Gaia Project Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• COMPONENTS
  • Automa Cards
  • Structures (in each player color)
  • Other Player Pieces (in each player color)
• GAME SETUP
  • Game Board
    • Setup for 3 and 4 players
    • Setup for 1 and 2 players
  • Research Board and Federation Tokens
  • Scoring Board
  • Round Boosters and General Supply
  • Choosing a Faction
  • Placing Your First Structures
  • Choosing Your First Round Booster
  • Neutral Player (1–2 Players)
  • Return Player Components
• GOAL AND GAMEPLAY
• THE POWER CYCLE
  • Charging Power
  • Spending Power
  • Gaining and Discarding Power
• THE 6 ROUNDS OF PLAY
  • Phase I: Income
  • Phase II: Gaia
  • Phase III: Actions
    • 1) Build a Mine
    • 2) Start a Gaia Project
    • 3) Upgrade Existing Structures
      • Gaining a Tech Tile
    • 4) Form a Federation
    • 5) Research Progress
    • 6) Power and Q.I.C. Actions
    • 7) Special Actions
    • 8) Pass
    • 9) Free Actions
    • 10) Passive Action: Charge Power
  • Phase IV: Clean-Up
• GAME END AND SCORING
  • Final Scoring Tiles
  • Research Scoring
  • Resource Scoring
  • Winner
• ADVANCED SETUP: BEYOND THE FIRST GAME
  • Choosing Your Faction
  • Placing Your First Structures
  • Variable Turn Order
  • Variable Game Board
    • 3 or 4 Players
    • 1 or 2 Players
    • Even More Possibilities
• APPENDICES
  • Appendix I: Factions
    • Terrans, Planet Type: Terra
    • Lantids, Planet Type: Terra
    • Xenos, Planet Type: Desert
    • Gleens, Planet Type: Desert
    • Taklons, Planet Type: Swamp
    • Ambas, Planet Type: Swamp
    • Hadsch Hallas, Planet Type: Oxide
    • Ivits, Planet Type: Oxide
    • Geodens, Planet Type: Volcanic
    • Bal T’aks, Planet Type: Volcanic
    • Firaks Planet Type: Titanium
    • Bescods, Planet Type: Titanium
    • Nevlas, Planet Type: Ice
    • Itars, Planet Type: Ice
  • Appendix II: Research Board
    • Terraforming
    • Navigation
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Gaia Project
    • Economy
    • Science
  • Appendix III: Power and Q.I.C. Action Spaces
  • Appendix IV: Round Boosters
  • Appendix V: Round Scoring Tiles
  • Appendix VI: Tech Tiles

COMPONENTS

• 10 Space Sector Tiles
  Numbered 01 to 10. Tiles 05, 06, and 07 are double-sided.
• 1 Scoring Board
• 10 Round Scoring Tiles
• 6 Space Stations
• 1 Research Board
• 10 Round Boosters
• 36 Standard Tech Tiles
• 19 Federation Tokens
• 7 Double-Sided Faction Boards
  Each side shows a different faction.
• 6 Final Scoring Tiles
• 15 Advanced Tech Tiles
• 12 Gaia Planet Tokens
• 1 Lost Planet Token
• 15 Record Tokens
• 20 Action Tokens

Automa Cards

• 7 Faction Cards

• 1 Terraforming Reference Card

• 17 Decision Cards

• 1 Automa Rulebook

• 1 Automa Player Aid

• 4 Player Aids

• 1 Turn Order Card

Structures (in each player color)

Yellow, orange, brown, white, gray, blue, red

• 8 Mines
• 4 Trading Stations
• 3 Research Labs
• 2 Academies
• 1 Planetary Institute

Other Player Pieces (in each player color)

Yellow, orange, brown, white, gray, blue, red

• 3 Gaiaformers
• 7 Player tokens
• 25 Satellites

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• 14 Credit Markers
• 7 Ore Markers
• 7 Knowledge Markers
• 30 Q.I.C. (Quantum Intelligence Cubes)
• 50 Power Tokens
• 1 Brainstone
• 1 First Player Marker

GAME SETUP

For your first game, play with the following game board setup and factions. For future games, also use the Advanced Setup, which features a variable game board and all factions.

For a solo game, also see the Automa rulebook. With two or more players, return the Automa cards and Automa player aid to the box.

Determine a first player using the method of your choice. That player takes the first player marker.

Game Board

Setup for 3 and 4 players

Assemble the game board by taking all 10 sector tiles and placing them as shown in the physical rulebook. Make sure that sector tiles 05, 06, and 07 are solid-side up.

Setup for 1 and 2 players

Assemble the game board by taking sector tiles 01 to 07 and placing them as shown in the physical rulebook. Make sure that sector tiles 05, 06, and 07 are outlined-side up. Return the unused sector tiles to the box.

Use the small groups of blue stars on sector tiles 01 to 04 to help you place them correctly.

Research Board and Federation Tokens

Place the research board next to the game board.

Take the nine standard tech tiles with green marks on the back and randomly place each of them faceup on a different tech space of the research board. Then stack the remaining standard tech tiles on the placed tiles of the same type; this will give you nine piles of four identical tech tiles.

Randomly place one advanced tech tile faceup on each space between level 4 and 5 of the six research areas. Return the unused advanced tech tiles to the box.

Set aside the federation token shown to the right; this is the Gleens faction’s federation token. Randomly take one federation token from those remaining and place it on level 5 of the “Terraforming” research area.

Sort and stack the remaining federation tokens by type and place these six piles next to the game board with their green sides faceup.

Exception: The 12 VP federation tokens have two gray sides.

Scoring Board

Place the scoring board next to the game board.

Randomly place one round scoring tile faceup on each numbered tile space of the scoring board. Return the unused round scoring tiles to the box.

Randomly place one final scoring tile faceup on each tile space to the right of the green ranking tracks. Return the unused final scoring tiles to the box.

Round Boosters and General Supply

Randomly select as many round boosters as there are players in the game plus three (e.g., seven round boosters in a 4-player game) and place them next to the game board. Return the unused round boosters to the box.

Place all action tokens, Gaia Planet tokens, the Lost Planet token, power tokens, Q.I.C., and record tokens near the game board as a general supply.

Choosing a Faction

The First Game

For your first game, choose one of the following factions:

• 1 player: Hadsch Hallas (Human), Taklons (Automa)
• 2 players: Hadsch Hallas, Xenos
• 3 players: Terrans, Taklons, Geodens
• 4 players: Terrans, Hadsch Hallas, Xenos, Taklons

The first player chooses one of the above factions and takes the matching faction board. Continuing in clockwise order, each other player chooses one of the remaining factions. Place your faction board in front of you with the chosen faction faceup. The factions’ abilities are explained in detail in Appendix I.

Take all structures and Gaiaformers of your color. Place the structures on their corresponding spaces of your faction board. Place your three Gaiaformers near your faction board.

Take one ore, one knowledge, and two credit markers and place them on the starting positions of your resource track. Return the unused ore, knowledge, and credit markers to the box.

If your faction board shows at least one Q.I.C. below your name, take that many Q.I.C. from the supply and place them on your faction board.

For each area of the power cycle on your faction board, take from the supply the number of power tokens shown and place them in that area.

Take six player tokens of your color and place one of them on level 0 of each research area on the research board.

If your faction board shows level 1 of a research area, advance your token one level in the corresponding area. If that level shows a resource marked by a star and a white outline, gain that resource immediately as a one-time bonus:

To gain ore, move the ore token that many spaces to the right on your resource track.

To gain a Q.I.C., take a Q.I.C. token from the supply and place it on your faction board.

To gain a Gaiaformer, take one of your set-aside Gaiaformers and place it on your faction board.

Note: The level 1 bonuses of the “Economy” and “Science” research areas are income bonuses and are not gained during setup.

Take the seventh player token of your color and place it on space 10 (10 VP) of the VP track as a VP marker.

Take all satellites of your color; place one on each “0” space on the scoring board and the rest near your faction board.

Take one player aid and place it faceup near your faction board. If you are playing the Taklons, take the brainstone and place it in area I of your power cycle.

If you are playing the Gleens, take the Gleens’ federation token and place it near your faction board.

If you are playing the Ivits, take the six space stations and place them near your faction board.

Placing Your First Structures

The First Game

For your first game, place your mines as shown in the physical rulebook. Always take your mines from left to right on your faction board. By placing your first structures, you colonize your first planets, and you reveal spaces on your faction board. This is important for your income, which is explained in Phase I: Income.

Choosing Your First Round Booster

Starting with the last player and continuing in counterclockwise order, choose an available round booster and place it faceup in front of you. Unchosen round boosters will remain next to the board and be available for the first round.

Neutral Player (1–2 Players)

When playing with 1 or 2 players, a neutral player is added to affect final scoring. Take two satellites of an unused color and place one on each ranking track next to the final scoring tiles; the number on each final scoring tile determines the satellite’s position on that ranking track. During final scoring, these satellites count as a neutral player at the appropriate rank. Return all unused satellites to the box.

Return Player Components

Return all unused faction boards, structures, Gaiaformers, player tokens, satellites, ore markers, knowledge markers, credit markers, player aids, the brainstone, the Gleens’ federation token, and space stations to the box.

Return the turn order card to the box; it is used only when playing with variable turn order. Variable turn order is an advanced rule that is explained in Variable Turn Order.

GOAL AND GAMEPLAY

At the end of the game, the player with the most VP wins.

You will gain VP during the game as well as at the end of the game. Track your VP using your marker on the VP track. The various ways to gain VP are detailed below.

Six round scoring tiles are placed on the scoring board during setup, one for each round. Each round, you gain VP when you take the action shown on the tile.

The round scoring tiles are explained in Appendix V. The numbers in the upper part of a tile (to the left and right of the green circle) are needed only for the Automa game and are explained in the Automa rulebook.

Two final scoring tiles are placed on the scoring board during setup. At the end of the game, players gain VP depending on how well players fulfilled those conditions.

Next to the final scoring tiles are two ranking tracks; during the game, use the satellites on them to track players’ progress on the scoring conditions of the final scoring tiles. At the end of the game, the highest ranked player gains the most VP, and other players gain fewer VP according to their ranking.

The final scoring tiles are explained in Final Scoring Tiles.

By uniting planets to form federations during the game, you gain federation tokens which can award you VP and additional resources.

At the end of the game, for each level 3, 4, and 5 you have reached or passed in different research areas of the research board, you gain 4 VP (e.g., reaching level 5 in “Navigation” would award you 4+4+4=12 VP). Each level you reach on the research board also grants you different rewards during the game

Both types of tech tiles (standard and advanced) can award you VP as well as allow you to advance in a research area.

THE POWER CYCLE

During the game, power will cycle through three numbered, connected power areas on your faction board. Charging power will allow you to move power tokens toward area III, and spending power in area III will move it to area I.

To the left of the three power areas on your faction board is the green Gaia area, which interacts with your power cycle and is explained in Phase II: Gaia.

Charging Power

You will need to charge power before you can spend it. Effects that allow you to charge power are represented by an icon like the one to the right.

For each power you need to charge, do the following:

1. If there is at least one power token in area I, move a power token from area I to area II.
2. If area I is empty, move a power token from area II to area III.
3. If areas I and II are empty, you cannot charge the power.

Spending Power

Some actions require you to spend power. You can spend only power tokens that are in area III. To spend power, move it from area III to area I.

Gaining and Discarding Power

The total number of power tokens in your power cycle can change over the course of the game as effects allow you to gain or discard power.

To gain power, take power tokens from the supply and place them in area I. Effects that allow you to gain power are represented by icons like the one to the right.

To discard power, take the power token from your faction board and return it to the supply. Unless specified, you can discard power tokens from any combination of areas except the Gaia area.

THE 6 ROUNDS OF PLAY

The game will last a total of six rounds. During each round, the players will progress through four phases in the following order:

• Phase I: Income
• Phase II: Gaia
• Phase III: Actions
• Phase IV: Clean-Up

Phase I: Income

At the beginning of each round (including the first), income allows each player to gain resources. Income is represented by the icon to the right.

Your faction board, your round booster, your tech tiles, and your current level in each research area on the research board can all allow you to gain income.

Track your ore, knowledge, and credits using the corresponding tokens on the resource track of your faction board (as you gain or lose a resource, move the token to the number you have remaining). The track ends at 15, so you cannot have more than 15 ore, 15 knowledge, and 30 credits (15 per token).

You choose the order in which you charge and gain power. When you gain income from a source (a single income icon), you must take it all at once before taking the income from another source.

Phase II: Gaia

If you have power tokens in the Gaia area on your faction board, move them to area I of your power cycle (in the direction of the arrow).

Exception: The Terrans move the power tokens directly to area II instead of area I of the power cycle (as shown by the arrow on their faction board).

If you have a Gaiaformer on a Transdim Planet, place a Gaia Planet token on that planet. From now on, that planet counts as a Gaia Planet. The Gaiaformer remains on the Gaia Planet until you build a mine on that planet. Further details about Gaia projects are found in Start a Gaia Project.

Phase III: Actions

Starting with the first player and continuing in clockwise order, players take turns taking a single action. This continues until all players have taken the “Pass” action. As soon as a player has passed, that player does not take any more turns for the rest of the phase. The phase ends when all players have passed.

Except for passing, most other actions can be taken multiple times during the same phase (but only one action per player turn). You will choose the “Pass” action exactly once during the round, thereby ending your participation in the round.

During your turn, you can take free actions immediately before or after your action. Free actions are explained in Free Actions.

During other players’ turns, you can charge power when your opponents take actions that trigger your passive action: charge power. This is explained in Passive Action: Charge Power.

1) Build a Mine

You can build a mine on a planet, thereby colonizing that planet.

To build a mine, you must spend two credits and one ore (this cost is shown to the left of the mines on your faction board). You must have at least one mine on your faction board in order to build a mine.

You can build a mine only on a planet that meets these conditions:

• It is empty (i.e., has no structures on it).
• It is accessible from one of your planets.
• It is habitable to your faction. If the planet is not habitable, you must pay any costs required to make it habitable.

If these conditions are met and you have paid all necessary costs, take the leftmost mine structure from your faction board and place it on the planet.

You must complete this action in its entirety, and you can take it only if you pay all of the necessary costs immediately. You cannot take only part of the action, like terraforming the planet partially, or terraforming the planet but not building a mine.

There are special rules for building a mine on a Gaia Planet with a Gaiaformer on it. These are explained at the end of this section.

Accessibility:

A planet’s accessibility is determined by your progress in the “Navigation” research area. When your token is on level 0 or 1, your basic range is one. This means that you can build a mine only on a planet that is one space away from (directly adjacent to) a planet you have colonized. At levels 2 and 3, your basic range is two, at level 4 your basic range is three, and at level 5 your basic range is four.

To determine the needed range, choose the shortest path from one of your planets to the intended planet. The path can cross planets, whether or not they are colonized.

Range always defines your maximum range; you can colonize planets that are closer than your maximum range.

Additionally, when choosing a planet to build a mine on, you can spend any number of Q.I.C. to increase your range by two spaces for each Q.I.C. spent.

Habitability:

Gaia Project includes ten different planet types. Only one type—the respective type of each faction’s home planet—is habitable to that faction. The color of your faction board corresponds to the color and type of your home planet.

To build a mine on a planet other than your home planet type, you must follow these rules:

Transdim Planets cannot be built on. However, you can transform a Transdim Planet into a Gaia Planet using a Gaia Project. See Starting a Gaia Project.

Gaia Planets can be made habitable by paying one Q.I.C. Your home planet type has no impact on this cost.

After transforming a Transdim planet into a Gaia planet, the Gaiaformer will remain on that planet. The following rules apply to Gaia Planets with a Gaiaformer on them:

• Only the faction that owns the Gaiaformer can colonize that planet.
• The planet is considered accessible to that faction.
• You do not need to pay the Q.I.C. cost to make the planet habitable.
• After building a mine on the planet, return the Gaiaformer to your faction board.

The seven colored planet types must first be terraformed. Depending on how similar the habitat conditions of the planet are to your home planet, this process can take one, two, or three terraforming steps. Your faction board shows the required number of terraforming steps to make each planet type habitable to your faction.

You must spend a specific amount of ore for each terraforming step. The ore cost is determined by your progress in the “Terraforming” research area. When your token is on levels 0 or 1, each terraforming step costs you three ore. At level 2 the cost is two ore per step, and at levels 3 and beyond the cost is one ore per step.

Some power actions and special actions provide free terraforming steps. When taking these actions, do not pay the cost of those terraforming steps. If those steps are not enough to make a planet habitable, you can spend ore to perform additional steps.

The Lost Planet is the last planet type, and is only discovered by reaching level 5 of the “Navigation” research area. The Lost Planet is explained in Navigation.

2) Start a Gaia Project

As described in the previous action, you cannot build directly on Transdim Planets: you must first transform them into Gaia Planets using a Gaia project. Gaia projects are completed during the Gaia phase of the following round, after which you will be able to build a mine on that Planet.

To start a Gaia project you must:

• Have an available Gaiaformer.
• Have access to a Transdim Planet without a Gaiaformer on it.
• Spend the necessary power.

Once you have done so, take one of your available Gaiaformers and place it on the Transdim Planet.

Availability:

A Gaiaformer that is on one of the three spaces of your faction board is available to you. You gain your first Gaiaformer when you reach level 1 in the “Gaia Project” research area; take one of the Gaiaformers you set aside during setup and place it on one of the spaces on your faction board. You gain a second Gaiaformer when you reach level 3, and a third when you reach level 4.

A Gaiaformer will stay on the transformed planet after the Gaia project finishes. You cannot use Gaiaformer to start a new Gaia Project until you build a mine on its planet to return it to your faction board.

Accessibility:

The accessibility of a Transdim Planet follows the same rules as the “Build a Mine” action. A planet with a Gaiaformer does not count as colonized by the faction owning that Gaiaformer; therefore, that planet cannot be used as a “starting point” to access another planet (Transdim or otherwise).

Cost:

To start a Gaia project, you must move a total amount of power from areas I, II, or III to your Gaia area; the amount is determined by your progress in the “Gaia Project” research area. When your token is at level 1 or 2, the cost is six power per Gaia Project. At level 3, the cost is four power, and at level 4 or 5, this cost is three power. The cost is the same for all of your Gaiaformers, regardless of when you gained them.

Since Gaia Projects are completed in the following round, any Gaia projects you begin in the final round will never be completed.

3) Upgrade Existing Structures

You can upgrade your structures (including your starting mines) one step at a time to gain new resources and other advantages. Only mines can be placed directly on empty planets; all other structures are upgrades that replace another structure on the game board. The connections between different types of structures on your faction board are a reminder of how different structures can be upgraded.

Every upgrade follows these rules:

• When you upgrade a structure, remove the original structure from the board and place it in the appropriate row of your faction board from right to left.
• Like mines, trading stations and research labs are taken from left to right from your faction board.
• To upgrade a structure, you must spend ore and credits. The cost to upgrade to a structure is shown on the left side of the corresponding structure row on your faction board.

You can do one of the following four upgrades each time you take this action:

Mine ➜ Trading Station

Upgrading a mine into a trading station costs six credits and two ore. If there is at least one opponent’s structure in the neighboring area of your mine, this cost is reduced to three credits and two ore. The neighboring area of a mine consists of all spaces within a range of two spaces.

Trading Station ➜ Planetary Institute

Upgrading a trading station into a planetary institute costs six credits and four ore. As soon as you upgrade to your planetary institute, your faction gains a special ability or action space that is unique to your faction. The various planetary institutes are explained in Appendix I.

Trading Station ➜ Research Lab

Upgrading a trading station into a research lab costs five credits and three ore. When you upgrade to a research lab, you immediately gain one tech tile (see right column).

Research Lab ➜ Academy

Upgrading a research lab into an academy costs six credits and six ore. As you upgrade, decide which of the academies on your faction board to upgrade to. One academy grants you an income of two knowledge each round, and the other academy gives you an action to gain one Q.I.C. When you upgrade to an academy, you immediately gain one tech tile (see right column).

Gaining a Tech Tile

Tech tiles grant you various benefits, such as immediate resources or income. Keep your tech tiles near your faction board. Whenever you gain a tech tile, you may advance in a research area on the research board. Advancing in a research area is explained in Research Progress. The following rules apply to gaining a tech tile:

• You can take any standard tech tile, except one you already own. No faction can own more than one of the same tech tile, even if it is covered by an advanced tech tile.
• If you take one of the six tech tiles directly below a research area, you can advance only in the research area above it. If you cannot advance any further in that research area, you do not advance.
• If you take one of the three tech tiles in the lower row, you can advance in the research area of your choice.
• Instead of taking a standard tech tile, you can take an advanced tech tile. When you take an advanced tech tile, you may advance in any research area. To take an advanced tech tile, you must meet these three conditions:
  • Your player token must be on level 4 or 5 of the research area from which you wish to take the advanced tech tile.
  • You must own at least one federation token with its green side faceup. To take the advanced tech tile, flip one of your federation tokens to its gray side. Federations are explained in Form a Federation.
  • You must have at least one uncovered standard tech tile. When you gain an advanced tech tile, place it faceup covering one of your standard tech tiles. A covered tech tile has no effect. A standard tech tile can “hold” exactly one advanced tech tile. You cannot replace an advanced tech tile with another advanced tech tile.

Advanced tech tiles are not refilled. Only six advanced tech tiles are available each game.

The different tech tiles are explained in Appendix VI.

4) Form a Federation

With this action you can form a federation comprising several of your colonized planets. Forming a federation allows you to gain a federation token of your choice from the supply. You can form any number of federation during the game as long as you meet their requirements.

Power Value:

You can form a federation only with planets you have colonized. The structures on those planets must have a total power value of at least seven. Structures have the following power values:

• Mines have a power value of 1.
• Trading stations and research labs have a power value of 2.
• Planetary institutes and academies have a power value of 3.

The power value of each structure is also shown under the structure’s cost on your faction board.

Connecting Planets:

To form a federation, you must connect the necessary planets. Planets you have colonized that are directly adjacent to each other are connected. To connect planets that are not adjacent, you must immediately build satellites.

To build a satellite, discard one power. Then take one of the satellites near your faction board and place it in a space adjacent to either one of your colonized planets or one of your satellites. Satellites cannot be placed on planets. A space can hold up to one satellite of each player color. You can build as many satellites as you need to connect the necessary planets. You must connect all of the necessary planets during a single action.

When you form a federation, take a record token from the supply and place it on any planet in that federation as a reminder of the federation. If you built any satellites when forming the federation, you do not need to place a record token.

Gaining Federation Tokens:

When you form a federation, gain one federation token of your choice from the supply, placing it in front of you with its green side faceup. When you gain a federation token, you immediately gain everything shown on the token. This will usually include VP and resources.

Note: There is one type of federation token that awards 12 VP and nothing else. These tokens are gray on both sides, and are placed with either side faceup when you gain them..

You can later flip tokens from their green side to their gray side to gain an advanced tech tile or advance to the highest level (level 5) of a research area.

Additional Rules:

• You choose the planets to form a federation, as long as your structures have a total power value of at least seven. In other words, you can choose planets that are farther away, as long as those planets are needed to have a total power value of at least seven.
• You cannot form a federation by connecting more planets and satellites than are needed to form it. In other words, if the federation would be valid with at least one fewer planet and one fewer satellite, you must change the federation.
• Each planet and satellite can be part of only one federation. When colonizing planets directly adjacent to one of your federations, these new planets enlarge the existing federation without any advantage for you. Connecting two federations by colonizing a connecting planet has no effect.

Summary:

• The connected structures must have a total power value of at least seven.
• Connect structures with as few satellites as possible. Build satellites by discarding power.
• Planets and satellites of the newly formed federation cannot be directly adjacent to planets or satellites from any of your existing federations.

5) Research Progress

Spend four knowledge to advance one level in a research area of your choice.

If that level shows a resource marked by a star and a white outline, gain that resource immediately as a one-time bonus. Any other effect of that level is active immediately, and remains active as long as you are at that level. The different research areas and levels are explained in Appendix II.

In order to advance to level 5 of a research area, in addition to any other costs, you must flip one of your federation tokens from its green side to its gray side (this is the same cost as for taking an advanced tech tile).

Only one player can advance to level 5 of each research area.

Each time your research token advances from level 2 to level 3 in any research area, you charge three power (this also applies if you advanced by taking a tech tile).

At the end of the game, you will gain 4 VP for each level 3, 4, and 5 you have reached or passed on the research board.

6) Power and Q.I.C. Actions

The lower part of the research board shows octagonal purple and green action spaces. To take a power action (purple spaces), spend the indicated amount of power. To take a Q.I.C. action (green spaces), spend the indicated number of Q.I.C.

After paying the action’s cost, resolve the effect shown. The effects of action spaces are explained in Appendix III.

Each power and Q.I.C. action can be taken only once per round. After you take a power or Q.I.C. action, place an action token onto the action space to show that the action cannot be taken again during that round.

7) Special Actions

Special action spaces are octagonal orange spaces that can be used for an immediate effect. Unlike power and Q.I.C. actions, special actions have no cost and are available only to the player that owns the component they appear on. Special action spaces appear on faction boards, tech tiles, and round boosters.

Each special action can be used only once per round. After you take a special action, place an action token onto that action space to show that the action cannot be taken again during the current round.

A special action cannot be combined with another special, power, or Q.I.C. action.

The special action spaces are described in the appendices based on the component they appear on.

8) Pass

On your turn, if you cannot or do not want to take any other actions in the current round, you must pass. After you pass, your turn ends, and you do not take any more turns for the remainder of the round.

When you pass, take one of the three available round boosters (including one that another player returned during this round), then return the booster you started the round with. You cannot keep your booster (i.e., you cannot use the same booster two rounds in a row). In the final round, do not take a new booster before returning yours.

Place the new round booster facedown in front of you to show that you have already passed. Once all players have passed, the action phase of the current round ends.

Some round boosters have effects that trigger when you pass, indicated by a red icon. These effects trigger during the round you return that booster. Some Tech tiles also show that icon; those effects trigger every time you pass. This icon is explained in Appendix IV.

The first time a player passes during a round, that player takes the first player marker.

9) Free Actions

In addition to your action, you can also take any number of free actions during your turn. You can take free actions before or after your action, but not during. You can take each free action as many times as you can afford to.

You can take free actions before you pass but not after (passing is an action).

You cannot take a free action if it is not your turn (e.g., if you already passed, during a passive action, during a different phase, etc.).

The free actions are:

• Discard one power token from area II of your power cycle to move one power token from area II to area III. You can do this even if you have power tokens in area I
• Spend 4 power to gain 1 Q.I.C.
• Spend 3 power to gain 1 ore.
• Spend 1 Q.I.C. to gain 1 ore.
• Spend 4 power to gain 1 knowledge.
• Spend 1 power to gain 1 credit.
• Spend 1 knowledge to gain 1 credit.
• Spend 1 ore to gain 1 credit.
• Spend 1 ore to gain 1 power (in area I).

The summary on the right side of your faction board shows all exchange possibilities.

10) Passive Action: Charge Power

Each time a player builds a mine or upgrades a structure, each other player with at least one structure in the neighboring area (within a range of 2 spaces) may spend VP to charge power.

To charge power for a structure, spend one fewer VP than the power you would charge (to charge 1/2/3/4 power you must spend 0/1/2/3 VP). You may choose not to spend any VP, and thus not charge any power.

If you own multiple structures in the neighboring area, you can charge power only for your structure with the highest power value (power value is explained in Form a Federation). If you own multiple structures with the same power value, only charge power for one of them.

You cannot spend fewer VP to charge less than the full amount of power. You must either charge all of the power or none of it, with two exceptions:

If you cannot charge all of the power because it is more than you would need to move all of the tokens in your power cycle to area III, you charge only as much as you can by spending the corresponding number of VP.

If you cannot spend the necessary VP because you do not have enough, you spend as many as you have and charge the corresponding amount of power.

Additional Rules:

• The player who builds or upgrades must point out which opponent(s) can charge power.
• In clockwise order from the player who built or upgraded, players decide if they want to charge power.
• An opponent that has passed can still charge power.
• You must spend VP only for power you charge this way. You do not have to spend VP for any other power you charge.

Phase IV: Clean-Up

The Clean-Up phase prepares you for the next round. At the end of round 6, skip this phase and proceed to scoring.

• Remove all action tokens from all power, Q.I.C., and special action spaces and return them to the supply.
• Flip all round boosters faceup.
• Remove this round’s round scoring tile from the scoring board and return it to the box.

After this phase ends, the next round begins.

GAME END AND SCORING

The game ends after round 6’s action phase. It is followed by a final scoring.

Final Scoring Tiles

For each final scoring tile on the scoring board, players gain VP based on progress on the corresponding ranking track:

• The highest-ranked player gains 18 VP.
• The second-highest gains 12 VP.
• The third-highest gains 6 VP.
• The fourth-highest gains 0 VP.

In case of a tie, for each tied player, add the VP for the highest remaining rank. Divide the total points evenly among those players.

Example: Two players share the highest rank: they add the VP for the highest and second-highest ranks together and divide them evenly (18+12=30 VP; each of them gains 15 VP).

Remember to take into account the neutral satellites in a solo or 2-player game, as explained in Neutral Player (1–2 Players).

The six final scoring tiles are:

• Owns the most structures that are part of federations (the Lost Planet’s mine counts as a structure).
• Owns the most structures (the Lost Planet’s mine counts as a structure).
• Colonized the most different planet types (including Gaia Planets and the Lost Planet).
• Colonized the most Gaia Planets.
• Colonized in the most space sector tiles (at least 1 structure per sector, including the Lost Planet).
• Built the most satellites. (The Ivits’ space stations count as satellites.)

Research Scoring

For each level 3, 4, and 5 you have reached or passed on the research board, gain 4 VP (e.g., at level 5 in “Navigation,” you gain 4+4+4=12 VP).

Resource Scoring

Gain 1 VP for every 3 credits, knowledge, or ore you have (in any combination).

Winner

The player with the most VP wins the game. In case of a tie, the tied players share the victory.

ADVANCED SETUP: BEYOND THE FIRST GAME

When you are familiar with the basic rules, you can play with a more variable game setup.

Choosing Your Faction

Instead of choosing a faction from the list, the first player chooses any one of the seven faction boards, then chooses either of the factions on it and places the board on the table with that side faceup. Continuing in clockwise order, each other player does the same with the remaining faction boards.

Placing Your First Structures

Instead of placing your starting mines according to the diagram, follow these rules:

Starting with the first player and continuing in clockwise order, place one mine on any one home planet (matching your color) of your choice. Then, starting with the last player and continuing in counterclockwise order, place your second mine on a different home planet.

Players do not charge power for mines their opponents place during setup. Remember to always take the leftmost mine on your faction board when placing a mine.

The Xenos place their third mine after all players have placed their second mine. The Ivits place their planetary institute last, after all mines have been placed (including the Xenos’ third mine).

Variable Turn Order

Instead of using clockwise turn order for the game, you can use the turn order card for variable turn order:

During setup, place the turn order card next to the game board. Starting with the first player and continuing in clockwise order, each player places a satellite on the topmost available space on the left side of the turn order card. During the game, when you pass, move your satellite to the topmost available space on the other side of the turn order card (each round will alternate between the left side and the right side). The numbers on the card indicate the turn order during the rounds.

Variable Game Board

The 10 space sector tiles allow for many board configurations. Do not assemble the board as normal. Instead, after players have chosen their factions, the last player in turn order assembles the game board. Alternatively, players can agree to assemble the game board together.

You can use the following methods to assemble the board. Note that two planets of the same type can never by directly adjacent:

3 or 4 Players

Use all 10 space sector tiles and place sectors 05, 06, and 07 solid-side up.

• Method 1: Place space sector tiles 01 through 04 as described in the basic setup, then randomly place tiles 05 through 10 to create the same board shape as the basic setup. Rotate each tile as you choose.
• Method 2: Randomly place space sector tiles 01 through 04 in the same orientation as in the basic setup, then randomly place tiles 05 through 10 to create the same board shape as the basic setup. Rotate each tile as you choose.
• Method 3: Randomly place all of the space sector tiles to create the same board shape as the basic setup. Rotate each tile as you choose.

1 or 2 Players

Use sector tiles 01 through 07 and place sectors 05, 06, and 07 outlined-side up.

Randomly place all of the space sector tiles to create the same board shape as the basic setup. Rotate each tile as you choose.

Even More Possibilities

Once you are very familiar with the game, try creating new shapes for the board. In a 3-player game, you can play without sectors 09 and 10 to reduce the size of the game board.

APPENDICES

Appendix I: Factions

Terrans, Planet Type: Terra

Ability: During the Gaia phase, move the power tokens in your Gaia area to area II of your power cycle instead of to area I.

Planetary Institute: During the Gaia phase, when you move power tokens from your Gaia area to area II of your power cycle, you may gain resources as if you were spending that much power to take free actions.

Example: During the Gaia phase, you move four power from the Gaia area to area II, allowing you to gain one ore and one credit.

Lantids, Planet Type: Terra

Ability: When you take the “Build a Mine” action, you may build a mine on a planet colonized by an opponent (including the Lost Planet). Place your mine next to the opponent’s structure. You do not have to pay for terraforming, but you must still pay the mine’s cost. This mine counts as a normal mine in all ways except the following: this mine cannot be upgraded, and it does not count for any effects that relate to how many planet types or Gaia planets you have colonized.

Planetary Institute: Each time you build a mine on a planet colonized by an opponent, gain two knowledge.

Xenos, Planet Type: Desert

Ability: You place a third starting mine after all other starting mines have been placed.

Planetary Institute: You can form federations with a total power value of six instead of seven. You gain one Q.I.C. as income instead of one power token.

Gleens, Planet Type: Desert

Ability: If you would ever gain Q.I.C., gain that much ore instead; once you have upgraded to the indicated academy, this effect no longer applies. To make a Gaia Planet habitable, pay one ore instead of one Q.I.C. Each time you build a mine on a Gaia Planet, gain two additional VP.

Planetary Institute: When you upgrade to the planetary institute, immediately gain the Gleens’ federation token (gaining the resources shown as normal). Gaining this tile counts as forming a federation. The planetary institute itself can still be part of a federation on the board.

Taklons, Planet Type: Swamp

Ability: The Brainstone counts as one power token (when starting a Gaia Project, building satellites, etc.), but you can spend it as if it were three power.

Planetary Institute: Each time you would charge power from “Passive Action: Charge Power,” you gain one power token. You can choose to gain the power before or after charging.

Ambas, Planet Type: Swamp

Ability: -

Planetary Institute: Once per round, as an action, you can swap your planetary institute with one of your mines on the game board (this can help you form a new federation). This has no impact on existing federations, even if their power value becomes less than seven. The swap does not count as a build or upgrade action; no VP or power can be gained from it.

Hadsch Hallas, Planet Type: Oxide

Ability: -

Planetary Institute: You can spend credits instead of power to take free actions that allow you to gain resources.

Example: You can spend 3 credits to take the free action that allows you to gain one ore.

Ivits, Planet Type: Oxide

Ability: During setup, do not place mines. Instead, after all other players have placed mines (including the Xenos’ third mine), place your planetary institute on any red planet.

You can have only one federation during the whole game, but unlike other factions, you will be able to grow that federation to gain new federation tokens. After you have formed a federation, to take the “Form a Federation” action again, you must connect planets to that federation instead of forming a new federation. The power values of the structures on those planets must bring the total power value of that federation to at least to 7X, where X is the number of federation tokens you own plus one (not including the federation token from level 5 of “Terraforming”). All other rules for forming a federation apply, including building satellites and gaining federation tokens. To build a satellite during this action, you must spend one Q.I.C. instead of discarding one power.

Planetary Institute: As a special action, place a space station on an accessible space that does not contain a planet or another space station. The accessibility of a space follows the same rules as the “Build a Mine” action. Like planets, a space station can be connected with satellites; each space station counts as having a power value of one for its federation. A space station is not a structure, so placing one does not allow opponents to charge power. A space station does not count as a colonized planet, but it can be used as a “starting point” when determining the accessibility of a planet (i.e., range can be counted from a space station). Your opponents can place satellites in a space containing a space station.

Geodens, Planet Type: Volcanic

Ability: -

Planetary Institute: The first time you build a mine on each planet type, gain 3 knowledge. (You do not gain knowledge for planet types you colonized before upgrading to your planetary institute.)

Bal T’aks, Planet Type: Volcanic

Ability: You cannot advance in the “Navigation” research area, even if you take the tech tile below the “Navigation” research area. If you do take that tech tile, no advancement occurs.

As a free action, you can move a Gaiaformer from a Gaiaformer space on your faction board to your Gaia area to gain one Q.I.C. Gaiaformers in your Gaia area are not available until the next Gaia phase. In the next Gaia phase, move any Gaiaformer in your Gaia area back to its Gaiaformer space.

Planetary Institute: You can now advance in the “Navigation” research area.

Firaks Planet Type: Titanium

Ability: -

Planetary Institute: As an action, you can “downgrade” a research lab into a trading station and immediately advance one level in a research area of your choice. Advancing in a research area is explained in Research Progress. This counts as an “Upgrade to a Trading Station” action. You can later upgrade the trading station back into a research lab using the normal rules (including gaining a new tech tile).

Bescods, Planet Type: Titanium

Ability: The positions of your planetary institute and academies are swapped on your faction board, as is the income you gain for trading stations and research labs. As with the other factions, upgrading to an academy or a research lab allows you to gain a tech tile.

Once per round, as an action, you can advance your lowest-level token in a research area (without paying knowledge). If multiple of your tokens are tied for the lowest level, choose which of the tied tokens to advance. To advance to level 5 this way, you must still flip a federation token as normal. Remember, only one player can reach level 5 of each research area.

Planetary Institute: The power value of your structures on gray planets (your home type) is increased by one (in addition to any other effects that increase their power value).

Nevlas, Planet Type: Ice

Ability: As a free action, you can move one power token from area III of your power cycle to your Gaia area to gain one knowledge (these power tokens follow the normal Gaia phase rules). This does not count as spending power.

Planetary Institute: You can spend power tokens in area III of your power cycle as if they were each two power. Otherwise, they count as one power token (when starting a Gaia Project, building satellites, etc.). When paying for a power action with an odd power cost (1, 3, 5, etc.), the unspent power is lost.

Itars, Planet Type: Ice

Ability: Each time you discard a power token from area II of your power cycle to move another power token to area III, place the discarded power token in your Gaia area instead of returning it to the supply.

Planetary Institute: During the Gaia phase, you can discard 4 power tokens from your Gaia area to immediately gain a tech tile (standard or advanced). The rules for Gaining a Tech Tile are explained in Gaining a Tech Tile. You may do this as many times as you can afford to.

Appendix II: Research Board

From left the right, the research board includes the following research areas: Terraforming, Navigation, Artificial Intelligence, Gaia Project, Economy, Science. The different levels grant you the effects described below. Only the level your player token is on counts; Previous levels do not have any effect. Bonuses identified by a star and a white outline are one-time bonuses.

Terraforming

Level 0: Each terraforming step costs you three ore.

Level 1: Each terraforming step costs you three ore. Immediately gain two ore.

Level 2: Each terraforming step costs you two ore.

Level 3: Each terraforming step costs you one ore.

Level 4: Each terraforming step costs you one ore. Immediately gain two ore.

Level 5: Each terraforming step costs you one ore. Immediately gain the federation token placed here. Gaining this federation token counts as “Forming an Federation.” Remember that you must have a previously acquired federation token in order to advance to level 5 of this research area and claim the federation token there.

Navigation

Level 0: Your basic range is one.

Level 1: Your basic range is one. Immediately gain one Q.I.C.

Level 2: Your basic range is two.

Level 3: Your basic range is two. Immediately gain one Q.I.C.

Level 4: Your basic range is three.

Level 5: Your basic range is four. Immediately place the Lost Planet token on an accessible space that does not contain a planet, satellite, or space station. The accessibility of a space follows the same rules as the “Build a Mine” action. This counts as a “Build a Mine” action, meaning you can gain VP and your opponents can gain power. Do not place a mine on the Lost Planet token. You are considered to have colonized the planet; place one of your satellites on the Lost Planet token as a reminder. The Lost Planet counts as its own planet type, and as a planet with a mine. You cannot upgrade this mine.

Artificial Intelligence

Level 0: This level has no effect.

Level 1: Immediately gain one Q.I.C.

Level 2: Immediately gain one Q.I.C.

Level 3: Immediately gain two Q.I.C.

Level 4: Immediately gain two Q.I.C.

Level 5: Immediately gain four Q.I.C.

Gaia Project

Level 0: This level has no effect. You cannot start a Gaia Project.

Level 1: To start a Gaia project, you must move six power tokens to your Gaia area. Immediately gain one of your Gaiaformers.

Level 2: To start a Gaia project, you must move six power tokens to your Gaia area. Immediately gain three power tokens.

Level 3: To start a Gaia project, you must move four power tokens to your Gaia area. Immediately gain one of your Gaiaformers.

Level 4: To start a Gaia project, you must move three power tokens to your Gaia area. Immediately gain one of your Gaiaformers.

Level 5: To start a Gaia project, you must move three power tokens to your Gaia area. Immediately gain 4 VP and 1 additional VP for each Gaia Planet with one of your structures on it (you do not gain VP for Gaiaformers on Gaia Planets).

Economy

Level 0: This level has no effect.

Level 1: During each income phase, gain two credits and charge one power.

Level 2: During each income phase, gain one ore, two credits, and charge two power.

Level 3: During each income phase, gain one ore, three credits, and charge three power.

Level 4: During each income phase, gain two ore, four credits, and charge four power.

Level 5: Immediately gain three ore, six credits, and charge six power. Remember that you no longer receive the income from level 4.

Science

Level 0: This level has no effect.

Level 1: During each income phase, gain one knowledge.

Level 2: During each income phase, gain two knowledge.

Level 3: During each income phase, gain three knowledge.

Level 4: During each income phase, gain four knowledge.

Level 5: Immediately gain nine knowledge. Remember that you no longer receive the income from level 4.

Appendix III: Power and Q.I.C. Action Spaces

Action spaces on the research board are available to all players, but each of these actions can be taken only once per round. To take one of these actions, you must spend the amount of power or Q.I.C. shown above the action.

1. Actions: Gain two or three knowledge, two ore, seven credits, and two power tokens

   When you take this action, immediately gain the resources shown.

2. Actions: Take one or two free terraforming steps

   When you take this action, immediately take a “Build a Mine” action. You get the shown number of free terraforming steps to make a planet habitable. If you take the two-step action, but need only one step, the second step is lost. You can pay ore for additional terraforming steps, but you cannot combine this action with another action.

3. Actions: Gain a tech tile

   When you take this action, immediately gain a tech tile of your choice (standard or advanced), advancing in a research area as normal (see Gaining a Tech Tile).

4. Action: Score a federation token again

   When you take this action, immediately gain all resources and VP shown on one of your federation tokens (i.e., you gain the VP and resources of one of your federation tokens an additional time). You do not gain a new federation token, and you do not flip one of your federation tokens back to its green side. This means that you can neither get another advanced tech tile nor advance to another level 5 in any research area with the same federation token. If you do not have a federation token, you cannot take this action.

5. Action: Gain VP for planet types

   When you take this action, immediately gain 3 VP and 1 additional VP for each different planet type you have colonized (you do not gain VP for Gaiaformers on Gaia or Transdim Planets). Gaia Planets and the Lost Planet counts as their own planet types.

Appendix IV: Round Boosters

There are ten different round boosters in the game. Each booster grants you additional income, and some boosters have additional effects. Round boosters are only in effect while you have that booster.

1. During the income phase, gain one ore and one knowledge.

2. During the income phase, gain two credits and one Q.I.C.

3. During the income phase, gain two power tokens and one ore.

4. During the income phase, gain two credits. As a special action, you may take a “Build a Mine” action with one free terraforming step. You can pay ore for additional terraforming steps, but you cannot combine this action with another action.

5. During the income phase, charge two power. As a special action, you can take a “Build a Mine” action or “Start a Gaia Project” with your basic range increased by three. The normal rules for the actions apply. This action cannot be combined with another action.

6. During the income phase, gain one ore. When you return this round booster by taking the “Pass” action, gain 1 VP for each of your mines on the board (including the Lost Planet).

7. During the income phase, gain one knowledge. When you return this round booster by taking the “Pass” action, gain 3 VP for each of your research labs on the board.

8. During the income phase, gain one ore. When you return this round booster by taking the “Pass” action, gain 2 VP for each of your trading stations on the board.

9. During the income phase, charge four power. When you return this round booster by taking the “Pass” action, gain 4 VP for each of your planetary institutes and academies on the board.

10. During the income phase, gain four credits. When you return this round booster by taking the “Pass” action, gain 1 VP for each Gaia Planet you have colonized (you do not gain VP for Gaiaformers on Gaia or Transdim Planets).

Appendix V: Round Scoring Tiles

Each round scoring tile on the score board is in effect for one round. The central part of each tile shows you how to score additional VP during that round. The numbers on a tile’s upper part (to the left and right of the green icon) are needed only in the Automa solo game and are explained in the Automa rulebook.

• Gain 2 additional VP when you build a mine.
• Gain 3 or 4 additional VP (depending on the tile) when you upgrade to a trading station.
• Gain 5 additional VP when you upgrade to an academy or planetary institute.
• Gain 3 or 4 additional VP (depending on the tile) when you build a mine on a Gaia Planet.
• Gain 2 additional VP when you advance in a research area.
• Gain 5 additional VP when you gain a federation token (no matter how you gain the federation token).
• Gain 2 additional VP for each terraforming step you take (no matter how you take the terraforming steps).

Appendix VI: Tech Tiles

Most tech tiles allow you to gain resources or VP:

• Ore
• Credits
• Knowledge
• Q.I.C.
• Power VP

You gain the resources or VP shown:

• Immediately when you take the tech tile.
• Each time the condition is met.
• When you pass and return your round booster.
• Income received in Phase I.
• Special action, which you can take once per round.

How frequently you receive the shown resources or income can be tied to one of these conditions:

• Per planet type you have colonized (including Gaia Planets and the Lost Planet).
• Per Gaia Planet you have colonized.
• Per sector in which you have colonized one or more planets (including the Lost Planet).
• Per federation token you own.