Example Of Play
(optional rules not used)Turn 1
The game has been set up, and the turn order picked from the cup:-
Tim (Green), Lee (Black), Carol (Orange), Indira (Blue), Neutral (Pink) and Karl (Red). All players have their Hidden Agendas (with one placed to the side, face-down), and New Colony (Distance 2) cards. The 3 face-up cards are:- New Colony (Distance 6), New Colony (Distance 6 - Another Player) & New Colony In Trouble. Green - Hmmm... 3 Double (Another Player), Recycle (always handy), & Migrants (Distance 12). OK, free doubling on Earth (no fear of it being cancelled, thanks to the Opening Treaty). Well, I’ve got The Asteroid Belt, so I’ll play my Colony Distance 2 card to get there (which gets removed from the game). My Earth population drops back to 1. Then, I’ll try playing 1 of the Double (Another Player) cards. I chose Lee, just because he’s next. Lee allows his piece on Earth to be doubled to 2 (very gracious of him), and I score 3 points!If
Lee had refused I could still legally use any of my 2 Double (Another Player) cards on someone other than Lee. I won’t discard, and I pick up the New Colony (Distance 6) {replaced by Famine} & the Famine {replaced by Death}. Black - A good start - doubled on Earth before I have a turn! Apart from the New Colony (Distance 2) I have 2 Make A Discovery cards (useful after turn 2), War, New Colony (Distance 6) & This Is Our Home. My Hidden Agenda is Mars, but I don’t want to make it too obvious....I’ll use the New Colony (Distance 2) to colonise the Asteroid Belt. Now, because I halved a 4 down to 2 to source my New Colonies from Earth (making 2 billion available), I can also use the New Colony (Distance 6) to send a billion to colonise....oh, well ... it may as well be Mars! Excellent start - thanks Tim!No discard. Picked up New Colony (Distance 6) {replaced by Pestilence}, and a blind pick - Double (Neutral).
Orange - I’ve got the New Colony (Distance 2), a New Colony (Distance 9), Famine, Pestilence, Make A Discovery & Migrants (Distance 12). Well, my options are sadly limited. Only the New Colony cards are useable at the moment (Migrants must have an established colony to migrate to and none exist yet, and the Make A Discovery card isn’t playable until turn 3). Further, after Free Doubling, I only have 2 billion on Earth. Halving that only gives me 1 billion for New Colonies, so I can only use 1 card! I use the New Colony (Distance 2). On the plus side, everyone is colonising The Asteroid Belt so I can also do so without being obvious about my Hidden Agenda (yes - The Asteroid Belt).No discard. Picked blind (didn’t want Death, Pestilence or New Colony In Trouble) - got War. Ho hum.
Blue - My other 5 cards are:- 2 x Double (Neutral), Save Our Souls, New Colony (Distance 6) & New Colony In Trouble. So, I Free Double on Earth, then halve them to generate the colonists for Mars (my Hidden Agenda) using the Colony (Distance 2) which gets removed from the game. I don’t feel like being subtle. Then I Double the Neutral on Earth for 2 points - ah, but what’s this? Carol plays a Famine so they don’t Double - I still get my 2 points though! The Famine is removed from the game. So... Carol has Earth. I wonder. Carol does not draw a replacement card until the end of her next turn.I’ll discard the New Colony In Trouble. Then I pick up Death {replaced by Double}, I grab the Double {replaced by Save Our Souls} and draw 1 blind (I get Power Politics). Not bad.
Pink (Neutral) - Well, everyone has 1 established colony (on Earth). So, using unestablished colonies & migrants in the Holding Boxes as the tie-breaker, Red has control of the Neutral.Free doubling on Earth, then ... nothing! There are no established colonies anywhere (well, except Earth, but the
Neutral is already there!) so the Neutral population on Earth stays at 2 and no free migrants are generated. Red - The indignity of it all - going last, even after the Neutral! Not that it matters, I suppose. My other 5 cards are:- Recycle, Migrants (Distance 6 - Another Player), Save Our Souls, & 2 x New Colony (Distance 6). Controlling the Neutral was useless as they had nowhere to migrate. Carol stopped the Neutral on Earth - does that mean she also has Earth? Or is it a bluff? We’ll see. I Free Double on Earth (to 2), then I’m going to Recycle first which puts me in the lead on Earth (on 4). I shuffle the Recycle with the deck, the discards, and the 3 face-up cards (but NOT the cards removed from the game!).The new face-up cards are:- New Colony (Distance 9), Save Our Souls, Double.
I decide not to play a second action (which would have been to colonise), as having the fewest established colonies will give me control of the
Neutral faction next turn. I discard my Save Our Souls. I take the Double {replaced by Make A Discovery}, and I take the Make A Discovery {replaced by Double}.Indira (Blue), Lee (Black), Tim (Green), Karl (Red), Carol (Orange), and Neutral (Pink) Blue - Earth Free Doubles to 2, then my Martians become established. I’ll see what flack my second Double (Neutral) card draws. It must be played on Earth (as the Neutrals don't exist anywhere else yet!), and I get 2 points. Nothing! How disappointing! OK, well I’ll Double my token on Mars to 2. Nothing again (not even from Lee!), except a few strained looks.
Turn 2No discard. I take the Double {replaced by Double (Another Player)}, and I take the new Double (Another Player), replaced by Migrants (Distance 6 - Another Player).
Black - Free Double on Earth (to 4), established on Mars, established on The Asteroid Belt. Then I score 3 points for New Colony (Distance 6) played on Indira (the only player, except myself, not affected by the Opening Treaty - hence, I don't need her permission!). I take them from Mars (Indira seems keen on Mars) and send them to Jupiter. The only other card I can play is Double (Neutral), so I do so for another 2 points. Ooh, Karl looks upset! But does nothing - and neither does Carol. Interesting...I need a New Colony, so I take the Distance 9 one. Damn, forgot to discard! But it’s too late, the replacement card has been turned over - Famine. I’ll take it {replaced by Pestilence}. In fact, I probably should have taken the Save Our Souls, to protect my next colony. Stupid!
Green - Free Doubling on Earth (to 2), established on The Asteroid Belt. Hmm - Lee is winning, I think. I’ll Double Indira’s Blue on Mars to put her back in front of Lee, and score 3 points. Indira says thank you. Lee scowls and plays Famine, cancelling the Double. Indira plays Power Politics, cancelling the Famine and reinstating the Double (and so Famine is NOT removed from the game). Lee plays War, nobody else wants to get involved, and so Indira must choose a token to halve. She halves Earth down to 1, and threatens retribution. Recycle on The Asteroid Belt, putting me on "2", ahead of Lee. What a fun turn!The new face-up cards are:- Migrants (Distance 12), New Colony (Distance 6 - Neutral), This Is Our Home.
I’ll keep my cards, and draw blind - Death & This Is Our Home. So so...
Red - Free Doubling on Earth (to 8), no New Colonies or Migrants becoming established this turn (as planned!). I’m a bit worried about playing my Double without cards to protect it - I’ll save it for later (DAC - He needn't worry - he only has one established token and is protected by the Opening Treaty). I play Migrants on Green, sending them from Earth (halved to 1) to Mars and scoring 3 points. Tim didn’t seem to mind. I use my New Colony (Distance 2) to send "free" colonists (I don’t have to halve my Earth token because it’s on "8") from Earth to The Asteroid Belt.I won’t discard, and draw the New Colony (Distance 6 - Neutral) {replaced by another New Colony (Distance 6 - Neutral)}. Excellent - I’ll have the other New Colony (Distance 6 - Neutral) {replaced by Save Our Souls}. I’ve got plans for those two cards...
Orange - Free Doubling on Earth (to 2), established on The Asteroid Belt. Still not many options. I think I fooled some people into thinking that my Hidden Agenda is Earth when I cancelled the Neutral Free Doubling. Unfortunately, this turn is as poor as last turn. I choose to use my New Colony (Distance 9) to colonise Saturn before anyone else. The Migrants (Distance 12) I can use later, and one of the face-up cards is This Is Our Home, so the New Colony is the better option. Dropping back to 1 on Earth isn’t going to convince the others that I’m serious about the Earth, though.No discard, blind pick up:- Make A Discovery, New Colony (Distance 6 - Neutral).
Pink (Neutral) - Black has 3 established colonies, Red has only 1, and the others all have 2. Unestablished colonies & migrants in the holding boxes are therefore not counted. Red controls the Neutral this turn.Free Doubling on Earth (to 16), nothing to become established. The Earth sends off 1 billion Migrants to The Asteroid Belt. That’s it.
Turn 3
Indira (Blue), Karl (Red), Neutral (Pink), Lee (Black), Carol (Orange), and Tim (Green)
Blue - No doubt this turn will see a flurry of Make A Discovery cards - well, I don’t have one! I’m going to use my Double (Another Player) to draw some fire before I use my Double card on myself! So, Free Doubling goes without a hitch (lucky), and Jupiter becomes established. I Double (Another Player) Carol’s Orange token on The Asteroid Belt to allow her to compete for points with Lee’s Black and Tim’s Green (and I think may have Earth - not sure...). Tim is quick with his Death, and Carol equally so with War! The result? 3 points for me, Carol stays on 1 and Tim is reduced to 1 on The Asteroid Belt! Now I Double my token on Mars - success!
No discard. I’ll take This Is Our Home {replaced by Migrants (Distance 6 - Another Player)}, the Migrants (Distance 6 - Another Player) {replaced by Make A Discovery}, and the Make A Discovery {replaced by Double (Neutral)}.
Red - Free Doubling goes ok (to 16 on Earth), and The Asteroid Belt becomes established. Now for my Master Plan (lucky I went before Neutral Pink) - I play 2 x New Colony (Distance 6 - Neutral) to reduce the Neutral on Earth from 16 to 8 (and nobody can stop it!), and I score 4 points!!!! Oh, where did I send them? On the 2 space of the Mars holding box.
My cards are good, so no discard. Blind selection:- New Colony In Trouble, Make A Discovery.
Pink (Neutral) - Black and Blue have 3 established, everyone else has 2. Orange & Green have unestablished Migrants / New Colonies in the holding boxes, Red does not. Hence, Red controls the Neutral again.
Free Doubling is successful, Martian Colony (2 billion) established, Asteroid Belt (the usual 1 billion) established. I’ll send Migrants from Earth to Jupiter. No choice, actually (although I could have reduced Mars).
Black - OK, Free Doubling on Mars. Ouch! Tim plays a Famine (removed from game)! Free Doubling on The Asteroid Belt. Double ouch! Carol plays a Pestilence! Free Doubling on Earth? Succeeds (to 8). Not good. I play a Make A Discovery card - Uranus! Given I have another one, I reveal the first one to place my free colony at Uranus for my second action. Mars isn’t looking good...
No discard. I’ll take the Save Our Souls {replaced by Double}, then the Double {replaced by New Colony In Trouble}, then the Double (Neutral) {replaced by This Is Our Home}.
Orange - Free Doubling on Earth - OK (to 2). Free Doubling on The Asteroid Belt - OK (to 2). Saturn becomes established. I’m still on zero points! I’m losing! I play Make A Discovery - Pluto! It can’t be revealed this turn as it counts as 2 actions. I’ll score 2 points and send a Neutral New Colony from Earth (the population is not halved) to Jupiter.
No discard. Take New Colony In Trouble {replaced by War}, the War {replaced by New Colony I Trouble}, and 2 blind picks:- Recycle, Power Politics.
Green - Free Double on Earth (to 2), Free Double on Asteroid Belt (to 2), established on Mars. I’ll send Migrants from Earth to Saturn, and Double Carol’s Orange on Earth (to 4) for 3 points.
No discards. I’ll take the This Is Our Home (to prevent someone taking it before my next go) {replaced by Power Politics}, the Power Politics {replaced by War}, the War {replaced by New Colony In Trouble}, and the New Colony In Trouble {replaced by Save Our Souls}.
Turn 3 at Saturn:
Turn4 - not in this example of play
Turn 5 - not in this example of play
Turn 6 - not in this example of play
Turn 7 - not in this example of play
Turn 8 - not in this example of play
Turn 9
Lee (Black), Indira (Blue), Carol (Orange), Neutral (Pink), Tim (Green) and Karl (Red)
All the planets and The Asteroid Belt, except Pluto, are populated. Orange, Black & Pink have 1 billion patiently waiting there for their second billions before they can become established. So, the game cannot end on the condition of all planets being populated. However, Green is poised to end the game by Free Doubling to 1024 on the Asteroid Belt (if Tim gets that chance...)
Black - I’m ahead of Karl on the Asteroid Belt, putting me in 3rd spot there. I’m 2nd on the Earth track. It’s Mars that’s the disappointment (my Hidden Agenda) - joint 3rd with the Neutral! Still, I’m also 1st on Neptune & Uranus (thanks to a couple of handy Discovery cards earlier), and joint 1st Mercury (with the Neutral and Indira’s Blue about to become established on the same spot!), and 2nd on Venus (overtaken by Karl’s Red last turn!). I think I want the game to end as early as possible, to deny the others the chance to score this turn!
Free Doubling on The Asteroid Belt (to 64), and Free Doubling on Venus (to joint 1st on 8). I use a New Colony (Distance 6 - Another Player) on Orange to send their 2nd billion to Pluto (now the game should end on Carol’s turn, and Tim & Karl won’t get a go!). I score 3 points for that dastardly deed. Carol’s Orange loses out slightly on Neptune, dropping back to 3rd, but she gains a colony on Pluto! Then, just in case, I send my 2nd billion to Pluto as well, also from Neptune (I’m on the 8, so I don’t have to drop back).
Down to 2 cards (Pestilence, and Save Our Souls). I draw 4 blind cards:- 2 x Make A Discovery (useless, now), Double and Double ( Another Player).
Blue - How very interesting! I have a New Colony In Trouble action card, so I can try to remove Carol's Orange colony (only 1 billion) at Pluto. Do I want to? Probably not, as this prevents Orange from playing any cards on her turn (the colony becomes established and it’s game over), and Green & Red don’t get a turn! That was wicked, Lee! Now, if I DO remove the Orange Pluto colony then Orange gets a full turn (but has lost a colony!) and the game will possibly end when Tim’s Green gets to 1024 on the Asteroid Belt. It sure looks like game over...
Free Doubling on Jupiter (back to 16, repairing last turn’s War damage!) and Mercury colony is established. OK. I play the New Colony In Trouble action card against Carol’s Pluto colony anyway. Carol looks frantically at her cards... in vain it appears! Lee looks amused, and HE plays a Save Our Souls cancel card! Blast! I can’t respond! Tim & Karl both play response cards (they want to have turns!) - Tim has played Power Politics, Karl has played War. Karl must withdraw his card as Tim is first in the turn sequence this turn. It’s Lee’s turn to curse. Carol wants to play War against Tim but she can’t as his response card (Power Politics) was played against Lee’s Faction!
The Power Politics stops the Save Our Souls from cancelling the New Colony In Trouble, and Carol’s short-lived attempt at an Orange Pluto colony is down to 1 billion in the holding box.
For my second action card I play New Colony (Distance 6 - Neutral), reducing Pink on Neptune (to 1) and sending their 2nd billion to Pluto! I get 2 points. Why is everyone looking at me that way?
Discard Save Our Souls (I’ve got two). Blind pick:- Ooh! Death, Death & Pestilence!
Orange - What a rollercoaster-ride this turn has been! Should I reveal my (now useless) Discovery card (for 2 actions) to place a further 2 billion on Pluto? It would be funny, but would it be useful? Unestablished colonies score nothing! Besides, I can only have 2 billion there, so I'd be wasting 1 billion (and then, if they made it, the 2 billion would be removed in establishing a 1 billion colony!).
Free Doubling on Asteroid Belt (to 512)? Lee & Indira seem to be considering... Surely not? I’m losing! Phew, they’ve let me off... I think.
OK - Double card on the Asteroid Belt! Everyone’s looking at each other and... Death comes from Tim’s hand! Nobody responds so I play a War against Tim. He looks glum, and halves his Jupiter colony from 16 to 8 (for the second turn in a row!). Still, he’s way ahead there, and his Death prevents my doubling to 1024 to end the game... so I play my second action card - another Double on the Asteroid Belt! Got it!
Current Scores (after card play during game):- Blue 19, Red 16, Green 13, Black 12, Orange 8.
Populations (Score) Mercury :- Blue 1 (2), Black 1 (2), Pink 1 (Red had the Discovery card)
Venus:- Black 8 (3), Red 8 (3), Pink 1
Earth:- Red 128 (16 - Hidden Agenda), Black 32 (4), Blue 8 (1), Pink 8, Green 4, Orange 1
Mars:- Blue 32 (16 - Hidden Agenda), Green 8 (4), Black 4 (2 - Hidden Agenda), Pink 4, Red 2
Asteroid Belt:- Orange 1024 (16 - Hidden Agenda), Green 512 (8 - Hidden Agenda), Black 64 (2), Red 16, Pink 16
Jupiter:- Blue 8 (4), Orange 2 (1), Pink 1 (Green had the Discovery card)
Saturn:- Green 16 (4), Orange 8 (2), Blue 1 (2 - Discovery), Pink 1
Uranus:- Black 8 (4), Orange 2 (2), Pink 1
Neptune:- Black 8 (8 - Discovery), Orange 1 (1), Pink 1
Pluto:- not colonised
Final Scores:- Blue 44, Black 37, Red 35, Orange 30 and Green 29
Pink is Neutral, so its final score doesn't matter.
Well done Indira!
