Level 7 [Invasion] Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Overview
  • Winning and Losing the Game
• Component List
• Component Descriptions
  • Game Board
  • Cronos Standee
  • Cronos Control Token
  • Coalition Console
  • Dials and Plastic Connectors
  • Terror Tokens
  • Coalition Power Tokens
  • Territory Status Cards
  • Technology Cards
  • Cronos Project Cards
  • Event Cards
  • Drop Ship Cards
  • Dice
  • Adaptation Cards
  • Ghin Mercenary Cards
  • Plastic Figures
  • Capital Damage Tokens
  • Research Tokens
  • Money Tokens
  • Desolation Markers
• Before Play
  • Dial Assembly
  • Drop Ship Assembly
• Setup
  • Number of Players and Coalitions
• Setup Diagram
• Playing the Game
  • Overview of Phases
  • Special Rules
  • Choosing Options
  • Reshuffling
  • Trading
  • Easy Mode
  • Hard Mode
• Anatomy of a Coalition Console
  • What Is the Military-Industrial Complex?
• Technology Cards Setup
• Development Phase
  • 1. Ghin Mercenaries
  • 2. Unit Deployment
  • 3. Research
  • 4. Cronos Project
  • 5. Income
• Warfare Phase
  • 6. Movement
  • 7. Events
  • 8. Battle
  • Adaptation
  • 9. Territory Status
  • 10. Invader Movement
• Maintenance Phase
  • 11. Cronos Control
  • 12. Terror Level
  • 13. Military-Industrial Complex Damage
  • 14. Research Readiness
  • 15. Drop Ships
• Ending the Game
  • Player Victory
  • Invader Victory
• Key Game Terms
• The Hydra
• Icons and Tokens

Overview

Cronos' Address to the World Conclave:

connecting to: wld.coalitions.com[22]

connected.

[email protected][22]:> Initiate broadcast fq(89.7)

Ladies and Gentlemen of Earth:

You are all here today because you face extinction. An overwhelming alien power has pursued the remnants of my race to your planet, and its goal is to erase both of our peoples from this universe forever. The Titanomax virus that has already destroyed millions of your people was only a first step to weaken you. And by now you know the initial forces over which you claimed so hard-fought a victory were simply sent as a test in order to learn your methods and your weaknesses.

This is the way of the Hydra. They are masters of rapid genetic manipulation. With methods based on stolen Ghin technologies, they rapidly adapt their physiology to any situation, any enemy they might face. The most recent attacks, which swept aside your best soldiers and weapons like chaff, were carried out by their latest mutations. These are warriors modified for one purpose — the destruction of the human race.

Make no mistake, my people had knowledge gained over millennia and the might of an interstellar empire — yet in the end we could not stand against the Hydra. What chance do you think your tiny planet has?

Your people have a saying: "The enemy of my enemy is my friend." The Hydra fear you because they suspect what I already know — that within humanity lie the seeds of their destruction. They fear me because I am the last who knows their secrets, the last who remembers what the Hydra were before they were Hydra.

I am the only one who can bring this terror to an end, but I cannot succeed without your full cooperation. My extensive research has proven to me that hidden somewhere among your race exist human ciphers — individuals whose unique genetic traits can be turned into a weapon against the only vulnerability the Hydra have: their minds. The Hydra have shielded themselves against the Ghin's psychic abilities, but they cannot predict the power of the human mind once I unlock its psychic potential.

I will create the technology to unleash this psychic power, and I will find a cipher who can use that technology to infiltrate the minds of the Hydra. I will save your species from annihilation. To execute this plan, I will require your resources, your collaboration, and your continued defense of this planet against the Hydra onslaught.

There will be no bartering. There are no deals to be made. If you do not support me entirely here and now, both our races will soon pass into oblivion.

[email protected][22]:> End broadcast fq(89.7)

disconnecting from: wld.coalitions.com[22]

disconnected.

LEVEL 7 [INVASION] is a game of global conflict in which the nations of Earth battle an overwhelming alien invasion force. Players take on the roles of hastily assembled coalitions of Earth's governments in a desperate struggle against the Hydra invaders.

Players must manage military and other resources to fight the alien forces effectively. They must fight to hold their ground and to retake territories that have fallen to the enemy. At the same time each coalition must research new advanced technologies to enhance its ability to resist the Hydra. All coalitions must also work to help Dr. Cronos complete the essential stages of the project that is the last hope of humanity. This delicate balancing act forces players to make choices between protecting their own coalitions' interests and working together for the greater good.

The Hydra's attack comes in two distinct waves. In the initial Assault wave, the invaders are focused on killing Cronos and subjugating Earth's population. Later, the Devastation wave begins as the Hydra realize Dr. Cronos is close to defeating them and they shift to a strategy of all-out destruction.

Winning and Losing the Game

In INVASION, winning is a question of survival. If your coalition survives long enough for Dr. Cronos to complete his project, you win. It is possible that some coalitions will survive while others perish. It is also possible for all coalitions to survive, in which case all players win. On the other hand, the Hydra may well overwhelm the coalitions or stop Cronos' work. If that happens, all players lose.

Coalitions must pool their resources to maximize humanity's slim chances against the Hydra, but in the end each coalition stands or falls alone. To survive, a coalition must maintain its Military-Industrial Complex and retain control of its capital territory. All other resources must be carefully managed to achieve these two mandates. A coalition that fails in either one is defeated and is out of the game.

Component List

• 5 Coalition Consoles
• 5 Military-Industrial Complex Dials
• 5 Food Dials
• 5 Fuel Dials
• 5 Minerals Dials
• 1 Adaptation Dial
• 1 Game Board
• 5 Dice
• 1 Cronos Standee
• 1 Plastic Stand
• 21 Plastic Connectors

Cards

• 60 Technology Cards
• 7 Cronos Project Cards
• 25 Assault Event Cards
• 30 Devastation Event Cards
• 25 Drop Ship Cards
• 20 Ghin Mercenary Cards
• 25 Territory Status Cards
• 5 Assault Adaptation Cards
• 11 Devastation Adaptation Cards

Plastic Figures

• 4 Drop Ship Bodies
• 4 Drop Ship Bases
• 75 Invader Units
• 12 Blue North American Coalition Units
• 12 Yellow South American Coalition Units
• 12 Green European Coalition Units
• 12 Purple African Coalition Units
• 12 Orange Asian Coalition Units

Tokens and Markers

• 1 Cronos Control Token
• 15 Capital Damage Tokens
• 5 Terror Tokens
• 15 Coalition Power Tokens
• 4 Drop Ship Tokens
• 60 $1M Tokens
• 15 $5M Tokens
• 14 Research Tokens
• 4 Desolation Markers

Rulebook

Component Descriptions

Game Board

The LEVEL 7 [INVASION] game board represents Earth during the Hydra invasion. The board shows the arrangement of the human coalitions and their territories. It also tracks game details such as the military strength of the invading aliens and their level of adaptation.

Cronos Standee

The Cronos standee is used to mark Dr. Cronos' current location on the map.

Cronos Control Token

The Cronos Control token is held by the coalition that is currently in control of Dr. Cronos.

Coalition Console

Each player's coalition console displays the coalition's status and tracks its resources.

Dials and Plastic Connectors

Dials are used to track each coalition's resources and Military-Industrial Complex as well as the adaptation rate of the Hydra. The plastic connectors attach the dials to the coalition consoles and the board.

Terror Tokens

Each coalition places a token on the Terror track of its console to show the population's current overall Terror level.

Coalition Power Tokens

These tokens are placed on a coalition's console to track its current power.

Territory Status Cards

Each coalition territory has a unique card that is used to track its status and associated penalties when it becomes Overrun or Liberated.

Technology Cards

Each player has a deck of twelve Technology cards, which are separated into four stacks representing different types of technology. Each technology can be upgraded several times during a game.

Cronos Project Cards

The seven Cronos Project cards represent Dr. Cronos' progress in his work to defeat the Hydra.

Event Cards

The two decks of Event cards determine the actions of the Hydra invaders. The Assault Event deck is used during the invaders' initial Assault wave. The Devastation Event deck is used later during the Devastation wave.

Drop Ship Cards

Drop Ship cards control where the Hydra's drop ships land each round. During the Assault wave, drop ships land at the first three locations on a card. During the Devastation wave, they land at all four listed locations.

Dice

Players use special dice that can roll a plus, a minus, or an equals symbol to determine various outcomes during a game.

Adaptation Cards

Adaptation cards represent the ways the invading aliens use their military flexibility and mastery of genetic modification to respond to the Earth's resistance forces.

Ghin Mercenary Cards

Ghin Mercenary cards represent powerful Ghin allies the humans can hire to help defend against the Hydra.

Plastic Figures

Highly detailed plastic figures represent the human coalitions' military units as well as the Hydra's military units and drop ships.

Capital Damage Tokens

Capital Damage tokens are used to indicate the amount of damage a coalition's capital has suffered.

Research Tokens

Research tokens represent the remaining centers of scientific research that are spread across the globe. Each token has a ready side (color) and a committed side (grey) and belongs to a specific Coalition or is neutral.

Money Tokens

Money tokens represent the money (in millions of dollars) used in the game for such purposes as hiring mercenaries, upgrading technologies, and trading with other players. All players start with $4M, and each coalition earns a specific amount every round.

Desolation Markers

A Desolation marker is placed on a defeated coalition's capital territory when all its territories have been completely conquered by the Hydra.

Before Play

Before playing LEVEL 7 [INVASION] for the first time, carefully punch out all game pieces from the cardboard frames. Attach the dials to the coalition consoles and the board, and assemble the drop ships.

Dial Assembly

To assemble a dial, place one side of a plastic connector in the hole on the board or console and the other in the hole on the dial. Push them together until there is no space between any of the parts. Once assembled, dials should not be taken apart.

Drop Ship Assembly

To assemble a drop ship, first place a drop ship token on a drop ship base. Then push the peg at the bottom of a drop ship body into the hole in the base until it clicks. Once assembled, drop ships should not be taken apart.

Setup

Before playing, set up the game as described below.

1. Set Up the Board: Place the game board in the center of the table. Place the Cronos standee in Argentina and put Cronos Project card 5 (Initiate Psychotronic Broadcast) on the marked space. Place a number of invader units in each dead zone equal to the zone's Defense value. Place a neutral Research token on the Eastern Australia research space with the ready side up. Set the Adaptation dial to 0.

2. Choose Coalitions: Decide who will play as each coalition. If all players do not agree, shuffle the coalition consoles facedown and have each player choose one at random. Once coalitions are chosen, each player takes his coalition unit figures, Territory Status cards, Technology cards, Chronos Project card(s), and Research, Terror, and Power tokens. The player controlling South America takes the Cronos Control token.

3. Set Up the Coalitions:

   • Place Research tokens on the marked territory status boxes on your console with the ready sides up.
   • Set all dials to their starting value (indicated by coalition color).
   • Take four $1M money tokens as your starting funds.
   • Arrange the twelve Technology cards in four stacks according to the diagram on page 9. If the console indicates your coalition starts the game with one technology at Tier 1 instead of Tier 0, flip the appropriate Technology card over to Tier 1.
   • Take a number of coalition units equal to your starting Command and Control value and place each unit anywhere in your territories.

4. Prepare the Event Decks: Shuffle the Assault Event cards (grey) and Devastation Event cards (red) separately. Place each deck facedown within easy reach of all players.

5. Prepare the Adaptation Deck: Shuffle the Assault Adaptation cards (grey) and Devastation Adaptation cards (red) separately. Place the grey deck on top of the red deck to form a single Adaptation deck.

6. Prepare the Ghin Black Market: Place a Warrior Clones mercenary card next to North America's console as its starting asset. Shuffle the rest of the Ghin Mercenary cards and place the deck next to the Ghin Black Market section of the board. Place three neutral Research tokens near the deck. Draw the top two cards and place them faceup on the table as the Ghin black market (see "Ghin Mercenaries" below).

7. Set Up the Invaders: Place drop ship 1 in the Uzbekistan Alliance, drop ship 2 in Canada, and drop ship 3 in Argentina. Draw two Drop Ship cards and place one invader unit in each of the first three territories listed on each card. Keep the remaining invader units near the board as a reserve.

8. Prepare the Bank: Separate the money tokens by denomination and place them near the board.

Number of Players and Coalitions

Every game of LEVEL 7 [INVASION] involves all five coalitions, so the game is best with five players. When playing with fewer than five players, determine which player(s) will control more than one coalition, and be sure to keep the turns, tokens, cards, and consoles of each coalition separate.

Setup Diagram

The setup diagram shows the placement of every component at the start of a game.

General Setup

1. Technology Cards
2. Coalition Console
3. Territory Status Deck
4. Coalition Power Tokens
5. Starting Funds
6. Coalition Unit Supply
7. Assault Event Deck
8. Devastation Event Deck
9. Drop Ship Deck
10. Hydra Reserves
11. Drop Ships
12. Adaptation Deck
13. Chronos Standee
14. Final Chronos Project Card
15. Ghin Black Market
16. Neutral Research Tokens
17. Australian Research Token
18. Bank
19. Chronos Control Token
20. Chronos Project Card
21. Warrior Clones Mercenary Card

Game Board

• A. Invader Power
• B. Adaptation Dial
• C. Dotted Line
• D. Dead Zones
• E. Dead Zone Benefit
• F. Cronos Project Track
• G. Alpha and Bravo Events

Playing the Game

LEVEL 7 [INVASION] is played in a series of rounds. Each round has three phases, and each phase has five steps. When learning the game, players should resolve all required actions for each step in turn order — starting with the first player and moving clockwise around the table — before moving to the next step. The first player is always the coalition currently holding the Cronos Control token. South America begins the game with the Cronos Control token.

Once familiar with the game, players can complete many of the steps simultaneously. Steps 1, 8, and 10 must always be completed in turn order.

Example: Micah is playing South America, so he starts the game with the Cronos Control token and is the first player in the first round. In step 1, Micah has the first chance to buy Ghin Mercenary cards, but he decides not to. The next player in turn order is Zoë, who is playing North America. She chooses to buy two Ghin Mercenary cards. After each player has completed this step, all players can deploy their coalition units.

Overview of Phases

Development Phase

1. Ghin Mercenaries — Reinforce your coalition's military by hiring Ghin mercenaries.
2. Unit Deployment — Place your coalition units on the board.
3. Research — Upgrade your coalition's technologies.
4. Cronos Project — Fund a Cronos Project card.
5. Income — Gain money, fuel, minerals, and food for your coalition.

Warfare Phase 6. Movement — Move your coalition units and Dr. Cronos around the board. 7. Events — Draw Event cards to determine the Hydra's actions. 8. Battle — Resolve battles in your coalition's territories. 9. Territory Status — Change the status of your territories as necessary. 10. Invader Movement — Move invader units based on their numbers and the Defense values of territories.

Maintenance Phase 11. Cronos Control — Determine which coalition is now in control of Cronos. 12. Terror Level — Adjust the Terror level of your coalition. 13. Military-Industrial Complex Damage — Adjust your Military-Industrial Complex dial and expend food resources. 14. Research Readiness — Restore your coalition's full research capabilities. 15. Drop Ships — Draw a Drop Ship card and place new drop ships on the board.

Steps 1, 8, and 10 must be completed in turn order.

Special Rules

The general rules in this rulebook can be modified by special rules on many of the game cards. If a special rule conflicts with the rulebook, the special rule takes precedence.

Choosing Options

During the game you might be given two or more possible options, such as which coalition is targeted by an Event card or where to move an invader unit. When the rules do not specify which option to choose, the player currently in control of Cronos makes the choice.

Reshuffling

When the last card of a deck is drawn, do not reshuffle the deck unless a rule specifically instructs you to.

Trading

Negotiation and trading are key strategic elements of INVASION. The game cannot be won without some compromise from each coalition. Players are free to discuss most aspects of the game at any time, but each player has full control of his own coalition's units and resources and makes the final decisions on how to use them.

Each round, every coalition is allowed one trade action during any step of the Development phase and one trade action during any step of the Maintenance phase. A player can use a trade action to exchange any combination of money, resources, Military-Industrial Complex points, and use of Research tokens with one other coalition. When two coalitions conduct a trade, both use up their trade action for the current phase. A player cannot trade away his coalition's last point of MIC.

All coalitions have strengths and weaknesses. Although you can conduct a trade action in which one coalition simply gives something to another coalition, it is usually best if both coalitions get something useful out of a trade. For example, Europe could give access to one of its Research tokens to Africa without asking for anything in return, but it would be wiser for Europe to negotiate for fuel and minerals to supplement its lower income of those resources.

Easy Mode

For your first game, or any time you want to fight a less challenging campaign, start every coalition's Military Equipment technology at Tier 1. In addition, start the South American coalition's Biological Sciences technology at Tier 1.

Hard Mode

Normally players deploy their initial coalition units knowing where the first three drop ships will be placed (the default locations given during setup). For a more challenging game, instead of using the default locations when setting up the invaders, draw a Drop Ship card and place drop ships in the first three territories on the card.

Anatomy of a Coalition Console

The coalition console displays your coalition's Command and Control, income, resources, Military-Industrial Complex, territory status, Power, and Terror level. It also indicates if you have a starting asset such as an upgraded technology or a Ghin Mercenary card.

1. Territory Status Boxes
2. Income Box
3. Starting Asset
4. Command and Control
5. Resource Dials
6. MIC Dial
7. Coalition Power
8. Game Phases
9. Terror Track

What Is the Military-Industrial Complex?

In LEVEL 7 [INVASION] each player must maintain his coalition's overall health and combat readiness in order to continue the fight against the invaders. Food, fuel, and minerals are essential, but the coalition's true strength lies in its workforce, manufacturing capacity, and military capability. These key factors are represented by the coalition's Military-Industrial Complex, or MIC.

Technology Cards Setup

During the game coalitions strive to upgrade the technologies they need to hold off the Hydra invasion. Each coalition has twelve technology cards, representing four types of technology: Biological Sciences, Communications, Military Equipment, and Social Programs.

To set up your coalition's cards, first sort them by technology into four stacks. Then arrange each stack with Tier 0 on top.

When upgrading a technology from Tier 0, Tier 2, or Tier 4, simply flip the top card over to the other side. When upgrading from Tier 1 or Tier 3, move the top card to the bottom of the stack.

Development Phase

Coalitions prepare for battle during the five steps of the Development phase.

1. Ghin Mercenaries

After the fall of the Subterra facilities, Dr. Cronos and his fellow Ghin fled North America and set up covert facilities across the globe. To finance their operations, they sold their services to anyone willing to pay. This practice has continued even after the arrival of the Hydra invaders, but now the highest bidders are the governments of the world.

During the Ghin Mercenaries step, each player has the option to purchase any of the available Ghin Mercenary cards from the Ghin black market. To buy a Ghin Mercenary card, the player pays the cost listed on the card to the bank. He then places the card faceup next to his console or attaches it to a specific territory, depending on the rules on the card.

To attach a card to a territory, slide it under that territory's section of your console so that the icon remains visible. There is no limit to the number of cards that can be attached to the same territory. Unattached cards can be played at any time.

After each player completes this step, replenish the Ghin black market with new cards from the Ghin Mercenary deck. The Ghin black market has two cards at the start of the game, but the number can increase during play.

When a special rule on a Cronos Project card increases the size of the Ghin black market, immediately draw a new Ghin Mercenary card and add it to the Ghin black market. Any increase in the size of the Ghin black market remains in effect for the rest of the game.

Ghin Mercenary card anatomy: Card Title, Icon, Special Rule, Cost.

Example — Blaster Hybrids: Attach this card to one of your territories. While this card is attached, when you resolve a battle in this territory, you gain +1 Power. If the territory is Overrun, discard this card. Cost $2M.

2. Unit Deployment

The Ghin are powerful allies in battle, but the military forces of the coalition governments are recruited from their own populations.

In this step each coalition can deploy coalition units to any of its territories. To deploy a unit, pay the deployment cost to the bank, take a coalition unit from your supply, and place it in any of your territories. The cost of deploying a unit to a Secure or Liberated territory is $1M. The cost of deploying a unit to an Overrun territory is $2M.

The maximum number of units a coalition can have in play at any given time is equal to its current Command and Control value. You can increase your Command and Control by upgrading your communications technology.

3. Research

With the exposure of the Ghin presence on Earth and the arrival of the Hydra, humanity's scientific understanding has greatly expanded in a very short time. Many alien technologies can now be reverse engineered for human use. However, most universities and research facilities were destroyed during the pre-invasion bombardment. The remaining research centers scattered across the planet are furiously working to advance their coalitions' technologies and improve their chances against the Hydra.

Upgrading Technologies

You can strengthen your coalition by researching new technologies. When you research a new technology, you upgrade one of your four technology stacks to the next-higher tier. Upgrading a technology provides benefits such as increasing your coalition's military strength (Power) or preventing Event cards from harming you.

Technology card anatomy: Card Title, Tier Number, Special Rules, Upgrade Cost.

Example — Communications, Tier 4: Information Control — Whenever a Viral Video event requires you to make a roll, you can avoid rolling any number of dice by spending $1M for each die. Propaganda — During each Maintenance phase, you can lower your Terror any number of levels by spending $2M for each level. Cognitive Systems — You gain +4 to your Command and Control.

To upgrade a technology, first pay all upgrade costs shown on the top card of the stack. For the money cost, return the appropriate money tokens to the bank. For fuel, food, and mineral costs, reduce the values on the corresponding dials. For the research cost, turn the indicated number of Research tokens over to the committed side (grey).

After paying the upgrade costs, flip over the card or put it on the bottom of the stack so that the next tier is on top. The benefits listed for the new tier now apply to your coalition. You can upgrade more than one technology each turn, but each technology can be upgraded only once per round.

Each higher tier provides added or improved benefits. Only the abilities shown on the current top card apply to your coalition. You can look at any cards in your coalition's technology stacks at any time during the game as long as you leave the correct card on top when you are done.

When a technology card increases your coalition's Power, add the required number of Power tokens to the Power section of your console.

Research Tokens: Research tokens that are attached to a territory rather than to a Ghin Mercenary card remain in place for the entire game. These tokens begin the game with the ready side up. If a territory with a Research token becomes Overrun, turn the token over to its committed side. (Research tokens can be Coalition Ready, Neutral Ready, or Committed.)

4. Cronos Project

With the cooperation of the coalitions, Dr. Cronos is convinced he can defeat the Hydra. Traveling in his fusion-powered craft, he works with researchers worldwide to perfect a powerful psychotronic amplifier, building on his previous work in the Subterra facilities. Key to his plan is harnessing the mental powers of a human cipher to broadcast a disruptive signal directly into the minds of the Hydra. This project will require the diversion of many resources, but if completed in time it will neutralize the Hydra threat.

The seven Cronos Project cards represent the progress of Dr. Cronos' work. Six of these cards belong to specific coalitions. The seventh card is placed on the board at the start of the game and does not belong to a specific coalition.

The only way for the coalitions to defeat the Hydra invaders is to fund all seven Cronos Project cards in sequence. (Note that you can fund card 2b before card 2a, and card 4b before card 4a.) Each of the first six cards must be funded while its assigned coalition holds the Cronos Control token. That means coalitions must cooperate to move Cronos around the board during the game.

When a coalition decides to fund a Cronos Project card, other coalitions can contribute to paying its costs without using trade actions. Once the card is funded, slide it under the edge of the board in the appropriate place on the Cronos Project track. Read and follow the card's special rules.

The seventh and final Cronos Project card (Initiate Psychotronic Broadcast) can be funded by any coalition, regardless of who controls Cronos. When the Initiate Psychotronic Broadcast card is funded the Hydra are nearly defeated, and the Event step of this round will be their Annihilation Strike (see "Annihilation Strike" below).

Cronos Project card anatomy: Cost, Coalition, Funding Order, Card Title, Special Rule.

Example — card 2: Cost 2 minerals, 1 mineral, $6M. Cronos must be controlled by South America. Sanctioned by World Conclave — Increase the size of the Ghin black market by one.

5. Income

The coalition governments managed to protect many of their food-, oil-, and mineral-producing regions from the initial bombardments. As the invasion continues, however, these vital commodities are in constant danger from Hydra aggression and the civil unrest and panic of the human population.

During the Income step, each coalition gains resources based on the income values for Money, Fuel, Minerals, and Food on its console. This income can be modified by the status of a coalition's territories and its Terror level. To calculate your actual income, apply all income modifiers from your Territory Status cards and your current Terror level.

For monetary income, take tokens from the bank equal to the amount indicated on your console. Track your food, fuel, and mineral income by adjusting the corresponding dials.

Dead Zone Income

Dead zones are the territories that begin the game under Hydra control: Greenland, Arabia, and Western and Eastern Australia. These territories can provide benefits to coalitions that control them. If a dead zone has no invader units and at least one coalition unit in it during the Income step, the coalition with the most units there gains the benefit shown on the board. In the case of a tie, the player controlling Cronos decides which coalition gains the benefit.

The player controlling Eastern Australia can use its Research token during the Research step. The MIC income for Western Australia can be gained only once during a game.

Using Your Dials

You will make several adjustments to the dials on your coalition console during a game. To increase the value of a dial, turn it clockwise; to reduce the value, turn it counter-clockwise. A dial's value can never be reduced below 0.

Warfare Phase

The battle for Earth's future rages across the globe. In some places small pockets of human troops fight skirmishes against alien scouts, while elsewhere enormous Earth forces clash against countless Hydra pouring out of invading drop ships. In the fight for Earth's survival every victory, large or small, is vital.

The clashes between human and alien forces are represented by the five steps of the Warfare phase.

6. Movement

The Hydra are capable of landing forces anywhere on earth, and coalition armies must stay mobile to respond to these attacks. Dr. Cronos must also travel around the planet to personally supervise the completion of the work that will lead to the Hydra's defeat.

Military Movement

During the Movement step, you can take one move action with each of your coalition units. A move action consists of moving a unit from one territory to any adjacent territory. Oceans are not considered territories. If a dotted line connects two territories that are separated by an ocean, they are considered adjacent territories.

You can increase the number of move actions your units can take by upgrading your Military Equipment technology to Tier 3 and Tier 5.

Cronos Movement

The player controlling Cronos moves the Cronos standee after moving his own units. Initially Dr. Cronos can take two move actions during the Movement step. Once you fund Recharge the Fusion Core (Cronos Project card 2b), Cronos can take three move actions during this step.

Cronos' movement is limited by the following rules:

• Cronos cannot move into a territory occupied by a drop ship until you fund Military Escort (Cronos Project card 2a).
• Cronos cannot move into a dead zone or an Overrun territory until you fund Subject Screening (Cronos Project card 4a).
• Regardless of the rules on any Cronos Project cards, Cronos can never end the Movement step in a dead zone, an Overrun territory, or a territory that contains a drop ship.

7. Events

Throughout the invasion, the Hydra continually bombard the planet and drop fresh ground forces, causing massive casualties, food shortages, infrastructure damage, and panic.

The actions of the Hydra forces are controlled by Event cards. During the Events step, each coalition draws an Event card. If the game is still in the Assault wave, draw a grey Event card. If the game has moved into the Devastation wave, draw a red Event card.

Each Event card describes two possible events. When you draw an Event card, read it silently and choose whether the Alpha event or the Bravo event will take place. You cannot under any circumstances discuss the card's content while choosing the option. Once you have decided, place the Event card facedown on the board in the corresponding area.

Alternatively, when you draw an Event card you can make a blind choice by immediately placing the card facedown in one of the two areas without reading it. If you make a blind choice, you can lower your coalition's Terror by three levels.

After all coalitions have placed an Event card on the board, resolve the events. The player controlling Cronos shuffles the Alpha cards and then draws one card at a time. For each card, read the Alpha text aloud and take the action it describes. Then resolve the spawning action in the card's ground war box.

If you can complete only part of an Event card's action, do as much of the action as possible. For example, if a card requires you to return $2M to the bank and you have only $1M available, simply return $1M. If you cannot complete any part of the action, there is no penalty unless the Event card specifies one.

After resolving all Event cards in the Alpha stack, move to the Bravo stack. Follow the same process except this time read and resolve the Bravo text on each card.

There are five categories of Event cards: Orbital Assault, Bombardment, Crop Decimation, Viral Video, and Paranoia. An Event card might affect all coalitions or it might specifically target one. If one of your coalition's technologies provides a special rule that allows you to roll a die or spend money for possible protection from a certain category of event, you must do so before resolving the Event card.

Event card anatomy: Event Icon, Event Type, Action, Ground War Box.

Example — Bombardment (Alpha): Each coalition rolls once for the following: raise your Terror one level, reduce your Food, Fuel, and Minerals 1 point, or destroy one of your coalition units. Bravo: Each coalition reduces its MIC 1 point.

Event resolution example: The Bravo text on an Event card is being resolved, and it is a Bombardment event. Europe has upgraded its Military Equipment technology to Tier 4, which means Energy Shielding can potentially protect Europe from a Bombardment event on a successful roll. The player controlling Europe rolls a hit, so Europe does not lose a Military-Industrial Complex point.

Military Equipment, Tier 4: Powered Exoskeletons — Your coalition's Power is 2. Energy Shielding — Roll a die when targeted by an Orbital Assault or Bombardment event. If you roll a plus or an equals, you do not suffer the effects of the event. Anti-grav Engines — Your coalition units can move 2 spaces during each Movement step.

Ground War and Invader Spawning

After resolving the Alpha or Bravo event on an Event card, immediately resolve the ground war box in the middle of the card. The ground war box controls where new invader units are placed. When a ground war box causes an invader unit to be placed on the board, it is called spawning.

Invader units can spawn at any of the drop ships on the board and in any dead zone. When an invader unit spawns, take one figure from the reserve and place it in the territory or dead zone. If the specified drop ship is not on the board when a card spawns an invader unit at that drop ship, that unit does not spawn.

Example: This ground war box spawns five invader units. One unit spawns in each territory that contains a drop ship, and one spawns in Eastern Australia.

If an invader unit spawns in a territory that already contains a number of invader units (not counting drop ships) equal to or greater than the territory's Defense value, the unit must be placed in an adjacent territory. (This does not apply if the territory contains the Cronos standee.) Place the spawning unit according to the priority rules below. If one rule does not apply, move to the next rule.

Place the spawning invader unit in the adjacent territory that:

1. Contains Cronos.
2. Contains the fewest invader units.
3. Contains the fewest coalition units.
4. The player controlling Cronos chooses.

Invader units spawn only as a result of the ground war box on Event cards and the Ground Push Adaptation cards. However, new invader units can be placed on the board in ways other than spawning (for example, as a result of an Orbital Assault Event card). Invader units that are placed in a way other than spawning do not follow the priority rules above. Simply place them in the specified territory.

Invader spawning and placement example: The North African Concord has a Defense of 2 and contains drop ship 1 and two invader units. While resolving Event cards, invader unit A spawns at drop ship 1. Because the North Africa Concord already contains a number of invader units equal to its Defense value, the newly spawned invader unit must be placed in an adjacent territory. No adjacent territories contain Cronos, and both adjacent territories contain an equal number of invader units (zero). The Nigerian League contains the fewest coalition units, so invader unit A is placed there.

Later, invader unit B spawns at drop ship 1 and must also be placed in an adjacent territory. The Dominion of Ethiopia contains the fewest invader units, so invader unit B is placed there.

The last Event card of the round is an Orbital Assault card that places invader unit C in the North African Concord. Because invader unit C was not spawned, it does not need to be placed in an adjacent territory.

Later, during the Invader Movement step, there are still three invader units in the North Africa Concord and a coalition unit in the Dominion of Ethiopia. The number of invader units exceeds the Defense of the North Africa Concord, so one of them must be moved to an adjacent territory. The Nigerian League still has the fewest coalition units, so the invader unit moves there.

The Assault Wave and the Devastation Wave

In LEVEL 7 [INVASION] the Hydra attack in two distinct waves. The first part of the game is the Assault wave, during which the invaders are focused on subjugating Earth's population and killing Dr. Cronos. Once the Devastation wave begins, the invaders shift to a strategy of all-out destruction, even if that means wiping out all civilization on the planet.

In the Assault wave, you draw Event cards from the gray Assault deck during the Events step, and you use the first three territories listed on Drop Ship cards during the Drop Ships step.

The Assault wave ends when any of the following three things happen, and the Devastation wave begins at the start of the next round:

• You draw the last card in the Assault Event deck.
• You fund Psychotronic Amplifier Trials (Cronos Project card 3).
• You draw a Devastation Adaptation card.

If the Enhanced Armor Adaptation card has not been drawn by the time the Devastation wave begins, you must draw and resolve Adaptation cards until the Enhanced Armor card is resolved. (See "Adaptation" below.) Then continue using the Adaptation deck normally.

Once the Devastation wave begins, draw from the red Devastation deck during the Events step, and use all four territories listed on the Drop Ship cards during the Drop Ships step.

8. Battle

To give Cronos the time he needs to complete his project, the defenders of Earth must fight a desperate battle against seemingly endless waves of Hydra.

During the Battle step, players fight battles on every contested territory, including any contested dead zones. A territory is contested if it contains at least one invader unit or drop ship and at least one coalition unit.

Starting with the player who controls Cronos and continuing clockwise around the table, each player resolves battles in his contested territories in the order he chooses. Resolve dead zone battles during the turn of the player whose coalition has the most units in the dead zone at the beginning of the Battle step.

A player resolves each battle by rolling a die, and he continues resolving battles until none of his territories is contested. A player controlling more than one coalition takes a separate turn with each during the Battle step.

To resolve a battle, first determine the total Power of the coalition and the total Power of the Hydra. To determine coalition Power, start with the number of Power tokens in the Power area on its console. Then add 1 if a Blaster Hybrids mercenary card is attached to the contested territory, and add 1 more for each Warrior Clones card being played. If more than one coalition has units in a contested territory, determine the Power of each coalition and use the highest value.

The Hydra's Power is equal to the total number of Power icons in the Invader Power section of the board plus any Power icons on active Adaptation cards. Note that the Invader Power section has a Power icon printed on it, so the Hydra begin the game with a Power of 1.

Next determine who is attacking and who is defending. The side with the higher Power is the attacker; the other side is the defender.

If Power is tied, count the number of military units (including drop ships) on each side in the contested territory. If there are more coalition units than invader units and drop ships, the coalition is the attacker. If the number is tied or if there are more invader units and drop ships, the Hydra are the attacker.

After determining the attacker and defender for the battle, roll one die and take the action indicated below:

• Destroy one of the defender's units.
• Destroy one unit on each side.
• Destroy one of the attacker's units.

Return destroyed coalition units to their owners. Return destroyed invader units and drop ships to the reserves, and adjust the Adaptation dial (see "Adaptation" below).

A drop ship can be destroyed only if there are no other invader units in the territory. When you destroy a drop ship in a battle, you can increase the value on any one of your console's dials by 1 point.

Continue rolling the die and destroying units until the territory contains only coalition units or only invader units. Do not switch the attacker and defender roles while resolving a battle regardless of the number of figures remaining on each side.

If a coalition unit must be destroyed as a result of a battle in a territory that contains units from more than one coalition, the coalition that owns the territory decides which unit is destroyed. For battles in dead zones, the coalition with more units at the beginning of the battle decides which unit is destroyed.

Determining Attacker and Defender Example

All three of these territories are contested. Europe's Power is 3 and Africa's Power is 1. The Hydra's Power is also 1.

In the battle for the North Africa Concord, Europe has a higher Power than the invaders. Europe is the attacker and the invaders are the defender.

In the battle for the Dominion of Ethiopia, more than one coalition has units in the territory, so the Power of the stronger coalition (Europe) is used. This means that Africa is the attacker and the invaders are the defender. The player controlling the African coalition rolls the die for the battle because it is taking place in his territory, even though Europe's Power is being used.

In the battle for the Nigerian League, Africa has the same Power as the invaders, so the attacker and defender are determined by the number of units. The Hydra have more units in the territory, so they are the attacker in this battle.

Adaptation

The Hydra have far surpassed the Ghin in the field of genetic manipulation. While Ghin genetic engineering takes place primarily in the embryonic stage of life, the Hydra have made the continual reengineering of living organisms part of their everyday existence. This allows the invaders to efficiently and repeatedly mutate the physiology of their troops to deal with any challenge they encounter.

Any time an invader unit or drop ship is destroyed, you must increase the Adaptation dial on the board by 1 point.

When the Adaptation dial reaches 12, reset it to 0 and draw an Adaptation card. Read the card aloud, then take the action indicated.

Although most Adaptation cards have an immediate one-time effect, some are labeled as Persistent and remain in effect for the rest of the game. For example, the Enhanced Armor card increases the invaders' Power by 1 until the game ends.

Discard the Adaptation card after you resolve its actions, unless the card is Persistent. Place Persistent cards on the Invader Power section of the board.

Adaptation card anatomy: Card Title, Rules, Wave Indicator.

9. Territory Status

Battles rage across the planet between the invading forces and Earth's defenders as they vie for control of vital territory.

After all battles have been resolved, the status of territories can change. In this step each player determines if any of his territories have become Overrun or Liberated. A territory can be Overrun and Liberated multiple times during a game.

Overrun Territories

When Hydra ground forces overrun a territory, they will continue to occupy it unless coalition troops drive them out. Each Overrun territory inflicts major penalties on its coalition until it is liberated again.

A territory is Overrun if it contains a number of invader units and drop ships equal to or exceeding its Defense value and it contains no coalition units. When a territory becomes Overrun, place its Territory Status card on the corresponding area of the coalition console with the Overrun side up (covering the information printed on the console). If there is a ready Research token on the territory, flip it over to the committed side. The Territory Status card lists the penalties to income and to Command and Control that the coalition suffers while the territory is Overrun.

Liberated Territories

An Overrun territory can become Liberated only when it is retaken by human forces. If an Overrun territory contains only coalition units during the Territory Status step, it becomes Liberated. Turn its Territory Status card over to the Liberated side. A Liberated territory still suffers penalties but they are less severe than those for an Overrun territory.

Territory Status card anatomy: Card Title, Defense, Penalties, Territory Map.

Capital Damage

A coalition's capital territory is the center of its survival effort. If Hydra forces take over a coalition's capital, the humans have limited time to regain control before the invaders completely destroy it.

If a coalition capital's status is Overrun during the Territory Status step, place a Capital Damage token on the coalition's console. When a coalition receives its third Capital Damage token, it is defeated (see "Coalition Defeat" below).

If the status of a coalition's capital during this step is Liberated, remove one Capital Damage token from the coalition console.

Coalition Defeat

A coalition is defeated if its Military-Industrial Complex dial reaches 0 or if it has three Capital Damage tokens on its console. A defeated coalition can no longer trade. Return all its money tokens to the bank and set all dials on its console to 0. A defeated coalition continues to draw and resolve Event cards during the Events step, and as long as it has coalition units in play it continues to move units and resolve battles during the Warfare phase.

When a defeated coalition has no coalition units remaining in any of its territories, remove all figures from the coalition's territories and place a Desolation marker on the coalition's capital. For the remainder of the game, ignore all territories in this coalition. Drop ships do not land in these territories, and they cannot be entered by coalition units, invader units, or Cronos.

10. Invader Movement

When the Hydra secure a region, they reposition their surplus forces to pressure the defenders of other regions.

In this step, one invader unit is moved out of any territory in which the number of invader units exceeds the territory's Defense value.

Check each of your territories in the order listed on your console. If the territory contains more invader units (not counting drop ships) than its Defense value, one invader unit must be moved to an adjacent territory. (This does not apply if the territory contains the Cronos standee.) Move the unit according to the priority rules below. If one rule does not apply, move to the next rule.

Move the invader unit to the adjacent territory that:

1. Contains Cronos.
2. Contains the fewest invader units.
3. Contains the fewest coalition units.
4. The player controlling Cronos chooses.

Only one invader unit can be moved out of each territory during this step, regardless of the number of invader units remaining.

Maintenance Phase

Each round ends with the five steps of the Maintenance phase.

11. Cronos Control

Dr. Cronos must coordinate his work closely with each coalition's government. While he is working within the boundaries of a coalition, his actions are strictly monitored and controlled by that coalition.

In this step, players determine which coalition now controls Cronos. If the Cronos standee is in one of your coalition's territories, you take (or keep) the Cronos Control token. You will be the first player during the next round of play.

12. Terror Level

The Hydra invasion has a severe psychological effect on the people of Earth, with widespread panic-driven riots and many people refusing to leave their homes.

In the Terror Level step, any coalition with at least one invader unit or drop ship in any of its territories must raise its Terror by one level. If your Terror token is not already on the Terror track when your Terror level increases, place the token on the lowest space of your Terror track. Any other time your Terror level changes, move your Terror token up or down the required number of spaces on the track. If you need to lower your Terror below level 1, remove the token from the track.

In this step, a coalition's Terror increases by only one level regardless of the number of its territories that contain aliens.

As indicated on the Terror track, each higher Terror level carries greater penalties to your coalition's income. The highest levels also reduce your Command and Control. Be sure to apply only the penalties listed for your current Terror level, ignoring penalties shown in the lower spaces.

Beyond the Terror Track

If an Event card or the Terror Level step would cause your coalition's Terror to increase past the highest level of the Terror track, you must reduce your Military-Industrial Complex value by 1 point for each additional level of Terror you would have gained.

Example: A Paranoia Event card instructs you to raise your Terror by two levels, but you have only one more available space on your Terror track. You move your Terror token up one space and reduce your MIC by 1 point.

13. Military-Industrial Complex Damage

Primary targets for the Hydra forces are the production facilities and workforce of each coalition. A coalition that cannot maintain its Military-Industrial Complex and feed its people cannot sustain the defense of its territories.

During this step you must first reduce your Military-Industrial Complex by 1 point due to the effects of the Titanomax virus.

Next, you must reduce your MIC 1 point for each territory in your coalition that contains any invader units or drop ships, including Overrun territories.

Finally, you must pay the food upkeep cost for your coalition. Reduce the value on your Food dial by the number of points shown for your current MIC value on the ring around the dial.

You must pay as much of this cost as possible. If you cannot pay the entire cost, you must reduce your MIC by 1 point. This penalty is only 1 point regardless of the difference between the amount you pay and the actual food cost.

14. Research Readiness

The research centers of the coalitions make quick progress on any project they are given and are soon ready to take on new work.

Refresh all committed Research tokens except those in Overrun territories by flipping them back over to their ready sides.

15. Drop Ships

Some invasion forces arrive in small shuttles, but the majority deploy from enormous drop ships that are protected from attack on approach by powerful shielding and other countermeasures. Once a drop ship touches down, it becomes a base of operations for the Hydra.

First replace each drop ship on the board with an invader unit. Then the player in control of Cronos draws a Drop Ship card and places drop ships as indicated on the card. A Drop Ship card lists a location for each of the four drop ships. During the Assault wave, place drop ships 1, 2, and 3 on the board. If the game has moved into the Devastation wave, place all four drop ships.

Drop Ship card anatomy: Card Name, Drop Ship Number, Assault Wave Territories, Devastation Wave Territory.

Annihilation Strike

Through their command network, the Hydra learn that Dr. Cronos has successfully tested the Psychotronic Amplifier on one of their own. This new threat drives the invaders to immediately deploy the entirety of their resources, now bent on the total annihilation of humanity before Cronos can perfect the one thing that could be their undoing.

When you fund Initiate Psychotronic Broadcast (Cronos Project card 5), the Hydra begin their Annihilation Strike. For the rest of the current round, which will be the last round of the game, roll a die every time an invader unit is placed on the board for any reason. If you roll a hit, place two invader units instead of one. If you roll a plus or a minus, there is no effect.

Ending the Game

LEVEL 7 [INVASION] can end in one of five ways. One of these ways leads to player victory, and four lead to victory for the Hydra invaders.

Player Victory

Aboard his spacecraft, Dr. Cronos makes final adjustments to the Pyschotronic Amplifier and explains its functions to the cipher as a squad of commandos readies for combat. Commencing the greatest gamble in human history, Cronos pilots the ship into the onrushing horde of Hydra ships. Cloaked by the cipher's telepathic abilities, his craft passes through the enemy undetected.

With Cronos leading the way, the commandos infiltrate the cipher into the transmitter hub of the Hydra command carrier. The cipher uses the amplifier to broadcast a psychic signal through the invader's command network, disrupting the thought patterns of the Hydra and mentally blinding them to all humans. The effect is instantaneous. Earth's military forces immediately exploit the Hydra's vulnerability to turn the tide of the war. Humanity will endure.

When you fund the final Cronos Project card (Initiate Psychotronic Broadcast), continue playing the current round until the end of the Warfare phase, then the game ends. Every coalition that still controls its capital territory and has at least 1 point remaining on its Military-Industrial Complex dial survives and wins the game. A coalition does not control its capital if it is Overrun.

Invader Victory

The game ends in Hydra victory when any one of the following events occurs:

• A coalition that has not funded its Cronos Project card is defeated.
• The territory that contains the Cronos standee is Overrun.
• Every coalition is defeated.
• At the end of the Maintenance phase, all the Devastation Event cards have been drawn.

Key Game Terms

Adaptation: The Hydra quickly adapt their physiology, tactics, and weaponry to respond to any challenge they face. Each time an invader unit or drop ship is destroyed, the value of the Adaptation dial is increased by 1 point. When the dial reaches 12, reset the dial to 0, then draw and resolve an Adaptation card.

Adjacent: A territory is adjacent to every other territory with which it shares a border or dotted line.

Annihilation Strike: This is the final Warfare phase of the game. When the Hydra realize that Dr. Cronos is close to reasserting control over them, they launch a massive strike with all their remaining troops.

Assault wave: The Assault wave is the first part of the game, in which the Hydra are attempting to conquer and control Earth's population as well as kill Dr. Cronos. During the Assault wave, three drop ships are placed on the board each round and players draw from the grey Assault Event deck.

Attacker: In a battle, the side with the higher Power is the attacker. When the die is rolled, the result affects units based on whether they are attacking or defending.

Bombardment: These events represent the Hydra firing missiles from space at major population centers and military forces.

Coalition territory: A coalition territory is one that is controlled by a coalition at the start of a game. They are marked on the map with the coalition's color and are part of that coalition's console.

Coalition unit: These figures represent the human armies on the board.

Command and Control: A coalition's Command and Control value is the maximum number of coalition units it can have on the board at one time.

Contested territory: A territory is contested if it contains at least one invader unit or drop ship and at least one coalition unit.

Crop Decimation: These events represent the Hydra attacking areas of the planet that produce food.

Dead zone: At the beginning of the game, three territories on the map have already been conquered by the invaders: Arabia, Australia, and Greenland. These territories are called dead zones.

Defender: In a battle, the side with the lower Power is the defender. When the die is rolled, the result affects units based on whether they are attacking or defending.

Defense: All territories have a Defense value that is used to determine if the territory is Overrun and when invaders units must be moved out of the territory.

Destroy: If a figure is destroyed, it is removed from the board. Destroyed coalition units are returned to their owners; destroyed invader units and drop ships are returned to the reserves. Each time an invader unit or drop ship is destroyed, increase the value on the Adaptation dial by 1 point.

Devastation wave: The Devastation wave follows the Assault wave. In this part of the game, the invaders have changed tactics to all-out destruction. Four drop ships are placed on the board each round, and players draw from the red Devastation Event deck.

Drop ship: These figures represent the major landing vessels of the Hydra and are the primary locations for spawning invader units during the Events step. Drop ships are numbered 1 through 4.

First player: The player in control of Cronos at the beginning of a round is the first player for that round. The South American coalition is the first player in round 1.

Invader unit: These figures represent the armies of the Hydra on the game board.

Liberated territory: If an Overrun territory is retaken by coalition forces, it becomes Liberated. When this happens, its Territory Status card is turned over to the Liberated side and it suffers lesser penalties than an Overrun territory.

Oceans: The areas of the map that represent oceans are not territories. Units can be placed only in territories. If a dotted line connects two territories across an ocean, they are considered adjacent.

Orbital Assault: These events represent Hydra drop ships deploying pods from orbit.

Overrun territory: During the game, coalition territories can become Overrun by Hydra forces. When this happens, place a Territory Status card on the corresponding area of the coalition console with the Overrun side facing up. These cards specify the penalties that affect the coalition with the Overrun territory.

Paranoia: These events represent parts of a coalition's population succumbing to their darkest thoughts and fears.

Power: A coalition's Power represents its current combat strength. Invader Power represents the combat strength of the Hydra. These values are used to determine the attacker and defender in a battle.

Secure territory: Each coalition territory begins the game in a Secure state. A Secure territory does not impose any penalties on a coalition. Once a territory is Overrun, it can become Liberated again but cannot return to its original Secure state.

Spawning: When an invader unit is placed on the board as a result of a ground war box or a Ground Push Adaptation card, it is called spawning. Invader units can also be placed on the board in ways other than spawning.

Trade actions: A trade action is an exchange of resources (Food, Fuel, Minerals, Money, and so on) between two players. Each round, a player is allowed one trade action at any time in the Development phase and one at any time in the Maintenance phase. Regardless of which player initiates a trade, both players use their trade action for that phase of the game.

Viral Videos: These events represent Earth civilians spreading frightening imagery involving Hydra and Ghin creatures.

The Hydra

The Hydra were an undeveloped race when the Ghin first encountered them. As they had done with other intelligent races on many different worlds, the Ghin used their psychic abilities to conquer and enslave the Hydra. The Ghin then genetically reengineered the Hydra to make them more useful to the intergalactic Ghin empire. The Hydra were remarkably receptive to genetic manipulation techniques and soon became a preferred stock for Ghin experimentation.

Over time the Hydra learned the secrets of Ghin genetic technology and eventually surpassed the Ghin in bioengineering. Now able to reengineer their own physiology completely, the Hydra modified their brains to block the Ghin's controlling psychic signal and revolted against their former masters. A bitter war raged for nearly a century. In the end, the Hydra were able to develop and weaponize a bio-plague that wiped out nearly the entire Ghin population.

The Hydra realized their victory could be assured only by the complete eradication of the Ghin, who still had the potential to someday find a way to reassert their psychic control. Since the end of the war, the Hydra have been relentlessly hunting down all remnants of the Ghin race, and they will pursue their genocidal mission until they are confident no Ghin remain.

Icons and Tokens

The game uses printed icons for Capital, Drop Ship, Coalition Power, Invader Power, Command and Control, Research, Defense, and Terror, as well as for the five Event categories (Bombardment, Viral Video, Crop Decimation, Paranoia, Orbital Assault) and the four resources: food, fuel, minerals, and Military-Industrial Complex. The special dice show plus, minus, and equals symbols.