Aqua ROVE: Results-Oriented Versatile Explorer
Aqua ROVE: Results-Oriented Versatile Explorer Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
- 6 Module cards
- 12 Movement/Mission cards
Setup
- Shuffle the 6 Module Cards and deal them active-side (star) up in a 2-column, 3-row layout.
- Shuffle the other cards together mission-side up to form a deck. Take the top card and place it above and to the left of the modules. This card is the first mission you'll need to complete.
- Draw a starting hand of 5 cards from the deck for a Normal-difficulty game, 4 cards for Hard, and 3 for Impossible. Cards in hand are kept movement-side up. The maximum hand size is always 5 regardless of difficulty.
- Reserve space for a discard pile.
The play area consists of the Starting Mission (above and to the left of the modules), the Module Area (the 2-column, 3-row layout of modules), the Discard Pile, the Mission Deck, and the Player Hand.
Gameplay
Tackle a series of missions, each with a unique pattern. Arrange your modules in that pattern to complete the mission. Complete 7 missions to win!
Terminology
Adjacent: modules that touch edge-to-edge or corner-to-corner.
Patterns
Each Mission Card features a pattern with 2 locations for specific required modules and 4 general locations for any other modules. To complete a mission, rearrange your modules to match its pattern. Patterns may not be rotated or flipped to create matches.
Movement Cards
To rearrange your modules, you must first earn movement points. You may play any card from your hand to the play area to earn the movement points shown at the top of the card.
Additionally, if the two modules shown on the Movement Card are adjacent at the time that you play it, you will earn one extra movement point (+1 movement). Note that the order/positioning of the modules shown on the card does not matter, only that the two modules are orthogonally or diagonally adjacent to each other.
Tip: You may track your movement points using the marks on the edges and corners of your Movement Card. As you spend points, rotate the card to track the remaining points. Note that the card's rotation does not change the original orientation of the directions of movement that card allows.
If you ever spend a Movement Card's last movement point or play another Movement Card or complete a mission, then discard the current Movement Card. You lose any unspent movement points on the discarded card.
Spending Movement Points
Arrows on Movement Cards shows how modules can move, and in what directions.
- Long arrow (slide): Spend 1 movement point, choose 1 module, then move it any number of spaces in one of the directions shown on the Movement Card. The module may pass over other modules.
- Short arrow (step): Spend 1 movement point, choose 1 module, then move it 1 space in one of the directions shown on the Movement Card.
- Push arrow: Spend 1 movement point, choose 1 module, then move it 1 space in one of the directions shown on the Movement Card. If it moves into a module, push it 1 space in the same direction. Each pushed module will push others as well.
Positioning Requirements
After resolving each move and each module ability, your modules must:
- Never stack on top of each other.
- Align to an imaginary grid extending in all directions from the starting layout.
- Connect to each other in one contiguous group. (Modules are connected if they are adjacent, or if they can reach each other through a series of one or more adjacent modules).
Module Abilities
Each module has a unique, single-use ability. Whenever you're not moving a module or resolving another ability, you may flip an active module to its spent (back) side and then resolve its ability.
Completing Missions
When your modules match the pattern shown on your Mission Card, you complete that mission. If you have not yet completed 7 missions, take the top card from the deck and place it so it covers the pattern of the previous mission (Aqua ROVE missions stack vertically!) The new card becomes your current mission.
Then, if you have fewer than 5 cards in your hand, draw 1 card from the top of the deck and flip it to its movement side.
If the deck is ever empty, flip over the discard pile to ensure its cards are mission-side up, and use it as the new deck. Do not shuffle.
Winning the Game
- You win by completing 7 missions!
- You lose if you cannot complete your current mission.
Module Ability Reference
- Brain: Reposition 1 module that is adjacent to Brain to any valid position.
- Rudder: Ignore 1 required module in the mission's pattern. Instead, any module may be in that location. This may only be used if it immediately completes the mission.
- Propeller: Reposition a spent module (including Propeller) to be adjacent to an unspent module.
- Engine: Add 2 movement points to the current Movement Card.
- Gadget: Swap 2 modules that are adjacent to each other.
- Sonar: Discard 1 Movement Card, then draw 2. You must discard 1 card. If used with 5 cards, discard 1 and draw 1 (to the max hand size of 5).
Game Information
1 player | Ages 8+ | 15 minutes