Count Down: The Adventure-in-Space Game

This 1966 game is based on the Apollo project aimed at putting the first man on the moon. It is a game for 2-6 players, who roll dice to move around the board while building up a full four-stage Saturn rocket and then successfully launching it.

Components include the board, 36 Astronaut (or "Condition") playing cards with period photographs, 20 yellow Chance cards, 8 green Espionage cards, 12 pink Sabotage cards, 4 plastic rockets, each in four stages, 6 wooden rocket playing pieces, money in "mios" or $millions, and 36 markers.

To do so, players must land on squares allowing them to collect research grants, buy rocket parts or "Condition" cards that fill in each player's Control Board, and collect Chance, Espionage or Sabotage cards to help their own projects or hurt their opponents. There is even a funny "Astronaut Training" space where players must get up and do 10 knee bends or pay 100 mio for being out of condition. Players may trade cards or parts by moving into another player's home area.

Once all four stages are ready and the Control Board is full, a player may attempt a final Count Down. He must roll 2D6 three times, and if he gets a cumulative total of 25 or more, he wins the game. He may roll again on succeeding turns unless of course his project is sabotaged.