Cosmic Factory Rulebook

Table of Contents

Contents and Setup
Playing the Game
- Summary of a Round
Detail of a Round
End of the Game
Beginner Variant
Kaos Card Details
Credits

Contents and Setup

Each player takes a scoreboard, 1 token of each color (green, blue, orange), and 1 white star token. Place your 4 tokens near your scoreboard.
Put the 54 Galaxy tiles in the bag.
Place the sand timer and the 3 Bonus tokens in the middle of the table where everyone can reach them.
Shuffle the 20 Kaos cards and place 5 random cards face down near the play area. The rest of the cards will not be used during the game.

Components: 54 Galaxy tiles, 20 Kaos cards, scoreboards, colored score tokens (green, blue, orange) and white star tokens, 3 Bonus tokens, a bag, and a sand timer.

Playing the Game

Summary of a Round

Change the Kaos card
Draw and draft the Galaxy tiles
Construct your Galaxy and grab Bonus Token
Score your Galaxy

Detail of a Round

1. Change the Kaos card

At the beginning of each round, discard the Kaos card from the previous round (obviously there is no need to do this in the first round), and flip the next Kaos card face up. This card indicates a special rule that is in effect for this entire round, for all players. If a constraint on a Kaos card contradicts the basic rules, the Kaos card takes precedence (see Kaos Card Details).

One of the players reads the instructions on the card aloud, so everyone is aware of the new rule.

2. Draw and draft the Galaxy tiles

Each player draws 9 random tiles from the bag, and places them face down in front of them. After everyone has 9 tiles, the draft can begin. Look at your 9 tiles, choose 3 to keep face down in front of you, then pass the other 6 tiles to your left or right, depending on the round.

During odd rounds (1, 3, and 5), pass them to your left. During even rounds (2 and 4), pass them to your right.

You are not allowed to review the tiles you have already selected as the draft continues!

Now, do the same thing with the 6 tiles you just received: Choose 3 to keep, pass the other 3 to your left/right.

You are not allowed to look at the final 3 tiles you receive!

Now each player should have 9 face-down tiles, 3 of which are a mystery!

3. Construct your Galaxy and grab Bonus tokens

When everyone is ready, flip the sand timer. You each have one minute to arrange your 9 tiles into a 3 × 3 square, trying to maximize your points. You can rotate each tile any way you like, as long as you end up with a 3 × 3 square.

Try to create color zones with planets to score points. A zone is a contiguous group of one color, separated by neither another color, nor a "Constellation" space, nor an "Asteroid Path".

Bonus Tokens

During this minute of Galaxy construction, you also have the option of grabbing Zone Bonus tokens from the middle of the table. When you grab a Bonus token, you are taking the bet that your Galaxy will have the zone of that color with the most planets.

Example: Once he has finished arranging his tiles, Martin thinks his blue Ice zone has the most planets; so he takes the Ice Zone Bonus token in an attempt to score the bonus points for this zone (see 4.c- Your Zone Bonus Tokens).

Once you have taken a Bonus token, you are no longer allowed to touch your Galaxy tiles this round. You may take several Bonus tokens during a single round, but you must take them at the same time.

Sand timer runs out

When the sand timer runs out, the round is over and the players count their points.

If you have not finished constructing your Galaxy when the timer runs out, or if you have not followed the construction rules correctly, you must take any tiles that have not been placed properly, shuffle them, and place them face down (no peeking!) to complete your 3 × 3 square. Then flip them face up; you are not allowed to rotate or move them.

Explanation of Zone Scoring

Green Vegetation Zone	Blue Ice Zone	Orange Desert Zone
Each zone comprising 3 to 5 planets earns 1 point.	Each zone comprising 2 to 4 planets earns 2 points.	Each zone comprising 2 to 3 planets earns 2 points.
Each zone comprising 6 to 8 planets earns 3 points.	Each zone comprising 5 to 7 planets earns 4 points.	Each zone comprising 4 to 6 planets earns 5 points.
Each zone comprising 9 planets or more earns 5 points.	Each zone comprising 8 planets or more earns 6 points.	Each zone comprising 7 planets or more earns 7 points.

4. Score your Galaxy

For players new to the game, we recommend counting each players points one at a time in detail to help familiarize each other with the scoring. After you are all familiar, scoring can happen simultaneously to save time.

You score for the following in your Galaxy:

a. Your color zones: Vegetation, Ice, and Desert.
b. Your longest Asteroid Path.
c. Your Bonus tokens (if you have any).
d. Additional points from the Kaos card (if any).

Move your corresponding Score tokens on your scoreboard according to the number of points you scored in each of the above categories for the round.

a. Vegetation, Ice, and Desert Zones

Beginning with the green Vegetation zones, then the blue Ice zones, and finally the orange Desert zones, count the number of planets in each of your zones, and refer to the matching table on your scoreboard to see how many points you score.

Note: score tokens can not go over 30 points on the scoreboard. Once a score token reaches 30 points on the track, it can not advance any further until the end of the game.

Example of Galaxy scoring: In his Galaxy, Martin has:

2 green Vegetation zones. The one with 9 planets earns him 5 points, and the other with 2 planets earns him 0 points. Martin thus advances his green Score token 5 points on his scoreboard.

3 blue Ice zones. The one with 3 planets earns him 2 points, the one with 2 planets also earns him 2 points, and the final one with only 1 planet earns him no points. He thus advances his blue Score token 4 points on his scoreboard.

4 orange Desert zones. The one with 4 planets earns him 5 points, the one with 1 planet earns him 0 points, and the two others with 0 planets earn him no points. He thus advances his orange Score token 5 points on his scoreboard.

b. Your Longest Asteroid Path

Your longest Asteroid Path is the path that passes through the most tiles. To determine the length of a path, follow it with your finger, never retracing the same portion of the path, counting the tiles it crosses (or enters, for a dead end). Only count each tile along the path once (this means the maximum length possible is 9).

Example: In this example, Martin counts only his longest path, following the longest branches, and he counts each tile on the path only once.

Once you have determined the number of tiles through which your longest Asteroid Path passes, advance your star Score token a number of spaces determined by the table below.

Asteroid Path	Points
A path that passes through 4 to 5 tiles	1 point
A path that passes through 6 to 8 tiles	2 points
A path that passes through all 9 tiles	4 points

Note: If your longest path passes through fewer than 4 tiles, you earn no points.

Example of scoring the longest Asteroid Path: Martin scores 2 points because his Asteroid Path passes through 7 tiles. He thus advances his star token 2 spaces on his scoreboard.

c. Your Zone Bonus Tokens

For each Zone Bonus token you grabbed, verify whether you were correct.

If you grabbed a Vegetation, Ice, or Desert token, determine whether your best zone of this color has more planets than each opponent's best zone of this color (or the most planets tied). If so, you earn 3 points, which you earn on the corresponding zone's Score track. On the other hand, if another player has a zone of that color with more planets, you lose 2 points on the corresponding zone's Score track (but it never goes below 0).

Example: Martin has grabbed the Desert token because he thinks he has the best Desert zone. Indeed, with his 8-planet Desert zone, no one can compete with him. He therefore earns 3 points and advances his orange token 3 spaces on his board.

Martin has grabbed the Ice token because he thinks he has the best Ice zone. He has an Ice zone with 6 planets, but unfortunately Peter has a 7-planet Ice zone. Martin was wrong, and loses 2 points. He moves his blue token back 2 spaces on his score track.

d. Additional Points from the Kaos Card

Depending on the constraints of the current Kaos card in effect, you may be able to earn a few extra points. The card indicates which Score token will record the extra points.

After the scoring is done, begin a new round, unless this was the 5th and final round, in which case the game is over.

End of the Game

At the end of the 5th round, the game is over, and it is time to determine who won. Add the points from your weakest Score token (Vegetation, Ice, or Desert) to your points from the star token. The player with the highest score wins. In a tie, the tied player with the higher weakest color zone score wins. If the score is still a tie, the tied players share the victory.

Example of final scoring:

At the end of the game, Martin has 25 points in Vegetation (green token), 17 in Ice (blue Token), 23 in Desert (orange token), and 6 in Asteroids (white star token). He uses only his weakest score from the colored tokens, which is 17 (blue Ice token), and adds to that his Asteroid Path score (star token), which is 6. This makes his final score 23 points.

Sophie scores 21 points, but Peter scored 23, tying with Martin. Peter's weakest score from the color tokens is 19, while Martin's is 17; so, Peter wins the tiebreaker and the game.

Beginner Variant

The gameplay is identical; however, the Kaos cards are not used and the Galaxy tiles are not drafted, but simply drawn at random from the bag. The game still lasts 5 rounds.

Kaos Card Details

1. Black Hole

2 of your tiles must be placed face down; these are empty spaces in your Galaxy. If you forget to do this before the sand timer runs out, your left neighbor chooses which 2 tiles are flipped over.

2. Gift

Your left neighbor earns your Galaxy points. Thus, to determine your score for the round when the sand timer runs out, count the points in your right neighbor's Galaxy.

3. New Dimension

You can construct your Galaxy in any configuration you like; it does not have to be a 3 × 3 square.

4. Arborescence

Branches count in your longest Asteroid Path.

By counting the branches in his longest route, Peter reaches a total of 6 tiles, which earns him 2 points with the star token.

5. District

Earn 1 additional point for each zone with at least 3 planets. For example, a green zone with 3 planets is worth 2 points instead of 1.

6. Dispersion

Earn 1 additional point for each zone with 0, 1, or 2 planets.

For example, an empty green zone is worth 1 point.

7. Unique Dimension

Construct your Galaxy in a 1 × 9 line.

8. Constellation

Each "Constellation zone" earns 1 point with the star token, regardless of its size.

In this example, Sophie has 3 Constellation zones, which earn her 3 points with the star token.

9. Sidereal Vacuum

Each "Constellation zone" earns points with the star token as follows:

A 1-space zone earns no points.
A 2-space zone earns 1 point.
A 3-space zone earns 2 points.
A 4-space zone earns 4 points.

In this example, Martin has 2 Constellation zones, a 4-space zone that earns him 4 points, and a 2-space zone that earns him 1 point. He thus advances is star token 5 spaces.

10. Multi-path

You score your Asteroid Path points based on the number of different Asteroid Paths you have, rather than the number of tiles through which the longest path passes.

In this example, Sophie has 6 different Asteroid Paths, so she earns 2 points with the Star token.

11. Parallel Universe

Construct 2 separate 2 × 2 Galaxies; discard the 9th tile.

12. Space Pirate

After drafting the Galaxy tiles, pass your 9 tiles to your right neighbor. Thus, you should try to draft the tiles least interesting for your opponent.

13. Sabotage

When the sand timer runs out, remove the tile of your choice from your left neighbor's Galaxy.

14. Ice Age

Each blue Ice zone earns 1 additional point.

Note: A 0-planet Ice zone thus earns 1 point.

15. Global Warming

Each orange Desert zone earns 1 additional point.

Note: A 0-planet Desert zone thus earns 1 point.

16. Temperate Climate

Each green Vegetation zone earns 1 additional point.

Note: A 0-planet Vegetation zone thus earns 1 point.

17. Happy Hour

Points scored from Zone Bonus tokens are doubled (both the positive and the negative).

18. Optimization

You can rearrange your Galaxy after grabbing a Bonus token. You can also grab them at different times during the turn (normally, if you want to take several, you must take them all at once).

19. Stellar Swap

Score your Asteroid Path points in any one color of your choice, instead of using the star token.

20. Offering

At the end of the round, each player can decide to lose 5 points from one color to gain 2 points with the star token.

Credits

Designer: Kane Klenko. Development: Carrie Klenko. Illustrations: Sylvain Aublin. English Translation: Nathan Morse. ® & © Gigamic 2018.