Wandering Galaxy: A Crossroads Game
Wandering Galaxy: A Crossroads Game Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
- Wandering Galaxy App
- Before Play Assembly
- Components
- Component Diagrams
- Game Setup
- Starting a Campaign
- A Location Book Round
- Traveling on the Map
- Completing a Game
- Completing a Campaign
- Making Skill Checks
- Perk Tokens
- Help from a Friend
- Items and Sidekicks
- Group Checks
- Character Advancement
- Status Cards
- Stress Leading to Injury
- Scars
- Banishing Cards
- Breaking Ties
- Ship Stations
- Ship Combat
- Solo and 2-Player
Wandering Galaxy App
Wandering Galaxy requires a free web-based app or a physical entry book (sold separately). To use the app, or find a link to buy the entry book, visit WanderingGalaxy.com. Whenever the game instructs you to enter a 3-digit code, type that code into the app or find it in the entry book. You can also find printable ship and character sheets on the app should you run out.
Before Play Assembly
Before playing Wandering Galaxy for the first time, assemble the dials and card catalog as shown below.
Dial Assembly
Assemble the dials on the ship station boards: on the Security station, each of the five weapon/device dials is snapped onto its station board. On all other stations, the single dial is snapped onto its station board.
Card Catalog Assembly
Wandering Galaxy uses a card catalog. Each card in the game has a 3-digit catalog number on it. Before your first play, organize all of the cards in the game in numerical order, dividing them into categories by utilizing the tabbed category divider cards.
Note: Cards that share the same catalog number are grouped together in a random order. Some catalog numbers are unused.
When you are instructed to retrieve a card from the catalog, you will be given its number. Use the number to find it in the catalog. If more than one card has that number, take a random card from that grouping.
Components
1 Rulebook, 1 Location Book, 1 Draw Bag, 1 Chance Die, 1 Galactic Star Map, 1 Logistics Board, 1 Operations Board, 1 Navigation Board, 1 Science Board, 1 Security Board, 1 Engineering Board, 1 Pad of Ship Log Sheets, 1 Pad of Character Sheets, 3 Sticker Sheets, 8 Character Standees, 2 Apprentice Standees, 1 Ship Standee, 4 First Player Tokens, 60 Starting Skill Cards, 43 Improvement Skill Cards, 32 Status Cards, 66 Item Skill Cards, 28 Sidekick Skill Cards, 15 Ship Weapon & Device Cards, 71 Job Cards, 14 Card Catalog Dividers, 20 Perk Tokens, 5 Waypoint Rings, 4 Required Tokens, 6 Lock Tokens, 15 Cargo Tokens, 5 Asteroid Tokens, 7 Enemy Blip Tokens, 40 Bag Tokens, 15 Science Project Tokens, 1 Plot Course Marker, 1 Smuggling Hold, 1 Life Support Marker, 1 Hull Marker, 1 Supplies Marker.
Component Diagrams
Skill Cards
Each skill card shows: Name; Type; Traits; Skill Icons; Effect Icons; a Prompt; Special Effects; a Type Icon; and a Catalog Number.
Character Sheets
Each character sheet shows: Species; Name; Nickname; Catchphrase; Reputation Tracks; Scars; Crew Services; Prompt; and Readied Slots (for Item and Sidekick cards).
Ship Log
Each ship log sheet shows: a Database (grid of catalog-lookup cells); Ship Upgrades; Docking Violations; Wanted By (a list of bounty-hunter names to check off); a Sticker Placement Indicator; a Debt Track (Installments 1-4); and Ship Services.
Job Cards
Each job card shows: a Title; a Destination; an Effect; Fiction (flavor text); Instructions; a Reward; and a Catalog Number.
Ship Weapon & Device Cards
Each ship weapon or special device card shows: a Title; a Type; a Firing Arc; a Special Effect; Targeting Bonuses; and a Catalog Number.
Bag Tokens
The tokens that go in the draw bag are: Shield, All Clear, Risk (+1 Threat), Damage (general ship damage), Special Damage (Hull -1), and Ship Upgrade (Backup Systems).
Ship Station Boards
Each of the six ship station boards carries an Identifying Number and a "Work the Ship" panel with 3 choices, plus its own unique elements:
- Operations Board — a Profit Dial and a Threat Dial, each with an Ending Code to enter into the app if it maxes out.
- Navigation Board — a Galactic Struggle Dial, a Waypoint Ring supply, and Job Slots.
- Logistics Board — a Supplies Marker, a Ship Hold (cargo track), and a Smuggling Hold slot.
- Engineering Board — a Ship Power Dial, a Hull Track and Hull Marker, and an Ending Code.
- Science Board — a Life Support Marker, a Life Support Track, a Research Track, and an Ending Code.
- Security Board — Ship Weapon Slots (Port, Forward, Starboard), a Special Devices slot, and 5 Enemy Dials.
Location Book
Each location book page shows: a Location Name; Location Art; Action Panels; Action Effects; and an End of Round Code. Each action panel shows a Resolution Order number, an Action Name, an Action Type icon, and Guide Symbols hinting at what the action does.
Galactic Star Map
The galactic star map shows: a Location Code at each location; a Location Icon (Anomaly, Asteroids, Deep Space, Outpost, or Uncharted Planet); Space Lanes connecting locations; and a Legend.
Other Components
Draw Bag, Character Standee, Chance Die, Ship Standee, Perk Token, Lock Token, Science Project Token, Asteroid Token, First Player Token, Required Token, Cargo Tokens, Enemy Blip Tokens, and Waypoint Rings.
Game Setup
Note: If you are setting up the game now, instead of reading through the instructions below, we suggest you launch the app by going to WanderingGalaxy.com and allow the app to walk you through setup.
To set up a game of Wandering Galaxy, do the following:
A. Place the location book in the center of the table within reach of everyone. Leave room to the left of the book, so that it can later be opened and laid flat.
B. Place the galactic star map to the right of the location book. If this is your first game, place the ship standee on the Riva Station location (324). Otherwise, the starting instructions in the app will indicate which location the ship starts at.
C. If this is your first game and you have not yet assembled the card catalog, do so by following the instructions on page 2 of this rulebook.
D. Retrieve all of the improvement skill cards (all numbered 007) from the card catalog, shuffle them, and form a face-down deck. Create an improvement row by revealing the top 4 cards of this deck and placing them face up in a row.
E. Create separate piles of perk tokens, lock tokens, and required tokens.
F. If this is the first game of a campaign, or if a new player is joining a campaign in progress, each player that doesn't already have a character creates one by doing the following:
a. Choose a character sheet. Each player's character must be of a different species from one another. Some species have both a feminine and masculine version to choose from. Both versions of the same species cannot be in play at the same time.
b. Name your character and write their name on your character sheet. Use pencils when writing on sheets.
c. Answer the 5 questions about your character on the back of your character sheet. Your answers will determine your background. Read your background story aloud and follow the instructions at the end.
G. Each player collects their character sheet and matching standee, as well as their matching skill deck from the card catalog. Each player shuffles their skill deck and forms a draw pile.
H. Assign each of the following ship stations to the players. Each station has a corresponding station board that the player assigned that station should retrieve and place in front of themselves. Each station has additional setup listed below and on the back of those stations. Players may use the instructions on the back of their ship station boards to complete setup simultaneously, if they wish. If playing with fewer than 6 players, some players will need to take on multiple stations.
1. OPERATIONS: Controls the app, consults on rules, and generally manages the flow of the game. We suggest assigning Operations to the player reading these rules. Do the following to set up Operations:
**a.** Set both the profit and threat dials to 0.
**b.** Choose a first player token (fuzzy dice, 8-ball, puzzle cube, or air freshener) and place it in front of you. You will start as the first player.
**c.** If you haven't already launched the app, do it now by going to WanderingGalaxy.com.
2. NAVIGATION: Manages the card catalog and the crew's jobs (objectives). Do the following to set up Navigation:
**a.** Make sure you are seated in a position where you can see and reach the galactic star map.
**b.** If this is the first game of a campaign, set the galactic struggle dial to the middle 'unease' space.
**c.** Retrieve the card catalog and set it within your reach.
**d.** Retrieve the plot course marker and place it on the navigation board on its "Plot Course" side.
**e.** Retrieve the waypoint rings and place them on the navigation board.
**f.** If this is the first game of a campaign, you will start the game with no job cards in play. If this is NOT the first game of a campaign, you will likely have unfinished job cards from a previous game in the Zephyr section of the card catalog. If you do, retrieve those cards and, by consulting with the other players, choose up to 3 of those jobs to slot into the red, yellow and green active job slots along the bottom of the navigation board. Return any other job cards back to the Zephyr section of the card catalog.
**g.** If you have any job cards slotted into the navigation board, for each job, place the matching color waypoint ring on the galactic star map at the destination indicated on that job card. If more than one active job has the same destination, stack their rings at that location.
3. LOGISTICS: Manages the ship's log, as well as its supplies and cargo. Do the following to set up Logistics:
**a.** Retrieve the supplies marker and place it on the ship hold space that is marked with a star.
**b.** Collect all of the cargo tokens and place them nearby.
**c.** If this is the first game of a campaign, retrieve a new ship log sheet. Otherwise, retrieve the ship log the players have been using for this campaign. Place the ship log nearby.
**d.** Retrieve the smuggling hold token and place it face down nearby, unless you have already acquired the smuggling hold this campaign. If you have, then slot it face up into the right side of the logistics board.
4. ENGINEERING: Manages the draw bag, the ship's power, and its hull. Do the following to set up Engineering:
**a.** Retrieve the hull marker and place it on the top (5) space of the hull track.
**b.** Set the power dial to 6.
**c.** Retrieve the draw bag and place it within your reach. If this is the first game of a campaign, collect the 6 general damage and the 8 special damage tokens and put them in the bag.
**d.** Collect all other bag tokens (risk, shield, all clear, and ship upgrades) and place them nearby.
5. SCIENCE: Manages the life support system, science projects, and research. Do the following to set up Science:
**a.** Retrieve the life support marker and place it on the top (green) space of the life support track.
**b.** Collect the science project tokens, place them face down nearby, and randomize them.
6. SECURITY: Manages ship combat. Do the following to set up Security:
**a.** Set all of the enemy dials to 0.
**b.** Collect the enemy blip tokens and place them nearby.
**c.** Collect the asteroid tokens, place them face down nearby, and randomize them.
**d.** Have Navigation retrieve all of the ship weapon and device cards from the Zephyr section of the card catalog for you and place them in their matching slots along the top of the security board.
Starting a Campaign
Wandering Galaxy is played as a campaign that takes place over 4 game sessions. When you launch the app, it will prompt you to choose whether you want to Start a New Campaign or Continue a Campaign.
When you choose Start a New Campaign, the app will give you 3 different campaign start options. If this is your very first time playing, choose Riva Station. The app will then ask you if you want help setting up. Once the game is set up, the story will begin. Throughout play, the app will be your game master and guide.
At the start of a campaign, you won't have a ship. Acquiring a ship will be your first task, and doing so is going to put you into debt. The goal of each campaign is to earn enough profit to pay off your ship in time and become Freespacers — masters of your own cosmic destiny!
Note: When starting a new campaign, the app will ask if there is already a campaign in progress. If you select yes, you will be warned that you will have to abandon the current campaign in order to start a new one.
A Location Book Round
After some introductory story, the app will direct players to turn to a page in the location book. While players are on a page in the location book, play will take place over a round (or series of rounds). Each round consists of 3 phases that must be completed in order:
1. Planning Phase
Once you've turned to a page in the location book, immediately begin a round with the planning phase. During this phase, players will have a limited amount of time to choose (but not yet resolve) their actions for the round.
At the start of the planning phase, immediately start the round timer by clicking the 'Start Round Timer' button in the app. Then, starting with the first player and continuing clockwise around the table, each player must choose an action by placing their character standee on an available action panel.
Note: A limited action is no longer available to other players during that round once it has been chosen. See "Types of Actions" below.
If the timer runs out before the last player has placed their standee, add 1 risk token to the draw bag and then continue selecting actions until all players are finished.
Players should NOT spend time reading exactly what the actions do before selecting them. Instead, they should use only the names and guide symbols of each action to help them determine which action to choose.
Types of Actions
- Limited Action: Once 1 player chooses this action, it is no longer available to other players during that round.
- Unlimited Action: Any number of players may choose this action.
- Required Action: When the game directs players to make an action required, place a required token over that action panel. Required actions MUST be chosen by at least 1 player. If 1 or more required actions are still available before the last player(s) have chosen an action for the round, those players must choose a required action.
- Locked Action: When the game directs players to lock an action, place a lock token over that action panel. Locked actions cannot be chosen.
2. Action Phase
During this phase, each player will resolve their chosen action's effect. Action effects are resolved in numerical order. First, all players who chose Action 01 resolve that action's effect one at a time in turn order. After all players who chose Action 01 have resolved their action's effect, the players who chose Action 02 resolve that action's effect in turn order, and so on until all chosen actions have been resolved.
After a player has resolved their action, they remove their standee from the page.
3. End of Round Phase
Enter the code listed under the current page's Round End section into the app. Listen to or read the story and follow the instructions provided by the app.
As part of the end of round instructions, the app will direct players to either "close the location book and travel on the map" or to "begin a new round on this page". When closing the location book, first remove all tokens from the current page. If directed to "begin a new round on this page," immediately go into a new round without removing tokens.
Traveling on the Map
When directed to travel on the map, do the following in order:
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Choose a Course: Consult the galactic star map and collectively decide where you will go next by selecting a space lane that connects your current location to another location.
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Spend Resources: Spend 3 power by having Engineering lower the power dial by 3.
When traveling, if the ship does not have enough power, you may have Logistics spend 1 supplies and/or have Science spend 1 life support for each power you could not spend.
Important: If life support on the Science station reaches 0, immediately enter the code below the life support track into the app. (Your ship is headed for a crash landing!)
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Move the Ship: Move the ship to the new location on the map and enter the code for that location into the app or press the button in the app that matches that location's icon.
Arriving at a New Location
Once you've entered the new location into the app, it will provide you with story and instructions. Sometimes those instructions will direct players to turn to a page in the location book. When turning to a page in the location book, do NOT pause to review all of the action resolution text on the new page. Instead, go immediately into a new round by starting the planning phase (starting the timer and selecting actions in turn order).
Traveling on a Page
Sometimes the game will direct players to travel on a mini-map on a location book page. Traveling this way works just like traveling on the galactic star map.
The app will direct you when and where to place the ship on a mini-map and when and where to return the ship to the galactic star map.
Completing a Game
There are 2 ways that each game in a campaign can end:
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Successful Run: If at any time during the game, you reach 7 profit, the game ends in success. Enter the ending code under the profit dial and listen to the story of your celebrations. Then, in turn order, each player with a rank of 1 or higher enters the ending code on their character sheet and follows the instructions in the app. The higher the rank a character has attained, the more of their exploits will be revealed.
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Uncertain Fate: If at any time during the game, you reach 7 threat, the game ends in uncertainty. Enter the ending code under the threat dial and follow the instructions. The app may tell you that you've 'gone belly up' and your campaign has ended in failure. Otherwise you will suffer some penalty and then, in turn order, each player with a rank of 1 or higher enters the ending code found on their character sheet and follows the instructions in the app.
Saving Progress
At the end of games 1, 2, and 3 in a campaign, if you haven't gone belly up, the app will walk you through the steps to save your progress for the next game.
Completing a Campaign
At the end of game 4 in a campaign, the app will tell you the story of how your campaign ends. Depending on whether or not you've paid your debt, you may achieve success, or you may go belly up.
Resetting the Game
At the end of a campaign, the app will walk you through some steps to reset the game so that you are ready to start a new campaign the next time you play.
The game is designed with multiple campaign starting stories and way too many jobs to be discovered and completed in a single campaign.
Making Skill Checks
Each player's character will face many different challenges through the course of the game. Players use their unique skill decks to determine how well or how poorly their character resolves these challenges.
For example, an action panel might read: "Make a Communicate skill check (Spirit, Focus): 0-4 = Choose 1 option / 5-6 = Choose 2 options / 7+ = Choose 3 options."
When a player is directed to make a skill check, follow these steps in order:
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Draw and reveal the top 3 cards of your draw pile and play them face up in front of you. Resolve any 'Play' effects on those cards. (This may result in you drawing more cards. Reveal and play those cards and resolve their Play effects as well.)
Note: If your draw pile runs out, shuffle your discard pile and form a new draw pile.
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Total up all icons on the played cards that match the skill being checked. In a Communicate skill check, a player would total all Spirit and Focus icons. Also include any perk icons on those cards. Perks add +1 to any skill check.
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Take this total and add any perk and matching skill icons on the front of your character sheet and on any readied items and sidekicks. All skill checks have a single-word prompt that further defines the check. Resolve any effects for matching prompts on your character sheet and readied items and sidekicks.
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Consult the text associated with the skill check and resolve the option corresponding to your total.
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Discard all played cards (except readied cards) into your discard pile.
Perk Tokens
When a player gains perk tokens (e.g. Perk Token +1), they collect that many perk tokens from the supply.
When a player is making a skill check, after revealing cards, they may discard any number of their perk tokens back into the supply to add +1 to their skill check result for each.
Help from a Friend
When a player is making a skill check, after revealing cards, any other player may 'stress out' to roll the chance die and add its result to the skill check. Any number of players may do this any number of times during a single skill check.
When a player chooses to stress out, they gain 1 Stress card (012) from the card catalog and add it to their discard pile.
Items and Sidekicks
Items and sidekicks are skill cards that can be played and discarded just like other skill cards. However, whenever a player would discard an item or sidekick (either when first acquiring it or at the end of a skill check it was played into), that player may choose to ready that card instead.
To ready a card, a player must place it in one of the available readied slots at the bottom of their character sheet. If there are no available slots, the player may dismiss one of their readied cards to make room for it.
Dismissing an Item or Sidekick
A readied card stays in play until it is dismissed. A player may dismiss a readied card when readying another card (to make a slot available) or when a game effect instructs that a player may/must do so.
Note: When a card is dismissed 'after revealing cards for a skill check', it adds its Dismiss effect to that skill check, but not any of its other skill icons, perks, or prompts.
When a player dismisses a readied card, they must choose to either add it to their discard pile, return it to its slot in the card catalog, or add it to another player's discard pile. If they add it to another player's discard pile, that player cannot ready it until after they have drawn and played it into a skill check.
Group Checks
A group check is a skill check that is performed simultaneously by 1 or more players. A group check will always include instructions on which players are to participate in the check, a goal number, a success effect, and a fail effect.
When players are instructed to make a group check, each participating player must simultaneously make a skill check. Each player whose result is equal to or higher than the check's goal number has passed. If at least half the participating players (rounded up) pass, resolve the check's success effect. Otherwise, resolve its fail effect.
Note: No player may stress out during a group check.
Character Advancement
Improving Your Skill Deck
When a player is directed to improve (e.g. Improve +1), that player may choose one of the 4 face-up cards in the improvement row and place it in their discard pile. After acquiring an improved skill card, replace the empty space in the improvement row with the top card of the improvement deck.
Upon acquiring a card with an 'Acquire' effect, resolve that effect. Acquire effects are only ever resolved upon first acquiring that card as the result of an improve effect.
Reputation
Each character has a series of reputation tracks on their character sheet. The more reputation a character gains, the better a spacer they've become.
When a player is directed to gain reputation (e.g. Rep +1), that player fills in the next box (from left to right) on their current reputation track. If the player would fill in the last box of one of their reputation tracks (the one containing a number), circle it instead of filling it. After circling one of these boxes, the player may resolve the reward effect listed to the right of that reputation track, and advance to the next reputation track.
There are many ways for players to gain reputation. Some skill checks grant reputation for performing well and some skill cards grant a reputation point every time they are played into a skill check.
Catch Phrases & Nicknames
Catch phrases and nicknames must be earned. When a player is directed to gain a catch phrase or nickname, they write it in the appropriate section of their character sheet. If that player already has a catch phrase or nickname, they may erase their current one and replace it with the new one.
When making a skill check, a player may say their catch phrase aloud to gain the catch phrase effect listed on their character sheet.
Nicknames have no effect until the game directs otherwise.
Status Cards
When a player is directed to gain a status card, they must have Navigation retrieve it from the card catalog for them and place it in their discard pile.
Each status card has an effect that allows a player to remove it from their deck. When removing a status card, return it to its section of the card catalog.
Sometimes a player will be given the option of removing some or all status cards from their deck. When removing status cards in this way, a player searches their draw and discard piles for status cards. After a player searches their draw pile, they must shuffle it.
Important: When a player is instructed to remove all status cards, they must remove even the beneficial ones.
Stress Leading to Injury
When directed to gain a Stress card (012), if none are available, gain an Injured card (011) instead. When directed to gain an Injured card, if none are available, gain threat +3 instead. (To gain threat, have Operations increase the threat dial.)
Scars
Injured status cards all have an effect that gives a player the option to fill in a scar on their character sheet in order to remove that card from their deck. When a player fills in a scar, they fill in the topmost unfilled scar.
Important: The effect of the last scar is forced retirement. At the end of a game, if a player has filled that scar in, they enter the code next to it into the app instead of their ending code. The app will tell the story of your character's embarrassing premature retirement and will give you instructions to create a new character and rejoin the crew and continue your adventure.
Banishing Cards
When directed to banish a card, have the Navigation player place it in the banished section of the card catalog. Banished cards are no longer part of the current campaign.
Important: Status cards cannot be banished.
Note: When directed to "banish a skill card", unless otherwise stated, you may choose a skill card from your draw or discard pile. If from your draw pile, shuffle it.
Breaking Ties
If two or more players are ever tied for the purposes of evaluating a game effect, the first player determines how the tie is broken.
When the group has to make a joint decision (like where to go next on the map), if the group can't agree, the first player makes the decision.
Ship Stations
During setup, each player is assigned one or more ship stations and their corresponding station boards. Each station has unique ways it can contribute, as well as responsibilities for resolving certain game effects.
Working the Ship
Each ship station board has 3 'Work the Ship' actions listed on it. When players are directed to work the ship (usually right before traveling on the map), each player may choose and resolve 1 Work the Ship action from each station they control.
The order in which these Work the Ship actions are resolved can be important. The players do NOT need to resolve their Work the Ship actions in turn order. The players may resolve each Work the Ship action in an order of their collective choosing.
Mini-Maps
When traveling on a mini-map on a location book page, that page will have additional Work the Ship actions. When working the ship while traveling on a mini-map, players may choose a Work the Ship action from the location book instead of choosing one from their ship station. When a player chooses one of these actions, they must place their standee on the chosen action panel in the location book. Each Work the Ship action in the location book can only have 1 standee at it. Work the Ship actions in the location book are all resolved first, in numerical order, and then Work the Ship actions from ship stations are resolved in any order.
1: Operations
Entering Entry Codes: When directed to enter a code, Operations is responsible for entering that code into the app, reading (or playing) the resulting story, and reading the game instructions.
Round Timer: When directed to turn to a new page in the location book, or when starting a new round on the same location book page, Operations is responsible for starting the round timer in the app.
Profit: When directed to gain or lose profit (eg. Profit +1), Operations is responsible for moving the profit dial up or down accordingly. If profit reaches 7, immediately enter code 776 into the app.
Note: A dial or track cannot be moved above its maximum value or below 0.
Threat: When directed to gain or lose threat (eg. Threat -1), Operations is responsible for moving the threat dial up or down accordingly. If threat reaches 7, immediately enter code 777 into the app.
2: Navigation
Card Catalog: When directed to retrieve a card from the card catalog, Navigation is responsible for retrieving that card and giving it to the appropriate player. When directed to return a card to the card catalog, Navigation is responsible for placing that card in the appropriate section with the catalog number side facing up.
Jobs and Waypoints: When directed to retrieve a new job card, Navigation is responsible for retrieving that card from its current section of the card catalog. The group must discuss its contents, and then choose to have Navigation either make it an active job or move it to the Zephyr section of the card catalog.
To make a job active, slot the job card into 1 of the 3 active job slots on the navigation board, then place the colored waypoint ring that matches that job slot on the galactic star map at the location indicated on that job card.
When activating a job, if all of the job slots are full, Navigation may deactivate an active job to make room. When deactivating a job, add its card to the Zephyr section of the card catalog. Important: If you deactivate a multiple-step job that you've already completed 1 or more steps of, when reactivating that job, you will have to start back at step 1.
Note: When a job is removed from a job slot, also return its matching waypoint ring to the navigation board.
Galactic Struggle: When directed to move the galactic struggle dial 1 or more spaces towards peace or war, Navigation is responsible for moving the galactic struggle dial the indicated number of spaces in the indicated direction.
Travel: When traveling on the map, Navigation is responsible for consulting with the other players about their options for where to travel next, and for moving the ship standee to the new location on the map. Remember: Navigation manages the job cards, and so should be aware of the destinations of those jobs and make it part of the communication with the group when determining where to travel next.
3: Logistics
Ship Log: When directed to mark something on the ship log, Logistics is responsible for following those instructions.
Ship Upgrades: Sometimes players will have an opportunity to upgrade the ship. The app will direct Logistics to mark that upgrade on the ship log and will provide instructions on how to implement that upgrade. If the game ever asks if the ship has a specific upgrade, it is Logistic's responsibility to check the ship log and answer that question.
Stickers: When directed to apply a sticker to the ship, Logistics is responsible for placing the indicated sticker on the matching zone on the front of the ship log.
Cargo and Supplies: When directed to gain specific cargo, Logistics is responsible for adding the specified cargo token to the ship hold. Cargo must be placed on the rightmost empty space on the ship hold.
When directed to gain or lose supplies (eg. Supplies +1), Logistics is responsible for moving the supplies marker up or down the ship hold.
When gaining supplies, the supplies token is moved to the right, but cannot be moved onto a space that contains a cargo token (the hold is full and more supplies cannot be gained). When gaining cargo, it cannot be placed on or to the left of the supplies marker. Logistics can voluntarily lose supplies to make room for new cargo.
Some game effects require that 1 or more supplies be spent in order to resolve some beneficial effect. If there are not enough supplies available, no supplies are spent and that effect cannot be resolved.
Buying Cargo: Sometimes players will have an opportunity to buy cargo in exchange for supplies. When buying cargo, supplies are spent first and then the cargo is added to the ship hold.
Selling Cargo: Sometimes players will have an opportunity to sell cargo in exchange for profit. When selling cargo, return the appropriate cargo token to the supply and gain the amount of profit indicated by the game. Note: Some game conditions will change the value of certain cargo tokens based upon the game state and the capability of the player negotiating the sale.
Illegal Cargo and Smuggling: Sometimes players will have an opportunity to acquire illegal cargo. This functions like regular cargo, except it is usually acquired at no cost and the app will sometimes instruct players to gain risk (add 1 or more risk tokens to the draw bag) if they are carrying illegal cargo. Tip: Look for the 'smuggle' actions in the location book for opportunities to obtain and/or sell illegal cargo.
Asteroids: Asteroid tokens show an asteroid on one side, and a type of cargo on the other. When an asteroid is acquired (by using the Magnabeam device at the security station), flip that asteroid token to its cargo side and add the listed cargo to the cargo hold. Then, return the asteroid token face down to the supply and randomize it.
4: Engineering
Hull: When directed to gain or lose hull (eg. Hull +1), Engineering is responsible for moving the hull marker up or down accordingly. If hull reaches 0, immediately enter code 101 into the app.
Power: When directed to gain or lose power (eg. Power +1), Engineering is responsible for moving the power dial up or down accordingly. Some game effects require that 1 or more power be spent in order to resolve some beneficial effect. If there is not enough power available, no power is spent and that effect cannot be resolved.
Draw Bag: When directed to add a token to the draw bag, Engineering is responsible for retrieving that token from its supply and adding it to the bag.
Gaining Risk and Shields: Risk and shield are the two kinds of token that are most commonly added to the draw bag. When the game instructs Engineering to add these tokens, it will do so by simply stating "Risk +1" or "Shield +1."
When directed to draw a token(s) from the bag, it is Engineering's responsibility to draw the token(s) and resolve their effects:
General Ship Damage: When one of these tokens is drawn, unless the game directs otherwise, the first player must choose a station that they control to place that damage token on. The token remains on that station until it is repaired, at which point it is returned to the draw bag. Note: Some stations have additional instructions listed on their board that must be resolved when a damage token is placed on them.
Ship Upgrade Damage: These tokens work just like general ship damage tokens, but additionally, some encounters will ask if the ship has a particular upgrade. While an upgrade is damaged (its damage token is on a station) the ship is considered not to have that upgrade.
Special Effect: When one of these tokens is drawn, resolve the indicated effect and return the token to the bag. Effects that affect a player are applied to the first player, unless the game directs otherwise. (The lightning-bolt symbol is a reminder that the damage is not placed on a station but has an immediate effect.)
Risk: When one of these tokens is drawn, increase threat by 1 and remove the token from the bag, returning it to its supply.
All Clear, Shield, and Improved Shield: When one of these tokens is revealed, there is no effect (the damage was prevented). Shield and all clear tokens are removed from the bag and returned to their supply after being drawn.
Improved shield tokens do NOT have that symbol and so they are returned to the bag after being drawn.
5: Science
Life Support: When directed to gain or lose life support (eg. Life Support -1), Science is responsible for moving the life support marker up or down accordingly. If life support reaches the bottom '!!!' space, immediately enter code 100 into the app.
Science Projects: When directed to gain a science project, Science is responsible for taking a random face-down science project token from the supply and, without looking at its back, placing it on the 'Research Start' space at the bottom of the research track.
Each time Science performs a research action, they may choose 1 science project token that is on the track and move it up 1 space. When a science project reaches the top space of the research track, turn that science project token face up to reveal it, enter its code in the app, and return it face down to the supply.
6: Security
Special Devices: Special devices are kept in a stack in the special devices slot of the security board. When a new special device is acquired, it is added to this stack. There is no limit to the number of special devices that can be in this stack.
Special devices always say when and how they can be used. Any player can use them as directed. However, it is the responsibility of Security to keep the other players aware of the devices the ship has and when their use might be relevant.
Security Station Damage: When the security board has a damage token placed on it, Security must choose to place that damage token on a ship weapon slot or the special devices slot. They must choose from among the slots with the fewest damage tokens. While a slot has a damage token on it, cards in that slot cannot be used.
Enemy Dials: When directed to set, raise or lower an enemy dial, Security is responsible for doing so.
Ship Combat
Some pages of the location book depict a top-down view of your ship with 6 numbered sectors around it. These are ship combat pages, and when players arrive at one, they will usually be directed to set enemy dials and put enemy blips and/or asteroids on the numbered sectors.
Each blip has a letter that corresponds to one of the enemy dials. The corresponding enemy dial is a representation of how much damage needs to be inflicted on that blip to destroy that enemy and remove its blip from the page.
Target Locking: Blips are usually placed green side up when they enter play. There are a variety of effects and actions that will allow a player to flip a green blip to its red side. A blip on its red side represents an enemy that has been 'target locked'. Red blips are easier to hit with the ship's weapons and are vulnerable to a variety of other effects in the game.
Firing Ship Weapons: The security station starts play with a ship weapon card in each ship weapon slot. Some pages of the location book have an action called Fire Ship Weapon. When ANY player resolves a Fire Ship Weapon action, they will be directed to choose a ship weapon and target a blip. Then they will be directed to make a skill check.
To target a blip, it must be within the chosen weapon's firing arc. A weapon's firing arc is a diagram on the weapon showing which sectors of the combat page a blip has to be in to be targeted by that weapon. For example, the Starboard Cannon targets sectors 2 and 3.
After choosing the blip, the player makes the skill check following all of the usual rules for making a skill check, except that the player may add their chosen ship weapon's skill icons and/or prompts to their total. Ship weapons often have different skill icon bonuses based on whether the targeted blip is green or red.
The result of a player's skill check when firing a ship weapon will determine how much damage the targeted blip will receive (i.e. how much its enemy dial will be lowered by). After a blip's dial reaches 0, remove that blip from the page.
Damage by Sector: While in ship combat, the app will often direct players to draw tokens from the bag for each enemy blip and add any damage drawn to the station matching that blip's sector. To determine which station is being damaged, match the blip's sector number to the station number.
Solo and 2-Player
Wandering Galaxy can be played as a solo or 2-player game. When playing solo or with 2 players, in addition to your character, you will also play with 1 or 2 apprentices.
Apprentice Setup
When setting up for a solo or 2-player game, follow these additional setup steps after the end of the regular setup steps:
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Retrieve the 2 sidekicks cards (050) that have the 'Apprentice' trait (Tress and Bugs) from the catalog, as well as the standees for those apprentices.
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If playing with 2 players, randomly assign 1 apprentice to each player. In a solo game, you control both apprentices. Each player places their apprentice(s) and their standees in their play area apart from their character sheet.
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Players assign at least 1 ship station they control to each of their apprentices, and place those station boards near the card of the apprentice they are assigned to. Any stations a player controls that are not assigned to an apprentice are assigned to their character. Each character must have at least 1 station assigned to it.
Apprentice Rules
Players fully control their apprentices and make decisions on their behalf. However, for the purpose of interpreting game text in the app, on cards, and in the location book, an apprentice is considered its own player.
Apprentices count toward player count. Whenever the game requires a player or a character to be chosen, an apprentice may be chosen.
First Player: Apprentices are never the first player. When playing solo, you are always first player.
Location Book Pages: When at a location book page, in addition to placing your character's standee at an action, also place each apprentice standee you control at an action.
In a 2-player game, each player places 1 of their standees (either their character or their apprentice) in turn order and then places their remaining standee in turn order.
Working the Ship: When instructed to work the ship, each player may resolve 1 Work the Ship action from each station they control (i.e. 3 stations in 2-player, 6 stations in solo). These Work the Ship actions may be resolved in any order, using the character or apprentice that station is assigned to.
Reputation and Improvement: Apprentices do not gain reputation. When an apprentice would gain reputation, they gain a perk token instead.
If an apprentice would improve, that card goes into the deck of the player controlling that apprentice.
Skill Checks: Apprentices do not have their own skill decks. Each player has only 1 skill deck, and uses that deck to make skill checks with both their primary character and their apprentice(s).
Apprentices make skill checks normally, but only their own skill icons, prompts, readied cards, and perk tokens are applied to the check (this includes icons, etc. on the apprentice card itself).
Help from a Friend: An apprentice can stress out to help another apprentice or character that is making a skill check. Likewise, a character can stress out to help an apprentice that is making a skill check. The Stress cards gained when an apprentice chooses to stress out go into its controlling player's discard pile.
Group Checks: Apprentices can participate in group checks. A player must perform the checks separately for each participant they control, in an order of their choosing. Remember: Players and apprentices cannot stress out during a group check.
Readied Cards: Whenever a player would ready an item or sidekick, they may ready it to either their character or an apprentice they control. They may do this regardless of which character/apprentice acquired that card or played it into a skill check.
An apprentice can have up to 2 readied cards at a time, placed on either side of the apprentice. When dismissing an apprentice's readied card, it is placed into its controlling player's discard pile.
Perk Tokens: When an apprentice receives a perk token, place it on its card.
An apprentice can have no more than 5 perk tokens at a time.
Status Cards:
Injured: When an apprentice receives an Injured card, slide it under that apprentice's card. When the game instructs you to remove 1 or more status card from your draw or discard pile, you may choose instead to remove an Injured card from under an apprentice you control. An apprentice can have any number of Injured cards, but remember that there are only 6 available, and if you run out, the penalty is severe.
Other Status Cards: All other status card that an apprentice would receive are placed in its controlling player's discard pile.
Nicknames and Catch Phrases: Apprentices do not gain nicknames or catch phrases.
Solo Status Discarding
Some status cards instruct you to discard them into another player's discard pile. When playing solo, these cards are discarded into your own discard pile.