Components

• 1 game board
• 2 summary cards for each player
• 9 transporter agent cards in 4 player colors
• 9 fighter agent cards in 4 player colors
• 24 relic cards
• 1 miner figure in 4 player colors
• 1 score marker cube in 4 player colors
• 125 crystals
• 1 player screen in 4 player colors
• 6 special agent cards in 4 player colors
• 11 extra cards
• Instructions

Object of the Game

Setup

Each player chooses a company and takes the transporter agent cards, fighter agent cards, miner figure, score marker, and player screen in his color, as well as 2 summary cards.

Note that the companies have both their own symbols and colors - On the bottom right corner on the face of each agent card there is a symbol of the company, while on the back of the card there is both the color and the symbol of the company.

If there are fewer than 4 players, place the unused pieces back in the box. Set aside the special agent cards (with the yellow symbol on the upper right corner) as they will not be needed for the basic game. Instructions for the advanced game can be found at the end of this rulebook.

Place the game board in the middle of the table. There is a scoring track around the edges of the board. Each player places his score marker on the starting position on the bank (this is score 0).

The board shows the 5 levels of the mine. At the beginning of the game, the miners will start in the 4 mine entrance spaces at the top of the game board. As the game proceeds, the miners will descend into the mine, one level deeper each round. Place all of the crystals next to the board. This will become the bank.

The space in front of the player's screen represents his campsite. Gathered crystals and relic cards are temporarily kept at the campsites. The space behind the player's screen is the company's base (or home).

The players' goal is to take as many crystals and cards home as they can manage to scrounge in order to score victory points at the end of the game. While the goods kept at the campsite are visible to other players and can be stolen, goods taken home are safe.

Each player shuffles his fighter and transporter decks separately and places his fighter deck face down to the left of his screen, and his transporter deck to the right. There are symbols on the screen to show the place for the two decks. Each player draws 3 cards from both of his decks and takes them into his hand.

Shuffle the relic cards and place the deck face down next to the board. Each player draws I relic card from this deck and places it face down in his campsite.

Players may look at their own relic cards at any time during the game. Each player receives I red, 2 blue and 3 white crystals as starting resources and places them in his base (behind his screen).

Each player receives 2 summary cards: one with a rules outline, and one with an overview of the agent cards' statistics and distribution. The start player order is determined randomly: One player hides the miner figures in his hand. Another player picks one figure at a time without looking.

When the first miner figure is picked, its owner places it on the start space nr. I. (the starting position that is farthest from the mine entrance), the second figure is placed on the start space nr. II. etc.

(In a 3-player game the figures are placed on spaces I. to III., in a 2 player game they are placed on space I. and space III).. Each figure's owner takes the number of crystals displayed on his starting space and puts them in their campsite.

Game Play

Rounds are divided into the following 4 phases: mining, building up teams, action, ending the round.

1. Mining

Mining order for the round is auctioned off by using the following method: Each player secretly takes as many crystals from behind his screen (his home) as he wishes and hides them in his hands.

When all players are ready, they simultaneously reveal the crystals in their hands. The bid crystals are paid to the bank (players may not make changes with their crystals).

The player with the most generous offer (highest value bid) now places his miner figure on any desired free (i.e. not occupied) mine space on the next lower mine level on the board.

He also takes the crystals and/or cards shown in the place he now occupies and puts them in his campsite. Then, the player with the second-highest bid does the same, etc.

All the miners end up on the same level, but on different spaces. In case of a tie, the player whose miner is currently ahead in the mine comes first.

If you move a miner to a space where there is more than one option of a group of goods to take (divided by a question mark) he has to choose one option or the other.

For each card symbol on the space, the player draws 2 cards from the relic draw pile, keeps one of them, and discards the other one face up on the discard pile.

When the relic card pile is exhausted, shuffle the discard pile and make it into a new draw pile.

1st level

2. Building Up the Teams

Each player chooses an agent card from his hand and places it face down in front of him. When all the players have finished, they simultaneously reveal their card so that the other players are able to see them.

Repeat this procedure three times, thus each player will end up with a team of three agents for the current turn.

The overall initiative of the team will determine the player order for the current round's action phase.The team initiative is the sum of its members' individual speeds. In case of a tie, the player whose miner figure is ahead goes first.

For agents that have a crystal multiplier icon, multiply the number of crystals of the appropriate color at your campsite with the number shown on the card to get the initiative value of the agent.

3. Action

In the action phase each player will carry out one action in the order determined by the team initiative values (in descending order).The player carrying out his action is called the active player.

The active player may choose only one of three possible actions: loading goods, raid, mining overtime. The active player may activate (turn over) I or 2 of his relic cards at his campsite in order to enhance his loading capacity or combat value.

Loading Capacity

The loading capacity icon shows how many and what types of crystals and relics can be transported from a player's campsite in the current round.

This capacity may never be exceeded, it can however be increased by using a relic card. White crystals can be loaded in lieu of red and blue crystals in proportion to their value (2 white crystals for a blue one, or 3 white ones for a red one).

Loaded goods should be first placed onto the agent or relic cards that are transporting them to make it clear that the capacity is not being exceeded. Goods that cannot be loaded remain at the campsite.

A. Loading Goods

The active player loads crystals and cards that are within his loading capacity to transport them either home, or to the bank for victory points. He has to choose one of the following two options:

1. Transporting goods from your campsite to your base (home):

   Place the crystals and relic cards face down onto your transporter agents and flipped relic cards to show other players that their capacity is not being exceeded, then put the goods behind your screen.

   Goods at home are safe and cannot be stolen by your opponents. You will receive victory points for these crystals at the end of the game. Relic cards taken home cannot be used for action, but will score victory points at the end of the game as well.

2. Selling goods from your campsite to the bank:

   Place the crystals and relic cards face down onto your transporter agents and flipped relic cards to show other players that your capacity is not being exceeded, then put the goods into the bank. Sold relic cards should be put onto the discard pile.

   For each sold crystal and relic card (regardless of its type) you receive 2 victory points and move your scoring marker accordingly.

At the end of his action, the active player puts all 3 of his agent cards on his own discard pile of agent cards. If any relic cards were played for the action, they should be discarded as well.

B. Raid

The active player may choose to attack any one other player's campsite if his team's combat value is higher than that of the attacked team's

If a player's campsite has been deserted for the round, it can be attacked even by a team with a combat value of 0.

The attacker may steal as many goods from the attacked player's campsite as he is able to transport (see loading goods).

Stolen goods should first be placed onto the cards (transporter agents or transport relic cards) to show that there is sufficient capacity for them. Goods that were not stolen remain at the campsite.

Face down relic cards can be stolen from the campsite as well; they take up a space for I blue or I red crystal. The active player first announces how many cards he wishes to steal, and takes them randomly from the attacked player.

The stolen goods can be transported to three different locations; the active player has to announce where he wishes to take them:

Aion steals I blue and 2 red crystals from Ruby & Co.

1. Taking the stolen goods home (to the base): Place the stolen goods (and the stolen goods only) behind your screen. If you choose to do this, you have to discard your team and played relic cards, and your campsite will remain defenseless for the rest of this round.

2. Selling the stolen goods to the bank: Put the stolen crystals into the bank and the relic cards onto the discard pile to sell them.

3. For each crystal and relic card sold, you receive 2 victory points, and move your scoring marker accordingly.

4. Taking the stolen goods to your own campsite: Put the stolen goods in front of your screen. Your agents and used weapon cards remain at your campsite to defend it against attacks for the rest of the round.

Relic Cards

Relic cards have a dual function: While at the campsite they can be used to support the players' action, or they can be taken home or to the bank to score victory points.

To use a card for the action the active player (and the active player only) may flip a weapon or transport card to increase his combat value or loading capacity for the round.

• Weapon cards will increase the combat value of the team (for both attacking and defending).

• Transport cards will increase the loading capacity of the team by the number and types of the crystals shown on the card.

• If the active player transports goods home or to the bank, the relic cards that he played in this round have to be discarded (he deserts his campsite for the round).

• If, however the player transports goods to his campsite or chooses mining overtime action, his played weapon card remains in front of him to defend against attacks.

• Played (flipped) relic cards cannot be taken by the opponents.

• Players may look at their own relic cards at any time.

• When the draw pile of relic cards is exhausted, shuffle the discard pile to make a new draw pile.

C. Mining Overtime

The active player takes any combination of crystals from the bank equalling 6 points of value (e.g. 2 red, or 3 blue, or 6 white, or I of each).Your agents and used relic cards remain at your campsite to defend it against any attacks for the round.

List of Special Abilities

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  Defense: Defense points are added to the combat value, but only when the team is being attacked and not when it is attacking.

  
  
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  Thief: the active player may steal the shown crystals from anyone other player's campsite, even if his combat value is lower than his opponent's. Stolen crystals are taken to the campsite.

  
  
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  Spy: The active player may choose an opponent and look at the relic cards at his campsite. Then he may steal one relic card of his choice and take it to his campsite.

  
  
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  Eminent miner: The active player receives the goods shown on the card from the bank or relic card deck and takes them to his campsite.

  
  
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  Alchemist: The active player may turn any white crystals into a blue one at his campsite. In practice, this means that you have to give your white crystals to the bank and take the same amount of blue crystals.

  Instead of turning white crystals into blue, you can turn blue ones into red. It is not possible to choose both options or to turn white crystals into red or vice versa.

  
  

Mission Cards

Shuffle the 4 mission cards at the beginning of the game, and deal one to each player. Thus, each player will have a secret mission. The player who completes his mission at the end of the game receives 10 victory points.

To complete a mission you have to possess the most crystals of one type or the most relic cards (types don't count) behind your screen, depending on the mission card.

Ending the Round

All players place their teams on their own discarded agents piles.All used relic cards are also discarded. All players now draw 3 new agent cards in any combination of fighters and transporters.

Cards are drawn one at a time, so it is possible to change your mind about which type you wish to draw next depending on the card you have just drawn.At the end of each round, all players end up with 6 agent cards in their hands.

End of the Game

Advanced Game with Special Agents

• In this variant players are allowed to customize their squads of agents. Each player receives his 6 special agent cards (with yellow symbols in the upper right corner). For each player, there are 3 identical special agents and 3 unique ones.

• Players choose 6 cards to discard in the following distribution: 2 agents with I star, 2 with 2 stars and 2 with 3 stars.The remaining 18 cards will make up their squads for the game.

• There is no restriction as to how many of each type of agents (transporter and fighter) are drafted to the squads.

• he discarded agent cards are put back in the box without being shown to the other players.

• The abilities of the special agents are shown to the right of their speed value. When these agents are selected in the teams, their abilities will allow carrying out additional special actions that can be combined with the active player's normal action.

• The active player may choose whether they want to activate his agent's special action before or after his normal action. Carrying out the special actions is mandatory.

Optional Rules for a More Tactical Game

At the beginning of the game each player chooses any 9 of his agent cards and takes them into his hand. Separate the remaining cards into a transporter deck and a fighter deck, and after shuffling, use them as in the base game.

This means you draw 3 new agent cards as usual in the end of each round to have 9 cards in hand.

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