want to get rid of a card in your hand, you can discard it to the discard pile. Just make sure to put it in the right pile! After discarding, you can then take Cogs from the supply. The number of Cogs you can take is shown in the top right corner of the card you just discarded.

Supercharge Your Stash

Here’s what you do: Take the Boost card you picked and put it face down under your Damage Gauge. That card is now ready to be played.

Next, give the rest of your cards to the player right beside you, following the direction the Play Direction token shows. Those cards now become your new hand. Keep repeating Steps 1-3 until you don’t have any cards left to pass. Once that happens, it’s time for the Vent Phase.

Make Sure to Pay Attention!

In the awesome world of Steampunk Rally, things work a little differently. We don’t take turns here, oh no. Instead, we all jump into action at the same time and resolve each phase simultaneously. It’s a whirlwind of activity!

To keep things running smoothly and avoid chaos, communication is key. Before we move on to the next phase, it’s important to check in with your fellow players and make sure everyone is ready to move forward. We don’t want anyone left behind with unfinished business. So, take a moment and make sure everyone is good to go before we continue.

II. Vent Phase

Now, let’s talk about the Vent Phase. This is where things get really interesting. During this phase, you have the power to spend as many Cogs as you want to reduce the pip values of the dice sitting in your Invention’s Die Slots. It’s like tinkering with your invention on the fly, making adjustments to improve its performance. Pretty cool, right?

When you discard a Cog, you can lower the value of your dice by up to 2 pips. For example, you can reduce one die by 2 pips or two dice by 1 pip each.
If you reduce a die to less than 1 pip, discard it.

Boost Cards for the Vent Phase

There are special Boost cards that can only be played during the Vent Phase. If multiple players want to play Boost cards, they must resolve them in the order determined by the Play Direction token. Start with the player closest to the token and move clockwise.

Each player finishes playing all their Boost cards before the next player takes their turn. You can still play regular Boost cards during this phase, regardless of whether they specify “Play during Vent Phase” or not.

III. Race Phase

When we begin the Race Phase, it’s time to roll all the dice in our Dice Pool. Don’t forget to include any dice that are stored in the special Storage Die Slot A, which is shaped like a diagonal. This includes dice that are on Flywheel cards and Marie Curie’s Inventor card.

Now, throughout the rest of the Race Phase, we can use these dice to make our Invention come to life. By activating the different Machine Parts, we can benefit from their Race Effects. You’ll see these effects represented by the icons on the copper panel of each Machine Part.

Cogs

When I look at the array of gears and wheels, I can’t help but wonder how they all work together. There’s something fascinating about the way they interlock, each one serving a purpose in the larger mechanism. And while they may seem like simple objects, they hold immense power. They’re known as cogs.

Cogs are an essential part of many machines, both big and small. They play a crucial role in transmitting force and motion from one part of a machine to another. How? Well, when a force is applied to one cog, it causes the other cogs to rotate, transferring the energy and making the whole machine come alive.

But cogs are more than just gears and wheels; they’re a symbol of interconnectedness. Just like cogs in a machine, we are all linked together in some way. Our actions and choices have a ripple effect, influencing the world around us. It’s a reminder that even the smallest cog can make a big impact.

When you think about it, cogs are a perfect metaphor for life. We are all part of a larger system, each of us playing a role in the grand scheme of things. Whether we realize it or not, our actions have consequences, and each decision we make has the power to set off a chain reaction.

Choosing the right cog is crucial, just like choosing the right path in life. It’s important to take into account our goals and values and align them with our actions. By doing so, we can ensure that our contribution to the world is meaningful and aligned with who we truly are.

So, the next time you come across a cog, take a moment to appreciate its significance. It’s not just a mechanical part; it represents the intricate interconnectedness of life. And if you pay close attention, you might just find some inspiration hidden within those spinning wheels.

During the Race Phase, you have the ability to make changes to the dice in your Dice Pool by using Cogs:

You can discard a Cog to roll a die again.
By discarding a Cog, you can increase the value of a die by 1 pip. However, you cannot increase a die beyond 6 pips.

Using Machine Paris with Die Slots

Many Machine Parts have Die Slots C, which can be activated by placing the corresponding type of die (Steam, Heat, or Electricity) into these slots from your Dice Pool. There is no limit to the number of times you can activate Machine Paris as long as you have available Die Slots and matching dice in your Dice Pool. This can be done during the Race Phase.

Choose the Machine Part you want to use. You can only pick one at a time.
You can activate the Machine Parts in any order you like.
You can use a Machine Part multiple times during a race phase.

Place dice from your Dice Pool into open Die Slots C on the Machine Part.

The die you place in a Die Slot C must match the type of die shown in the slot.
If there are enough open Die Slots on a card, you can use multiple dice for an activation.
The total number of pips on all dice you place determines the activation power. For example, if you place 0 pips, the activation power will be 10.

When I’m in the middle of playing Steampunk Rally and activating my machines, I have to remember a few important things. First off, any dice that are already in Die Slot 0 from a previous activation don’t add to my current power. They’re just taking up space.

Next, I need to divide my activation power by the value shown on the icon. I don’t need to worry about any remainder, just focus on the whole number. This will tell me how many times I can generate the Race Effects cards, which is pretty cool.

Now, if I have a Machine Part with a star icon, I can use its Race Effects once, but only if my activation power is 1 or more. So, it’s like a special bonus just for having that Machine Part.

Finally, I can only place dice in Die Slots if it means I can actually activate the Machine Part at least once. The whole point is to make things work, so I need to plan my dice placement carefully.

Once I’ve got everything set up, it’s time to resolve all the Race Effects I generated. This part is really important – it’s not optional, I have to do it. So, I make sure to go through each effect and take care of it.

Playing Steampunk Rally is all about managing my machine’s power and making the most of my activations. By following these guidelines, I can really amp up the excitement and enjoy the game to the fullest.

Note: Once you put a die in a Die Slot on a Machine Part and deal with any Race Effects that come up, the die doesn’t do anything else. It has to stay there until it’s taken out (like during the Vent Phase, with a Race Effect or Boost card, or when the Machine Part gets thrown away). Only one die can go in each Die Slot at a time.

Using Machine Parts with Light Bulb Icons

When you come across Inventor Cockpits and Machine Parts with the A icon, you don’t need to use dice to activate them. Instead, you can simply flip your Light Bulb token from the “On” side to the “Off” side during the Race Phase. By doing this, you activate all the Inventor Cockpits and Machine Parts at once. It’s important to resolve each of these activated parts individually and in any order you prefer. Make sure to resolve all the Race Effects before moving on to the next part.

If you decide to flip your Light Bulb token, you have to deal with any icon Machine Parts on your Invention.

Welcome to Your First Game: When you play your first game, we recommend that you resolve the Race Phase one player at a time, following the direction indicated by the Play Direction token.

For example: if the token shows the clockwise direction, the player to the left of the token takes their turn first. Then, the next player in clockwise order takes their turn, and so on. This continues until all players are unable or choose not to take any more turns.

IV. Damage Phase

During the Damage Phase, any damage you have accumulated throughout the round may cause you to lose Machine Parts from your Invention.

If your Damage Gauge is at 0 or higher, don’t change it.
If your Damage Gauge is less than 0, you have to choose and discard a certain number of Machine Parts C from your Invention, matching the number shown in red D on your Damage Gauge. Then, reset your Damage Gauge to 0 E.
Always remember to follow the rules in the “Building Your Invention” section.

If Santos-Dumont’s Damage Gauge is above 0, nothing happens to it.

Explosion

If you ever have to get rid of your Inventor Cockpit, your Invention will explode in a powerful and destructive manner. When your Invention explodes, you must:

To start off, let me walk you through a few steps on how to strategically take your next moves in this game. Here’s what you need to do:

First, you’ll be moving your Inventor Pawn to the space right behind the player currently in last place, denoted as G. If you were already in last place, then simply move back one space towards the Starting Line.
Next up, you’ll be discarding all the Machine Parts except for your Inventor Cockpit, which is symbolized by H.
Lastly, make sure to reset your Damage Gauge back to 0, labeled as M.

Now let me explain a specific scenario involving Santos-Dumont’s Invention. During the Damage Phase, if his Damage Gauge (marked as F) reaches -3, it would trigger an explosion. As a result, he would have to discard his Inventor Cockpit.

When I’m playing, if Santos-Dumont falls behind, I do a couple of things. First, I reset his Damage Gauge to 0 and get rid of any Machine Parts he has, except for the Inventor Cockpit.

Time for a Break

Once everyone finishes the Damage Phase, it means the round is over. Before we start a new round, there are a few things we need to do:

I flip my Light Bulb token so it shows “On.”
If any of my Machine Parts have Storage Die Slots A, I can put a die in each one of those slots from my Dice Pool. At the beginning of the next Race Phase, I can retrieve those stored dice and add them back to my Dice Pool.
I put back any remaining dice in my Dice Pool that I didn’t use or store. I keep any cogs I have in my Player Area for the next round.
First, switch the orientation of the Play Direction token.

Now, we enter a fresh round, commencing with the Draft Phase.

Creating Your Invention

Remember, your Invention must always follow these guidelines:

Whenever you create something with machine parts, it’s essential that all the parts are connected to the cockpit using valve connections. Think of it like a chain that links everything together.
There’s a rule that allows two machine parts next to each other to share a border, even if only one of them has a valve. But remember, both parts still need to follow the rule mentioned in point number one.
Don’t worry if you need to move things around in your invention. Feel free to rearrange any or all of the machine parts, including the cockpit. But be careful, if you can’t properly connect a machine part to the cockpit, it has to go in the discard pile.
Feel like getting rid of some machine parts? No problem! You can discard any unwanted parts from your invention whenever you want.
When you discard a machine part, any dice that were occupying the die slots on that part also get discarded.
Keep in mind that when you discard a machine part, you don’t get any power (dice) or cogs in return. It’s a one-way street.

If you decide to get rid of your Inventor Machine Part, make sure to put it back in the game box, not in the discard pile. Don’t discard your Inventor Cockpit under any circumstances. When you place your Machine Parts, make sure the card’s name is in the upper-left corner. Machine Parts with a background image of the ground can be connected like any other Machine Part, and you can put them anywhere you like.

Boost Cards: A Powerful Tool for Enhancing Your Gameplay

Boost Cards are an incredible resource that can drastically improve your gaming experience. They’re like the secret weapon you never knew you needed. When activated, these cards can boost your character’s abilities and give you a serious advantage over your opponents. It’s like having a whole new set of skills at your disposal.

But how do Boost Cards work? Well, it’s actually quite simple. Each card is designed to enhance a specific aspect of your gameplay. Whether you want to increase your speed, boost your defense, or amplify your attack power, there’s a Boost Card that can do just that. All you have to do is activate the card, and you’ll instantly feel the difference.

One of the best things about Boost Cards is that they’re incredibly easy to use. You don’t need any special equipment or complicated instructions. Just select the card you want to use, activate it, and watch as your character becomes a force to be reckoned with. It’s as easy as that.

What’s even more impressive is the variety of Boost Cards available. With so many options to choose from, you can customize your gameplay to suit your individual style. Whether you prefer a more defensive strategy or an all-out offensive approach, there’s a Boost Card that can help you achieve your goals.

Not only do Boost Cards enhance your abilities, but they also add an element of excitement and surprise to your gameplay. You never know what kind of Boost Card you’ll receive or how it will impact your performance. It adds a level of unpredictability that keeps the game fresh and engaging.

So, if you’re looking to take your gaming experience to the next level, Boost Cards are the way to go. They offer a unique and exhilarating way to enhance your abilities, customize your gameplay, and add a new layer of excitement to every match. Give them a try, and you’ll wonder how you ever played without them.

Hey there! Let’s talk about Boost cards. These special cards have a cool Black border and can be played whenever you want from your Stash. When you play a Boost card, it can give you some awesome Race Effects and Boost Effects.

Here are some important things to know about Boost cards:

You can play Boost cards during any Phase, unless the card says otherwise.
Once you use a Boost card and its effects are done, you gotta send it to the right pile and say goodbye to it.
Some Boost cards create effects that last for the current Phase or round. When you play one of these Boost cards, keep it face up near the Racetrack. That way, everyone can remember the effect it’s giving. When it’s not useful anymore, just throw it away like the others.
There’s no limit to how many Boost cards you can keep in your Stash or use in a single round. The sky’s the limit!

Getting Rid of Cards and Mixing Things Up

Hey there! Let me help you out with some handy tips for playing this game. When it’s time to discard cards, make sure to choose ones that have the same border color as the discard pile. And during the Draft Phase, if there aren’t enough cards for everyone, here’s what you do:

First, let’s mix up the deck and the cards that have been discarded so far to create a fresh deck.
If there are fewer cards left in the deck than there are players, everyone needs to get rid of cards of a certain color until they have no more than four cards of that color in their stash.
Next, let’s shuffle the deck and the discard pile together again.
Take the top card from the deck and put it face-up to start a new discard pile.
Now, we can continue with the Draft Phase like we usually do.

How Different Races Affect the Game

The Importance of Terrain

Every time I move my Inventor Pawn forward on the Racetrack and I enter a space with a Terrain icon (), I have to deal with the Take Damage Race Effect. This effect is determined by the number shown on the icon.

If you get multiple Motion cards at once, you have to move your Inventor Pawn the same number of spaces. But be careful, because you’ll take damage from any Terrain icons on those spaces (you can’t choose to ignore them).

When You Run Out of Dice

In the rare event that you need to take dice from the supply but there are none left, you can use Cogs or dice of a different color that are already in your Machine Part Die Slots.

If you use Cogs, put one Cog on each pip of the die you’re replacing.
If you use dice of a different color, make sure the pips on the new dice match the pips on the original dice.
Dice replaced in this way still count as the type of die indicated by the Die Slot and can still be vented or discarded normally.
As soon as you can, switch in the right colored die.

Challenge Spaces/tiles

Deciding Where You Are

Have you ever come across Boost cards that mention players who are either ahead of you or behind you on the Racetrack? It can be a bit confusing, so let me break it down for you.

Let’s say you and another player are on the same forked track tile, but you’re on different sides of the fork. In this case, neither of you are considered to be ahead or behind one another according to these cards. However, both of you are considered to be ahead of the player who hasn’t entered the fork yet.

What Happens at the End of the Game?

It’s important to understand that crossing the Finish Line first with your Invention doesn’t automatically make you the winner.

When a player crosses the Finish Line, it indicates that the next round will be the final round. Don’t worry, though, because the final round plays out just like any other round.

Remember: Even if you blow up when you cross the Finish Line, the last round still happens!

Once the final round is over, the player who has moved their Invention Pawn the furthest past the Finish Line wins!

If there’s a tie, the player who has the most Machine Parts remaining in their Invention is the winner.

If there’s still a tie, it’s a draw and the tied players become lifelong rivals, holding bitter grudges.

Hurray! Marie Curie crosses the Finish Line and sets off the last round! I can’t wait to see what happens next.

How to play Steampunk Rally Official Rules