MLEM: Space Agency

To set up the game, place the long game board in the center of the playing area. Position the rocket token at the starting space. Each player receives a player board and their set of astronaut tokens. Shuffle the secret mission tiles and place them face down in a designated area. Shuffle the public objective tiles and reveal a set number based on player count. Place the dice and UFO tokens nearby. Any additional module components should be placed as indicated in the rulebook if they are being used.

The primary objective of MLEM: Space Agency is to accumulate the highest number of victory points by the end of the game. Points are primarily earned by successfully landing your astronaut cats on various planets and moons, completing secret missions that require specific landing patterns, and fulfilling public objectives that reward players for certain achievements throughout the game. Strategic decision-making regarding when to disembark and when to push your luck is crucial for maximizing your score.

During a player's turn, the current captain (the astronaut at the top of the rocket) rolls a set of dice. Based on the dice rolled, the captain chooses a specific set of dice to determine how far the rocket moves. After moving, the captain must decide whether to disembark an astronaut onto the current planet/moon or continue the journey. If an astronaut disembarks, they score points for that location, and the next astronaut in the rocket becomes the new captain. If the captain decides to continue, they roll the remaining dice (or a new set if all were used) and repeat the process. Astronauts also have special abilities that can be used once per game to influence dice rolls or movement.

Points are scored in several ways. At the end of the game, players earn points for their astronauts on planets and moons. The player with the most astronauts on a specific planet or moon receives the higher point value, with ties broken by the first player to land there. Secret mission tiles, drawn at the beginning of the game, provide points for landing astronauts on specific combinations of planets or moons. Public objective tiles, revealed at setup, offer additional points for achieving certain conditions, such as having a specific number of astronauts on different types of celestial bodies or reaching the farthest points in space. UFO tokens and other module components can also provide bonus points or special abilities that contribute to the final score.

The game concludes when one of two conditions is met: either all players have disembarked all of their astronaut tokens from the rocket, or the rocket has crashed a predetermined number of times (indicated by the rocket token reaching the end of its crash track). Once the game ends, players proceed to the final scoring phase. All points from landed astronauts on planets and moons, completed secret missions, and fulfilled public objectives are tallied. The player with the highest total victory points is declared the winner of MLEM: Space Agency.