Rocket Jockey Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Contents
• Purpose of the Game
• Setup
• Playing the Game
• The Steps in a Turn
  • Fuel Up
  • Re-Fuel or Move Cargoes?
  • Re-Fuel
  • Move Cargoes
• Moving a Cargo
• Deliveries
• Movement Restrictions
• Additional Deliveries in a Chain
• Additional Deliveries
• Co-Pilot Cards
  • Modify Movement
  • Reserve Shipments
  • Extra Fuel
• Layover
  • Scoring
  • Place New Cargoes
  • Cargo Shortage Triggers Planetary Scoring
  • Hand Management
  • Replacing Maneuver Cards
• End of Game
  • The Alien Arrive
  • Final Scoring

Contents

• 1 Rocket marker
• 16 Co-Pilot cards (bonus cards, 4 in each color)
• 4 Scoring cards (Transport scoring on back, Planet scoring on front)
• 2 Alien cards (Alien Visitors, Aliens! as Cargo)
• 32 Maneuver cards (each showing 2 planet connections and a maneuver type)
  • 10 Hohman Transfers (1-2, 2-3, 2-3, 3-4, 3-4, 4-5, 5-6, 6-7, 7-8, 8-9)
  • 16 Rocket Boosters (1-3, 1-3, 2-4, 2-4, 2-4, 3-5, 3-5, 3-5, 4-6, 4-6, 5-7, 5-7, 6-8, 6-8, 7-9, 7-9)
  • 6 Planetary Slingshots (1-4, 2-5, 3-6, 4-7, 5-8, 6-9)
• 9 Destination cards (9 planets)
• 27 Cargo cards
  • 18 cargoes (3 Venus, 4 Earth, 3 Mars, 2 Jupiter, 2 Saturn, 2 Uranus, 2 Neptune)
  • 9 Express cargoes (1 per planet)

Purpose of the Game

You and the other players earn prestige (victory) points by delivering cargoes. You each draft a hand of maneuver cards, and then you use those cards to deliver the cargoes in as complex a fashion as possible. You can earn prestige points for important cargoes, fancy maneuvers, and visiting as many planets as possible.

Setup

Lay out the planet cards in the center of the table. Arrange them in a progression from 1 (Mercury) to 9 (Pluto). Shuffle the cargo cards. Starting with Planet #1 place a faceup cargo below each planet. The remaining cards form the cargo deck.

Note: Check each cargo as it is being placed; if it shows the same number as the planet it is being placed beneath, put it face down on the bottom of the cargo deck and place the next card below that planet instead (repeat as needed until you place a non-matching number).

Take 4 Co-pilot cards of your color.

Place the rocket marker on the Earth card.

Shuffle the maneuver cards, and deal 2 to each player. The remaining cards form the maneuver deck.

Next to the maneuver deck, turn over the top three cards to make 3 separate "draft-piles."

Set aside the Alien cards for now.

You will need pen and paper for scoring.

Note: If at any time you need to draw a maneuver card and the deck is empty, shuffle the discards to form a new maneuver deck.

Note: Each planet has an "orbit" number between 1 and 9 that is used to specify current planets, final destinations, and links between maneuver cards.

Playing the Game

The game takes place over multiple player turns. On your turn take the following steps:

1. Fuel Up (draw a maneuver card)
2. Move Cargoes (play maneuver cards), OR Re-Fuel (draw another maneuver card)
3. Layover (finish up your turn)

After you go through the three steps of your turn, the player to your left takes a turn. This continues until the game ends (see End of Game).

The Steps in a Turn

These are the rules for each step of your turn:

Fuel Up

During the first step of your turn, you "fuel up" by adding a maneuver card to your hand. There are 5 stacks of cards that you can draw from—the three "draft-piles," the maneuver deck, and the maneuver card discard pile. You can take a card from the top of any of these stacks and add it to your hand. If there is no discard pile, you may not draw from it.

Re-Fuel or Move Cargoes?

After you fuel up, you have a choice for the 2nd step of your turn. You may re-fuel or you may move cargoes. You may not do both.

Re-Fuel

You re-fuel by adding a second card to your hand as detailed in the Fuel Up rules (see above). If you re-fuel, proceed immediately to the Layover step of your turn.

Move Cargoes

During this step, you may play maneuver cards from your hand to move cargoes from planet to planet. You score prestige points when you deliver a cargo. Delivery consists of moving a cargo from its starting planet to its final destination planet.

Note: To keep track of a cargo's movement, move the cargo card away from its starting planet by an inch or so. Then move the rocket marker from planet to planet to keep track of the cargo's movement.

Moving a Cargo

Each maneuver card has 2 numbers that correspond to the two planets that the card moves cargo to and from. Playing a maneuver card moves a cargo card already at a planet specified by one of the 2 numbers to the planet specified by the other number.

Example: This 2-4 maneuver card can move the cargo at Venus (2) to Mars (4) OR it can move the cargo at Mars (4) to Venus (2).

You may continue to move a cargo by playing additional maneuver cards. Each additional card must match the numbers of planets moved to AND delivery requirements must be met (see below).

Example: George plays a 4-6 maneuver card to move the cargo at Saturn (6) to Mars (4). Then he plays a 2-4 card to move from Mars (4) to Venus (2). Finally he plays a 2-3 card to move the cargo from Venus (2) to Earth (3).

Deliveries

There is a face-up cargo card next to each planet card—that planet card is that cargo's starting planet. The following information is on each cargo card: its final destination and its type of the cargo (standard or express). You deliver and score a cargo by playing one or more maneuver cards to move it from its starting planet to its final destination.

The simplest way to make a delivery is to play a single maneuver card to move a cargo from the planet where it starts directly to its final destination (i.e., the number on the cargo's card). In this case, the two numbers on the maneuver card match the number on the cargo card and the number on the planet next to the cargo card.

Example: The leftmost cargo shown below starts on Venus (2) and Mars (4) is its final destination. The next cargo starts on Earth (3) and is also headed for Mars (4), while the cargo on Mars (4) is headed for Uranus (7). So, Jane plays a 2-4 Booster Rocket maneuver card from her hand to move the 4-cargo from Venus (2) to Mars (4) and deliver it. She also plays a 3-4 card to deliver the 4-cargo at Earth (3) to Mars (4).

If a moving cargo has not reached its final destination, additional maneuver cards must be played to move it from planet to planet until its final destination is reached. Cargo that cannot be delivered all may not be moved at all.

Example: A cargo at Planet #6 (Saturn) has a final destination of #3 (Earth). It is Elroy's turn and he has a hand of maneuver cards showing 2-3, 2-4, 3-4, and 4-6. Elroy plays the 4-6 to move the cargo to Mars, then the 3-4 to finish the move to Earth and deliver. It is also possible to play the 4-6, then the 2-4, then the 2-3, making a "fancier" move, and scoring more prestige points (see page 6-7).

Movement Restrictions

If a cargo is moved, it must be delivered. Planet numbers may be used more than once (looping) when moving a cargo. Once the final destination is reached, that cargo must stop moving and is delivered—a cargo may not "move through" its final destination. However, after delivering a cargo, you may be able to continue by moving another cargo, as part of a "chain" or as a new delivery (scored separately).

Additional Deliveries in a Chain

Once a cargo has been moved and delivered in a turn, an additional cargo may be moved as part of a movement "chain." You may deliver the cargo whose starting planet is the same as the final destination of your first cargo. Movement continues from your initial final destination to the final destination of the second cargo. All movement restrictions apply. This process can be used to chain 2+ deliveries.

Chained deliveries count as a single delivery for scoring (see Layover).

Example: In the previous example, if the cargo sitting on Earth was for Planet #2 (Venus), then Elroy could play 4-6, 3-4 to deliver the cargo from Saturn, then pick up the cargo on Earth and play 2-3 to make a second delivery. If the cargo on Venus was for Mars, the last card in the hand (2-4) could get it there.

Additional Deliveries

Once a cargo has been moved and delivered in a turn, additional cargoes may be delivered using the same process and restrictions. Each deliver that is not chained is scored separately.

Co-Pilot Cards

You start the game with four Co-Pilot (bonus) cards in your supply. These represent special actions that you can use during the game. Depending on how a card is used, it may be discarded after use, or it might return to your supply.

The possible uses are as follows:

Modify Movement

A Co-Pilot card may be used to change one number on a movement card by +1 or -1. This does not add any cards to the total movement; it simply changes what the card already being played reads.

Example: a 4-6 movement card can be changed to a 3-6, 5-6, 4-5, or 4-7 card by adding or subtracting 1 point from either number on the card.

Multiple cards may be used on a single maneuver, but only one Co-Pilot card may be played per maneuver card. You may change a card to have the same number (5-5), to add a card to your run. (These are tourists who just want to see a planet from space!)

Reserve Shipments

One of your Co-Pilot cards may reserve a cargo card for personal use. At the end of your turn, you may mark one cargo with a Co-Pilot card. A cargo marked in this fashion is considered reserved for you. Each cargo may only have one Co-Pilot card marking it, and no other player may mark a specific cargo while it has your Co-Pilot on it.

A player that moves your reserved cargo must transfer 5 prestige points to you as a penalty. The player moving your reserved cargo subtracts 5 prestige points from his score, while you add 5 prestige points to your score and you get your Co-Pilot back for later use.

If you deliver your reserved cargo on your next turn after you place your Co-Pilot, you get your Co-Pilot back for later use. However, if you do not deliver your reserved cargo on your next turn after you place your Co-Pilot (having chosen not to, or having been unable to deliver the cargo), you must discard your Co-Pilot card.

Extra Fuel

Each Bonus card that you have left at the end of the game is worth 3 prestige points at the end of the game.

Layover

After you have finished any deliveries you want to make on your turn, there are a few procedures you need to take care of before the next player's turn begins.

• Score for your deliveries
• Place new cargoes
• If not enough cargoes, do planet scoring
• If required, discard to 5 cards or draw to 2 cards
• If required, refill draft-piles

Scoring

Prestige points are scored based on cargo movement and cargo types. Score each chain delivery and each non-chained delivery separately.

To score a delivery, count the number of maneuver cards used and refer to the Transport Scoring Chart (or cards) to find how much each delivery scores. Each Express cargo delivered counts as an additional maneuver card in the delivery. If more than one cargo was delivered in a chain, count all the Maneuver cards used.

Transport Scoring Chart

# of Maneuver Cards Used*	Points Scored
1	1
2	3
3	6
4	10
5+	15

* +1 for each Express cargo delivered.

Example: In the example above, Elroy delivered 3 cargoes, Saturn to Earth, Earth to Venus, and Venus to Mars, using 4 cards. This would score 10 prestige points, assuming none of the cargoes were Express. 1 Express Cargo would up the score to 15.

Example: Jane delivers an Express cargo from Venus to Mercury using 1 maneuver card and scores 3 prestige points for it. She also delivers a cargo from Saturn to Jupiter using 3 cards and scores 6 prestige points. In addition, she delivers from Earth to Mars using 1 card for another prestige points. Jane scores a total of 10 prestige points on her turn.

After scoring, discard used maneuver cards to the discard pile in the order in which they were played. You keep all cargoes delivered displayed face up in front of yourself.

Place New Cargoes

Any cargoes that were delivered must be replaced. Starting with the highest numbered planet without a cargo and proceeding down, place a face-up cargo from the cargo deck below each planet without a cargo. As with the original setup, if the cargo drawn matches the planet number, place it instead on the bottom of the cargo deck and draw a new replacement.

Example: After the delivery in the above example with Elroy, new cargoes need to be placed at Saturn, Earth, and Venus (in that order). There are 3 cargoes left in the deck, and it turns out they are all for Earth. The first gets placed on Saturn, the next should go to Earth, but cannot be placed (Venus is not checked, as it gets filled after Earth). You would then count the number of different planets among his delivered cargoes and score based on that number before turning in the cards to be shuffled into a new cargo deck with the 2 remaining Earth cards. (Our intrepid player would score 6 for 3 planets visited, assuming you had not delivered any cargoes to different planets in previous turns.)

Cargo Shortage Triggers Planetary Scoring

If all of the cargoes cannot be replaced, bonus "Planet Scoring" is resolved and the cargo deck is reset. This can occur due to not having enough cargo cards and/or due to not being able to place cargoes due to cargo numbers matching planet numbers.

To score, count the number of different planets that you have in your delivered cargoes. Then refer to the Planet Scoring Chart to determine how many prestige points you score. (Note: express cargoes do not give any bonus for this scoring.)

Planet Scoring Chart

# of Planets Delivered To	Victory Points Scored
1	1
2	3
3	6
4	10
5	15
6	20*
7	25
8	30
9	35

Note: Planet scoring increases in value for larger sets of planets. Note that the scoring increases by fives for planet sets of 6 or higher (the asterisk on the table).

After scoring, return your delivered cargo cards and shuffle them with any cargo cards not yet placed. Place a cargo card below each planet without a cargo card.

Hand Management

Check the number of cards in your hand. If you have more than 5 cards, discard until you have 5. If you have less than 2 cards, draw until you have 2 cards.

Replacing Maneuver Cards

If any of the three draft-piles does not have a maneuver card in it, draw a card from the top of the maneuver deck and place it face-up in the empty draft-pile. Once again, shuffle the discards to form a new Maneuver deck if necessary.

Play now proceeds to the next player.

End of Game

The game ends when the Aliens make it to Earth, ending the Rocket Jockey way of life with their new technologies. The first time the discard deck is shuffled to make a new maneuver deck, shuffle the Alien Visitors card into the bottom 4 cards of the maneuver deck. The green Aliens! cargo card is set aside until the Alien Visitors card is drawn.

The Alien Arrive

When the Alien Visitors card is drawn, the end of the game is approaching. If it is your turn, place the Alien Visitors card in front of yourself, and draw a replacement card (if the card appeared when replacing a card drawn from a draft stack, that stack receives the replacement). Your turn then continues normally from that point.

Place the Aliens! cargo card just outside of Pluto's orbit (in essence, "Orbit #10"). At the end of every turn, move the Aliens one planetary orbit lower. If left alone they will deliver themselves eventually.

The Aliens are considered a cargo to be delivered to Earth. They are an additional cargo at their current planet, and do not interfere with the existing cargoes at those places.

The game will last until the Aliens arrive at Earth. Once they have been delivered, the game is over (except for another Planet scoring). If the Aliens deliver themselves, play ends at that point.

Delivering the Aliens cargo card counts as two Express cards, but with the following restriction: The Aliens cannot be chained with any other cargoes. If you deliver them, it is your entire maneuver turn.

Final Scoring

After the Aliens reach Earth, planet scoring takes place as detailed on page 6. (Note that the Aliens do not count as a cargo for this scoring.) The winner is the player who has scored the most prestige points. In the rare event of a tie, the winner is the player who delivered the Aliens. If tied and the Aliens managed to reach Earth on their own, the game is a draw (the Aliens won!).