1969 Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Object of the Game
• Components
• Setting Up
• Playing the Game
  • 1) Income Phase
  • 2) Purchase Phase
    • 2.1) Hire Scientists
    • 2.2) Buy Intelligence Cards
  • 3) Mission Phase
    • 3.1) Execute Mission Tests
    • 3.2) Play Intelligence Cards
    • 3.3) Gain Prestige Points
  • 4) End of the Round
• End of the Game
• Scientists
• Research
• Appendix
  • The Moon Mission
  • Research Box Anatomy
  • Mission Anatomy
• Credits
  • Acknowledgments

Object of the Game

You are in charge of the space program of one of the nations competing to be the first to reach the Moon. You have to plan your research strategy, hire brilliant scientists to improve your technical achievements, and perform training missions, all with the ultimate goal of delivering a man to the Moon…before the end of 1969!

Your successes along the way will earn you Prestige Points. The nation with the most prestige wins the game!

Components

• 10 Research Sheets (2 per nation)
• 5 Rocket pawns in two parts (1 per nation)
• 50 Banknotes (30 x "5 Million" and 20 x "1 Million")
• 40 Flag Tokens (8 per nation)
• 10 Bonus Tokens
• 1 Game Turn Marker
• 80 Scientist Cubes, including:
  • 40 Basic scientists (white)
  • 10 Rookie scientists (blue)
  • 10 Famous scientists (green)
  • 10 Genius scientists (red)
  • 10 Spies (black)
• Rules
• Game board
• 1 First Player Marker
• 39 Intelligence Cards
• 5 Special dice

Setting Up

Set up the game as shown in the illustration:

• Set the game board in the middle of the table.
• Each player chooses one of the nations and takes both Research Sheets, all eight Flag Tokens, and the Rocket for that nation.
• Place one of your Flag Tokens on the "2" space of the Scoring Track that runs around the edge of the game board.
• Place a second Flag token on the starting space of the Moon Mission Track.
• Place all of the money, the five dice, and the Bonus Tokens near the board. This forms the "bank".
• Shuffle the Intelligence Cards and place them face down on the game board.
• Place the Game Turn Marker on the "1963" space of the Game Turn Track of the game board.
• Sort the scientists by color (white, green, red, blue, and black cubes), and place all of them on the board, in their corresponding spaces.
• The player who has been to the Moon the most is the First Player. In case of a tie, choose a First Player randomly. The First Player takes the First Player Marker.

Playing the Game

1969 is played over 7 rounds. Each round is divided into four phases:

1. Income Phase
2. Purchase Phase
3. Mission Phase
4. End of the Round

Each player must play through the phase (and any sub-phases) before the next player can begin his turn. Each phase must be completed by all players before the next phase begins.

1) Income Phase

During this phase, each player receives banknotes equal to the amount shown on the current space of the Game Turn Track (so, on the first turn, each player receives 12 Million).

Note: The money in the bank is considered infinite.

Then, in turn order, each player may spend Prestige Points to gain extra money. Each Prestige Point you spend in this way earns you 2 Million. The maximum number of Prestige Points you may spend is listed on the Game Turn Track (1 for 1963 and 1964, 2 for 1965, and so on).

2) Purchase Phase

In this phase, players can hire scientists and buy Intelligence Cards. On your turn, you may make as many purchases as you can afford, in any order you choose.

2.1) Hire Scientists

To hire a scientist, you must pay the cost shown on the game board (in Millions) for the type of scientist you wish to take. You must immediately place the scientist on an empty space in one of the Research Boxes of your Research Sheets (see "Scientists" and "Appendix" for details).

Important: Each Research Box can only hold two different types of scientists, unless they are both basic scientists (white).

Note: The scientists available are limited by the supplies in the game. If there are no more scientists of a type on the board, you may not hire scientists of that type any more.

Example: The U.S.S.R. wants to advance his Launchpad technology. He first hires a green famous scientist for 9 Million, and places it in the top space of his Launchpad box. Then he hires a basic scientist for 5 Million and places it in the bottom space. Note that he could not have used a second famous scientist in the Launchpad technology.

2.2) Buy Intelligence Cards

Intelligence Cards can be used to improve your Mission results, or to interfere with your rivals. Each card shows an Intelligence value. They can be played only during the Mission Phase.

You may buy Intelligence Cards at a cost of 2 Million each. You may never have more than six cards in your hand. If your hand is full, you may discard one or more cards before buying more cards. The number of Intelligence Cards you hold is not secret, but their value may be kept hidden until played.

If the Intelligence Card deck runs out, re-shuffle the discarded cards to form a new deck.

3) Mission Phase

During this phase, the active player may launch one of the available Missions. To launch a Mission, you must pay the cost shown on the game board (in Millions) to the bank. Place your Rocket on the starting space of your chosen Mission. You are never required to launch a Mission if you do not want to (or cannot pay for one), but Missions are the quickest way to earn Prestige Points!

Important: You may only attempt each Mission once. If one of your Flag Tokens is already on a Mission, you may not launch that Mission again (see "End of the Round").

3.1) Execute Mission Tests

Once you have chosen a Mission to launch, you must roll a Mission Test.

Your Rocket moves up the Mission Track a number of spaces equal to the final score of your Mission Test.

Important: Your Rocket can never move below the first space or above the last space of the Mission Track. Other Rockets on the Mission Track have no effect on your Mission Test.

Mission Tests:

To make a Mission Test, you must roll all 5 special dice. The colors you roll on the dice show how successful you were:

• Success! (Green)
• Neutral Result. (Blue)
• Failure! (Red)

Count up the number of Success results you rolled, and subtract the number of Failures. This can be a negative number. Neutral results have no effect. Then, add any bonuses you receive from the Researchers on your Research Sheets (see "Research").

Your final total is the score of your Mission Test.

Example: The U.S.A. is testing his LEM. He rolls 5 dice, and gets a total of 3 Success results and 1 Failure, so his base score is 2. He has 1 Researcher on his Lunar Module Research Box, so he gets +1 Success. The final score for his Mission Test is 3.

3.2) Play Intelligence Cards

After you have completed your Mission Test and moved your Rocket, all players may play Intelligence Cards to influence the mission. Each Mission has an Intelligence Cost shown on the board. This is the amount of Intelligence that is needed to move the Rocket one space on the Mission Track. Your opponents can try to move your Rocket down the track, and you can move your Rocket further up the track, both by playing Intelligence Cards.

Starting with the player to your left and going clockwise, each opponent may play any number of Intelligence Cards, face down. Then, you may choose to play any number of your own Intelligence Cards. Finally, reveal all Intelligence Cards played.

The Intelligence value of all the cards played by your opponents are added together. The total is divided by the Intelligence Cost for the mission, and your Rocket is moved down the Mission Track that many spaces. Any leftover Intelligence is lost.

All of the cards you played are added together, and the total is divided by the Intelligence Cost. Your Rocket is moved up the Mission Track that many spaces. Any leftover Intelligence is lost.

The player may discuss the cards they intend to play openly (but are not required to).

All the played cards are discarded.

Example: The U.S.A. is attempting an orbital Mission, which has an Intelligence Cost of 2. After making his Mission Test, his Rocket is on the 7th space of the Mission Track.

The U.S.S.R. and France both play Intelligence Cards to interfere with his Mission. The total of their cards is 5 Intelligence. Since the Intelligence Cost is 2, the U.S.A. must move his Rocket back 2 spaces (5 ÷ 2 = 2.5). 1 point has been wasted. The U.S.A. played 2 cards, with a total value of 2. He moves his Rocket 1 space forward (2 ÷ 2 = 1). The Rocket ends on the 6th space.

3.3) Gain Prestige Points

You gain a number of Prestige Points equal to the number shown on the space your Rocket ends on, minus the number of Flag Tokens already on that Mission Track from previous rounds (minimum of 0 PP). Record your Prestige Points on the Scoring Track.

If your Rocket ends the Mission on the last space of the Mission Track, you also advance your Flag Token on the Moon Mission one space.

Example: France has just completed the Orbital Module Mission, and her Rocket is on the "5" space. Two other players already completed this mission, so there are 2 flags in that Mission's flag space. France gains only 3 Prestige Points for the Mission (5 – 2 = 3), but she gets to move her Flag Token up 1 space on the Moon Mission Track because her Rocket was in the last space.

4) End of the Round

You must place one of your Flag Tokens on the flag space of the Mission you attempted during the round, even if you did not make it to the final space of the Mission Track. Then, remove your Rocket from the game board.

Move the Game Turn Marker to the next year on the Game Turn Track. The First Player must pass the First Player token to the player on his left.

End of the Game

The game ends at the end of the 1969 game round.

Each player adds up his final total Prestige Points. Remember to add or subtract any Prestige Points from your Scientist Cubes.

The player with the most Prestige Points is the winner!

If there is a tie, the tied player with the most money is the winner. If players are still tied, they share the victory.

Scientists

There are five colors of Scientist Cubes. Each type of scientist has its own special abilities and benefits. All scientists must be placed on your own Research Sheets, in an empty space (except for spies, see below).

Important: Each Research Box can only hold two different types of scientists, unless they are both basic scientists (white).

They have the following effects:

• Basic Scientist: Counts as 1 Researcher when calculating the bonus for the Research Box it is placed in. Costs 5 Million.

• Genius Scientist: Counts as 2 Researchers when calculating the bonus for the Research Box it is placed in. Costs 11 Million.

• Famous Scientist: Counts as 1 Researcher when calculating the bonus for the Research Box it is placed in. You gain 3 Prestige Points at the end of the game for each famous scientist on your Research Sheets. Costs 9 Million.

• Rookie Scientist: Counts as 1 Researcher when calculating the bonus for the Research Box it is placed in. You lose 2 Prestige Points at the end of the game for each rookie scientist on your Research Sheets. Costs 3 Million.

• Spy: Counts as 0 Researchers when calculating the bonus for the Research Box it is placed in. You lose 1 Prestige Point at the end of the game for each spy on your Research Sheets. Costs 7 Million.

  This is the only type of Scientist Cube that you can place in another player's Research Box. You may only place a spy on an empty space of an opponent's Research Sheet, never on your own. When you place a spy, take a Bonus Token from the bank and place it in the bonus space of the same Research Box on your own Research Sheet (only if it is empty—you may only have 1 Bonus Token in each Research Box).

  A Bonus Token counts as 1 Researcher when calculating the bonus for the Research Box it is placed in.

Attention: Once a scientist has been placed in a Research Box, it cannot be moved or changed—even if it is an opponent's spy! You should plan carefully when you hire scientists.

Example: France decides to hire a spy. She pays 7 Million, and takes a black cube from the game board. She places it on an empty space of the U.S.S.R.'s Ground Control Research Box. She takes a Bonus Token and places it in the bonus space of her own Ground Control Research Box. From now on, it counts as 1 Researcher for her Ground Control research.

Example: The U.S.A. has placed a Genius Scientist and a Rookie Scientist in his Intelligence Research Box. He has a total of 3 Researchers here (2 + 1 = 3), so he can draw 3 free Intelligence Cards each round. But, at the end of the game he will lose 2 Prestige Points for the Rookie.

Research

You have your own set of two Research Sheets, each with a number of Research Boxes. You may have a maximum of two Scientist Cubes and 1 Bonus Token in each box. Each Research Box grants a different benefit, based on the "Researcher value" of the Scientists you have in that box:

• Intelligence: Each Researcher here allows you to draw one free Intelligence Card during the Income Phase each round.
• Robotics: Each Researcher here reduces the cost of the first scientist you hire each round by 2 Million.
• Investors: Each Researcher here reduces the costs you must pay for each Mission by 2 Million (to a minimum of zero). This does not reduce the cost of the Moon Mission.
• Insurance: Each Researcher here pays you 3 Million for each Failure you have at the end of your Mission Test (after any re-rolls).
• Simulation: Each Researcher here allows you to re-roll one die during your Mission Test. You must accept the result of the second roll.
• Ground Control: Each Researcher here allows you to change one Neutral result to one Success result during your Mission Test.
• Astronautics (EVA): You gain +1 Success for each Researcher here each time you execute a Mission that shows the Astronautics symbol.
• Launchpad: You gain +1 Success for each Researcher here each time you execute a Mission that shows the Launchpad symbol.
• Vector Rocket: You gain +1 Success for each Researcher here each time you execute a Mission that shows the Vector Rocket symbol.
• Orbital Module (CSM): You gain +1 Success for each Researcher here each time you execute a Mission that shows the Orbital Module symbol.
• Lunar Module (LEM): You gain +1 Success for each Researcher here each time you execute a Mission that shows the Lunar Module symbol.
• Technology: You gain +1 Success for each Researcher here each time you execute a Mission that shows the Technology symbol.

Appendix

The Moon Mission

The largest (and most Prestige Point awarding) Mission is the Moon Mission at the top of the game board. Like the other Missions, you may only attempt the Moon Mission once, but you can get a "head start" if you are successful at the smaller Missions.

Each time you complete a Mission with your Rocket in the last space of the Mission Track, you get to advance your Flag Token on the Moon Mission one space. When you decide it is time to attempt the Moon Mission, your Rocket starts on the same space as your Flag Token.

The Moon Mission is executed the same way as the other Missions (but note that it has all six Research symbols). The Moon Mission can be worth a lot of Prestige Points, so it's a good strategy to make sure you are prepared before you attempt it!

Research Box Anatomy

Each Research Box shows: the scientist spaces, the bonus token space, the research symbol for that box, and a summary of the box's effect.

Mission Anatomy

Each Mission on the board shows: a starting space and a final space on the Mission Track, the Intelligence Cost, the Mission Cost, a flag space, and the Research Symbols that grant bonuses for that Mission.

Credits

Game Design: Andrea Crespi, Lorenzo Silva, Lorenzo Tucci Sorrentino and Aureliano Buonfino Artwork: Giulia Ghigini Rules: Alessandro Prà English Rules Editing: William Niebling Graphic Design: Lucas Kowal and Lorenzo Silva Art Director and Project Manager: Cranio Creations s.n.c.

1969 is ™ & © Copyright 2012, Cranio Creations, All Rights Reserved.

Acknowledgments

A special thanks to all the people that supported us, with great patience and good advice.

Especially: Milo, Tino, Giuseppe "Capochino" Cicero, Polipoldo, Max, Mirko, Daniele, Alan Ford (Angelo), El Gigante (Ivan), Filippo, Dr. Sottile (Thomas) and last but not least my wife Silvia.

Also a heartfelt thanks to Mario and Matteo PSGIOCHI that followed the first project "Conquest of the Moon".