There are three types of actions: fix-it actions, item actions, and special actions.
Fix-it Actions
Most of the actions taken by gnomes during the game revolve around trying to fix something that has gone horribly wrong. All fix-it actions follow these steps:
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The player decides how many minutes to spend attempting the repair. He can spend between 1 and 10 minutes.
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He adds any bonuses from Item Cards used that turn, if they help fix this particular problem.
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He rolls the action die: if the roll is less than or equal to the sum of time plus bonuses, the gnome succeeds in his task! Otherwise, he fails.
There is no additional penalty for failing a fix-it action (except that it takes time, and the more time passes, the more bad things happen).
The result of a successful fix-it action depends on what the gnome was doing.
Important: All items are discarded after a single use!
There are two types of fix-it actions: basic fix-it actions and room fix-it actions. Basic fix-it actions can be taken in any room on the submarine. Room fix-it actions cover repairs to the sub's critical systems, and can only be taken in specific rooms.
Basic Fix-it Actions: Fire, Flood, and Blocked Hatches
Fire, flooding, and jammed hatches can happen anywhere, so this type of repair can be undertaken in any room on the sub.
Extinguish Fire: This action is only possible if the gnome is in a room with a Fire token. In fact, if the room is on fire, this is the gnome's only option! If he is successful, remove the Fire token. If he fails, he must make a special extra move out of the room (spending time as per the normal movement rules). If he cannot exit the room for any reason (such as high water, fire, or blocked hatches) or he has no minutes left on the Time Track, he is killed.
Pump Water: If a gnome is in a room with a low-water token, he can attempt to remove it. If he succeeds, remove the low-water token. Note: this action is not possible in a room with a high-water token!
Unblock Hatch: If there is a Hatch Blocked token in the gnome's room, he can try to remove it. If he succeeds, remove one Hatch Blocked token from the room.
Example: Howard's gnome is in room 3 and wants to move to the Engine Room (room 1), but the hatch connecting the two rooms is blocked.
Fortunately, Howard's gnome has a Crowbar, which can grant him a +3 bonus to an Unblock Hatch fix-it action. Unfortunately, room 3 has a low-water Flood token, which means his fix-it action will take an additional two minutes (a time penalty that won't help him succeed at his action).
Howard decides he will spend four minutes performing an Unblock Hatch fix-it action and he will use his Crowbar. If he can roll a "7" or less on the action die, he will succeed at unblocking the hatch (4 minutes + 3 for the Crowbar).
Regardless of whether he succeeds or fails, Howard must move the Ghost Time Keeper forward six spaces (4 minutes spent on the fix-it action + 2 for the low-water penalty).
Using Items
Each player starts the game with two Item Cards, and may acquire more as the game goes on. Item Cards are kept faceup on the table in front of the player (unless players are using the "Crazed Gnome'' variant).
Players may only use Item Cards on their own turns. Item Cards can be used at any time during the turn, as long as it is played before any die roll that it affects. The benefits of an item last for the player's entire turn.
Items with multiple effects provide all of them when used. For example, a Grog card allows a gnome to enter burning rooms and gives a +3 bonus to fix-it actions.
Any number of items may be played during a turn (even multiple copies of the same item!). The effects of all items played are cumulative. For example, if a gnome uses a Toolbox and an Engine Manual on the same turn, he receives a +7 bonus to his Fix Engine action.
There is no limit to the number of Item Cards a player may hold in hand, though some events may force a player to discard Item Cards if they have too many.
All items are discarded after a single-use. Discarded Item cards are placed in a discard pile next to the Item Deck.
If the Item Deck runs out, all discarded items (including discarded Grog cards) are shuffled together to make a new draw pile.
Room Fix-it Actions: the Serious Problems
The various sub-threatening conditions can only be corrected with a room fix-it action. These problems are often associated with the three Disaster Tracks: Asphyxiation, Heat, and Pressure.
During the game, the Disaster Track Markers gradually move along their tracks. If one of the markers reaches the end of its track, the sub is destroyed and the players lose the game!
The only way to prevent such a disaster is by successfully completing a room fix-it action in the appropriate room before the marker reaches the end of the Disaster Track.
A gnome can only attempt a room fix-it action if he is in the specific room that holds the critical system he is trying to repair. The critical system rooms are marked with a symbol that matches the symbol on the Disaster Track and Destruction token that can be repaired in that room.
A successful room fix-it action on a critical system has two effects:
First, the matching Disaster Track, if any, is reset to the next lower reset point (marked with a star). If the Disaster Track Marker is on the sixth or higher space, it moves to the fifth space. If it is on the fifth space or lower, it moves to the first space.
Example: The Disaster Track Marker for the Heat Track (the red one) is on the eighth space - only two spaces away from disaster! Bethany has rushed to the Reactor to conduct repairs and she succeeds. The red Disaster Track Marker is moved back along the track to the fifth space, marked with the reset star.
Second, any matching Destruction token is removed from the Time Track.
Note: Any attempted repair automatically fails if the Ghost Time Keeper passes the matching Destruction token on the Time Track!
If a Disaster Track or Destruction token is not repaired in time, the sub is destroyed!
There are five possible room fix-it actions:
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Fix Engines: A gnome in the Engine Room (room 1) can fix the engines. A success here resets the Pressure Track (blue) and removes the "Crushed!'' token.
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Fix Oxygen Pumps: A gnome in the Oxygen Pumps (room 2) can fix the oxygen pumps. A success here resets the Asphyxia- tion Track (green) and removes the "Asphyxiated!" token.
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Fix Reactor: A gnome in the Reactor (room 4) can fix the reactor. A success here resets the Heat Track (red).
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Stop Missile Launch: A gnome in Missile Control (room 7) can prevent a missile launch. A success here removes the "Missiles Launched!" token.
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Kill Kraken: A gnome in the sea space outside the sub can attempt to kill the Kraken. A success here removes the "De- voured by Kraken" token.
Item Actions
There are two types of item actions:
Draw Item Cards: If the gnome is in the Equipment Stores (room 8) or Captain's Cabin (room 10), he can Draw Item Cards. It costs one minute for each Item Card drawn, in either location.
A gnome in the Captain's Cabin draws from the captain's private stash of Grog (as long as it lasts - once it is gone, no more cards can be drawn from the Captain's Cabin). A gnome may spend a maximum of two minutes on a Draw Item Cards action here.
A gnome in the Equipment Stores draws random cards from the Item Pile. He may spend up to four minutes on a Draw Item Cards action here.
After drawing his cards, the player moves his gnome into the red "Drew Item Cards" area of his room. The gnome stays in the red area until he leaves the room.
A gnome in the red area cannot take a Draw Item Cards action. He must perform an action in another room before he can return to collect more gear.
Example: Edmund spends two minutes collecting Grog cards from the Captain's Cabin (room 10).
Then he moves his Gnome figure into the red "Drew Item Cards" area of the Captain's Cabin, at the very nose of the Red November. He remains in this area until he moves into a different room.
Trade Item Cards: A gnome in the same room as another gnome may Trade Item Cards. The active player may give the other player any number of Item Cards from his hand, and the other player may also give the active player any number of Item Cards back.
This action always costs one minute (for the active player only).
Special Actions
There are two other special actions:
No Action: A gnome can choose to do nothing and take no action at all. This costs one minute. A player may take this option to allow another player to act before him, for example. This is the only option for a gnome in a room at high water.
Abandon Comrades: If the player's Time Keeper has passed the "10" space on the Time Track, he can choose to give up on saving the sub and swim away.
The gnome must be outside the sub (using an Aqualung, of course) to take this action.
The gnome swims to safety, leaving his comrades to their fate! Remove the gnome figure and his Time Keeper from the board. He can- not take any more actions for the rest of the game.
Do not resolve any events this turn. When a player abandons his comrades, his victory conditions are reversed: if the submarine is destroyed he wins, but if the other gnomes are rescued, he loses!
Kicking the Bucket
The Red November is a dangerous place. Deadly, even. As a result, it is possible for one - or many - of its brave sailors to pass on before help arrives or the submarine sinks.
During any player's Updates Phase, if any fainted gnome occupies a room with either a high-water Flood token or Fire token, that gnome is immediately killed (even if it is not his turn).
The active gnome is exposed to a few additional risks:
If he is outside the sub and faints, he is killed.
If he is in a room with a high-water Flood token or Fire token at the beginning of his Updates Phase (i.e., he was unable to move out of the room during his turn), he is killed.
If he started the turn outside the sub, and is still outside the sub at the beginning of his Updates Phase, his Aqualung runs out of air and he is killed (exception: a gnome who takes the Abandon Comrades action is not killed).
When a gnome is killed, remove his figure and Time Keeper from the board. That player is eliminated from the game and takes no further actions. Discard any Item Cards that gnome was carrying.
If the active gnome was killed, also remove the Ghost Time Keeper. Do not resolve any events this turn.
If the optional rule "Less Deadly Dying'' is in effect, follow those rules instead.
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