Colonizers

A space colonisation game for 2-5 players in which players attempt to establish high scoring colonies before their opponents.

Players share a common deck formed of seven different cards types: Planets, Ships, Extractors, Protection, Distance, Events and Growth.

   Planet cards have 2 attributes: hazards and resources.  There are 8 types of hazard and 8 types of resource.
   There are 4 types of ship cards, representing 4 propulsion types and 4 corresponding levels of speed. Certain ships cannot be used with certain distance Cards. 
   There are 4 types of Extractor card. Each type of extractor can successfully extract 2 types of resource. Additionally, each Extractor card has a secondary trait of colonist. There are 6 types of colonists each worth a different amount of points in settlement scoring. 
   Each hazard has a specific type of protection card required to overcome it. Each protection card has a secondary trait of control. There are three types of control each worth a different number of points in settlement scoring. 
   Each distance card lists a distance value from 7 to 30. Each distance card also has an obstruction attribute. There are five types of obstruction.  Each obstruction type may prevent the use of one specific ship type. 
   Event cards have a wide range of game altering effects such as increasing or decreasing trip times; stealing or destroying colonies; stealing, gaining, or losing cards; stealing, gaining, or losing VP.
   Growth cards are added to a player’s existing colony. A single colony can have a maximum of one growth card attached. 

To start each player is dealt 5 cards.

Players take turns with each turn comprising eight phases:

1. Draw Phase

   Each player draws 1 card from the top of the deck and puts it in their hands.

2. Trade Phase

   Players may trade cards from their hands. They may also trade ownership of missions and colonies.

3. Event Phase

   The current player may play 1 event card or 1 growth card from his hand. Discard event cards once they are played.

4. Travel Phase

   The current player places travel markers on his missions. A mission with solar sails adds 1 travel marker. A mission with gravity repulsors adds 2 travel markers. A mission with a ram scoop adds 3 travel markers. A mission with an antimatter drive adds 4 travel markers.

5. Launch Phase

   The current player may launch a mission. A mission consists of 5 cards: 1 planet card, 1 ship card, 1 extractor card, 1 protection card, 1 distance card. All cards in a Mission must be compatible with each other, for instance, the protection card must be specific to the hazard type of the planet card. The stack of mission cards are placed face-up and staggered so as to be visible to all players

6. Settlement Phase

   A Mission that has accumulated travel markers equal to or greater than the distance value listed on the mission’s distance card has arrived at its destination planet and set up a functioning, established colony. The player in control of the mission colony immediately scores a number of VP = the value of the resource type plus the value of the colonists type plus the value of the control type. Represent the conversion of the mission into a colony by discarding the distance and ship cards and the travel markers. Keep the Planet, extractor, and protection cards stacked face up in front of you.

7. Scoring Phase

   The current Player gains 1 VP for each colony he has in play.

8. End Phase

   Current player max hand size = 8 cards. Discard excess cards.

The game ends as soon as ten colonies are in play. Check for each of the 8 resource types. The player with the most colonies of a type gains an extra 3 VP. The player with the most Victory Points (VP) at the end of the game wins.