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The Manhattan Project
Minion Games · 2012
2–5120 min13+ yrs3.0/5 complexity7.3 BGG#572 BGG12,7 KStrategy
⚡ short answer
How do you play The Manhattan Project?
The goal of The Manhattan Project is to be the first player to reach a predetermined number of victory points, which is achieved by designing, building, and loading nuclear bombs. Players will engage in a race to develop the most powerful nuclear weapons, using espionage and military force to gain an advantage over their opponents and ensure their nation's defense.
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the rules in 60 seconds▶ auto · 1/6
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01
Setup
Set up the main board with resource tracks, building market, and bomb cards; each player gets an individual board with starting workers, money, and aircraft, with bonuses based on turn order.
The rules, step by step
Setup
The main board is set up with tracks for espionage, plutonium, and enriched uranium, along with markers for each nation. Implosion test markers (0, 4, 8) are used for 3 players. The building market is populated with 6 red-backed cards and 1 blue-backed card drawn randomly. Four random bomb cards are placed on the main board. Each player receives an individual board, 4 laborers, $10, and 1 fighter and 1 bomber token on space 1 of their air force track. Engineers and scientists are placed to the side. Yellowcake cubes, money, damage markers, loaded bomb markers, and neutral workers are placed in a general supply. Players receive starting bonuses based on their turn order, as indicated in the rulebook setup table.
Objective
The goal of The Manhattan Project is to be the first player to reach a predetermined number of victory points, which is achieved by designing, building, and loading nuclear bombs. Players will engage in a race to develop the most powerful nuclear weapons, using espionage and military force to gain an advantage over their opponents and ensure their nation's defense.
On your turn
On your turn, you must choose one of two options: either place workers or retrieve workers. When placing workers, you can place them first on the main board, then on your individual buildings, but not vice-versa. Only one worker can be placed per main board space, except for the 'Construction' space (unlimited workers) and the 'Design Bomb' space (exactly two workers). Each worker placed immediately performs its associated action. When retrieving workers, you must follow three steps in order: 1) return all permanent workers from the main board and other players' boards to your personal reserve; 2) return all workers from your buildings and bombs to your personal reserve; 3) return any neutral workers from the main board or your personal reserve to the general supply. Worker retrieval must involve at least one of your permanent workers.
Scoring
Victory points are primarily scored by completing bomb cards, which have a victory point value indicated on them. Loading a bomb also grants 5 additional victory points. For plutonium bombs, testing one allows you to score the highest victory point value among all your constructed plutonium bombs for the rest of the game, rather than just the individual bomb's value. This encourages strategic testing to maximize plutonium bomb scoring.
Game end
The game ends immediately when any player reaches or exceeds a specific number of victory points, which varies based on the number of players: 70 points for 2 players, 60 for 3 players, 50 for 4 players, and 45 for 5 players. The player who triggers this condition and has the most victory points at that moment wins the game.
Tips
Early in the game, prioritize actions that allow you to gain new workers, as a larger workforce will significantly boost your production capabilities. However, do not neglect actions that generate money and uranium, as these resources are crucial for building and loading bombs. Be vigilant about your opponents' aircraft and be prepared for air strikes, which can damage your buildings and slow your progress. The espionage action is powerful; use it to exploit opponents' buildings, especially if you lack certain building types, and to block their access to their own facilities. When testing plutonium bombs, aim to test a bomb with a high victory point value to maximize your score for all subsequent plutonium bombs. Finally, carefully consider the timing of retrieving your workers, as this action frees up spaces on the main board and your buildings, potentially opening up valuable opportunities for your opponents.
game anatomy
Complexity3.0 / 5
BGG rating7.3 / 10
Vibe
Strategy
Language dependence
No in-game text needed
Play time
120 min
Players
2–5
Recommended age
13+ yrs
BGG rank
#572
from Trișache · verified
Frequently asked questions
Q1What is the goal of the game?
The goal of The Manhattan Project is to be the first player to reach a predetermined number of victory points, which is achieved by designing, building, and loading nuclear bombs. Players will engage in a race to develop the most powerful nuclear weapons, using espionage and military force to gain an advantage over their opponents and ensure their nation's defense.
Q2How do you set up the game?
The main board is set up with tracks for espionage, plutonium, and enriched uranium, along with markers for each nation. Implosion test markers (0, 4, 8) are used for 3 players. The building market is populated with 6 red-backed cards and 1 blue-backed card drawn randomly. Four random bomb cards are placed on the main board. Each player receives an individual board, 4 laborers, $10, and 1 fighter and 1 bomber token on space 1 of their air force track. Engineers and scientists are placed to the side. Yellowcake cubes, money, damage markers, loaded bomb markers, and neutral workers are placed in a general supply. Players receive starting bonuses based on their turn order, as indicated in the rulebook setup table.
Q3How does a turn work?
On your turn, you must choose one of two options: either place workers or retrieve workers. When placing workers, you can place them first on the main board, then on your individual buildings, but not vice-versa. Only one worker can be placed per main board space, except for the 'Construction' space (unlimited workers) and the 'Design Bomb' space (exactly two workers). Each worker placed immediately performs its associated action. When retrieving workers, you must follow three steps in order: 1) return all permanent workers from the main board and other players' boards to your personal reserve; 2) return all workers from your buildings and bombs to your personal reserve; 3) return any neutral workers from the main board or your personal reserve to the general supply. Worker retrieval must involve at least one of your permanent workers.
Q4How is scoring calculated?
Victory points are primarily scored by completing bomb cards, which have a victory point value indicated on them. Loading a bomb also grants 5 additional victory points. For plutonium bombs, testing one allows you to score the highest victory point value among all your constructed plutonium bombs for the rest of the game, rather than just the individual bomb's value. This encourages strategic testing to maximize plutonium bomb scoring.
Q5When and how does the game end?
The game ends immediately when any player reaches or exceeds a specific number of victory points, which varies based on the number of players: 70 points for 2 players, 60 for 3 players, 50 for 4 players, and 45 for 5 players. The player who triggers this condition and has the most victory points at that moment wins the game.
Q6What tips are there for beginners?
Early in the game, prioritize actions that allow you to gain new workers, as a larger workforce will significantly boost your production capabilities. However, do not neglect actions that generate money and uranium, as these resources are crucial for building and loading bombs. Be vigilant about your opponents' aircraft and be prepared for air strikes, which can damage your buildings and slow your progress. The espionage action is powerful; use it to exploit opponents' buildings, especially if you lack certain building types, and to block their access to their own facilities. When testing plutonium bombs, aim to test a bomb with a high victory point value to maximize your score for all subsequent plutonium bombs. Finally, carefully consider the timing of retrieving your workers, as this action frees up spaces on the main board and your buildings, potentially opening up valuable opportunities for your opponents.
Q7How much does The Manhattan Project cost?
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Q8Where can I buy The Manhattan Project cheapest?
Check the Prices tab — howtoplay.ro aggregates offers from 7+ Romanian board-game stores and tracks price history.
Q9How do you play The Manhattan Project?
The Manhattan Project is a aviation / flight game, for 2–5 players, taking ~120 minutes, featuring action retrieval. Check the Rules tab for setup, gameplay, and scoring, or ask Trișache anything about The Manhattan Project — our AI assistant built by howtoplay.ro and trained specifically on board game rulebooks.
Q10How many players does The Manhattan Project support?
The Manhattan Project is played by 2–5 players.
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The Manhattan Project 3rd Edition
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RON 194
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Price history
Price trend over the last 90 days: minimum 177 lei, maximum 194 lei, now 194 lei.
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