ENCOUNTER PHASES
• At start of turn, Active Player (offense) must discard all cards &
SETUP
1.Place warp in center with each player’s colony marker at 0. Give
planets and ships to each player.
2.Each player places 4 ships on each of their planets..
3.Remove unused colors from destiny deck and shuffle.
4.Shuffle flare cards and deal two to each player. Player then takes 2 4.A LLIANCE - Offense invites players, then defense. After all invites
corresponding alien sheets. Choose 1 secretly. Alert Lamp Colors
(Green=Beginner, Yellow=Intermediate, Red=Advanced)
5.Add flares dealt to players to cosmic deck. If < 5 players, add extra 5.P LANNING - Offense and Defense secretly choose an encounter
randomly until add 10 total. Choose only 1 version of Filch card.
6.Deal 8 cards to each player.
7.1st player is 1st color drawn from destiny deck. Shuffle deck.
OTHER RULES
Victory - First player to have 5 foreign colonies
Losing Alien Powers - Occurs if player has < 3 home colonies.
Zapping Powers - Can only cancel alien power after use keyword.
Timing Conflicts - Resolve in order: offense, defense, then
clockwise from offense.
Empty Home Planets - Defense is still home planet’s owner.
Card Types - Attack, Negotiate, Morph, Reinforce, flare, artifact.
Artifact Cards - Played as specified, discard after use.
Reinforcement Cards - Add to Attack after Reveal. Add in order:
offense, defense, allies until everyone has passed.
Flare Cards - Played as specified, return to hand after use.
•Use wild effect if any are true: (Otherwise must use super effect)
- Card does not match your race
- You have < 3 home colonies
- Your alien power has been zapped.
•May only use one per encounter.
TECHNOLOGY (OPTIONAL)
• Setup - Shuffle tech deck, deal 2 cards to each player. Each player
places one face down, discards the other.
• Using - At start of Regroup may do one:
- Research: Move ship from colony to tech card.
- Complete: Turn over card. Return ships to colonies. If #
ships=research #: tech now usable. If not, discard tech.
• More Cards: Instead of taking a second encounter, may draw tech
cards = # of foreign colonies + 1. Pick 1, discard others. Turn Ends.
draw new hand if they have no encounter cards.
1.REGROUP - Move 1 ship from warp to any of your colonies.
2.DESTINY - Draw destiny card.
• Color: Attack that color. Own color: draw another card or attack
foreign colony on home planet.
• Wild: Target any other player. (Color is chosen target)
• Special: As card describes. (Color is specified target)
3.LAUNCH - Point hyperspace gate to target planet. Add up to 4 ships
from any colonies. Any colony left empty is lost.
given, each player clockwise from offense responds. Allies place
1-4 ships to assist.
card. If defense has none, they discard hand and draw 8 new
cards, then choose one. If offense has none, turn ends immediately.
6.REVEAL - Show cards, then may add reinforcement cards.
• Both Attack: Each side add # on card + # of ships. Higher
number wins, defense wins on ties.
• Attack and Negotiate: Negotiate card loses encounter, but gets
compensation - take 1 random card from opponent’s hand for
each ship (not allies) lost to warp.
• Both Negotiate: Must reach a deal within 1 minute or each lose 3
ships to warp. May trade cards and/or allow a colony to be
added anywhere player already has a colony.
7.R ESOLUTION - Determine result
• Offense Won: If 1st encounter, may do another.
- Offense + Ally ships added to planet
- Defense + Ally ships moved to warp.
• Defense Won:
- Offense + Ally ships moved to warp
- Defensive allies return ships to any of their colonies.
Additionally, for each ship contributed, they draw a card or get
a ship back from the warp.
• Deal Made: If 1st encounter, may do another.
GLOSSARY
offense player currently taking turn
defense player whose planet is being targeted
main player offense or defense player
bystander player w/ on-planet ships not involved in combat
offensive ally player assisting offense
defensive ally player assisting defense
home colony player’s ships on their own planet
foreign colony player’s ships on opponent’s planet
Cosmic Encounter Reference v1.1 by RangerRob