Nemesis: Retaliation

To set up Nemesis: Retaliation with the Tinkering Pause insert, first ensure all components from the core game and expansions are consolidated into two boxes. The core box will house the majority of the game's components. Begin by placing the Rooms Help Sheet and Game Terms reference sheet on top. Next, add the cardboard cutouts for the game board and dashboards. Below these, stack the various rulebooks, which are secured by a ridge in the insert. The main compartment of the insert is then revealed, featuring custom trays for miniatures, tokens, and cards. Miniatures are stored in trays with specific slots or tracks to keep them secure, even if painted. Tokens, including acrylic upgrades, are organized in trays with dividers for easy access. Card trays accommodate sleeved cards up to 100 microns thick, with dividers for different card types. The expansion box follows a similar organization, housing additional miniatures, tokens, and cards in custom trays, also designed to maximize space and protect components.

The primary objective in Nemesis: Retaliation is for each player to successfully complete their secret objective, which is revealed at the start of the game. These objectives can vary widely, from simply surviving and escaping the ship to completing specific tasks, eliminating certain alien types, or even ensuring the destruction of the vessel. Players must navigate the treacherous ship, manage resources, and combat alien threats while working towards their personal goals, often leading to tense and unpredictable gameplay as individual objectives may conflict.

During a player's turn, they will typically perform actions using their character's unique abilities and available resources. Actions might include moving between rooms, searching for items, attacking aliens, repairing ship systems, or interacting with various environmental elements. Players must also contend with alien encounters, which are resolved through dice rolls and card draws, and unexpected ship events that can alter the game state. The custom insert facilitates gameplay by providing easily accessible trays for tokens, cards, and miniatures, streamlining the process of drawing, placing, and managing components during each turn.

Scoring in Nemesis: Retaliation is primarily determined by the successful completion of each player's secret objective. There isn't a universal scoring track or point system that applies to all players equally. Instead, the game focuses on individual success based on the unique conditions of their chosen objective. Some objectives might grant victory simply by being met, while others might require specific conditions to be true at the game's conclusion. The game's emphasis is on narrative and personal achievement rather than competitive point accumulation.

The game concludes when one of several conditions is met: all players have successfully completed their secret objectives and escaped, the ship is completely destroyed, or all player characters are eliminated. The specific ending conditions can vary based on the chosen scenario and player actions throughout the game. The condensed storage solution helps in quickly packing away components once the game concludes, making the transition from gameplay to storage efficient.