Nucleum: Australia — Rules Manual

Saxony’s energy revolution was so impactful that everyone wanted to start using Nucleums in their regions.
Australia’s huge deposits of uranium were ripe for the taking, leading to visionaries—lured by the vast
number of possibilities—visiting the continent and changing it into a new global power. Here, these
entrepreneurs have to face new challenges presented by the sheer size of the continent. Fortunately, the clever
use of shipping lanes will help them transport resources more efficiently than by rail and even gain access to the
nearby island of Tasmania, where a mad scientist conducting his own experiments managed to replicate Elsa’s
invention, which is now proudly presented as an Experimental Power Plant in the island’s capital of Hobart.
COMPONENTS
1 AUSTRALIA MAIN BOARD (DOUBLE-SIDED)
1 SPECIAL
SHIPPING TILE
1 COAL MINE EXTRACTION TILE
4 BOATS
1 ADDITIONAL
PLAYER AID
1 NEW MILESTONE TILE
13 NEW SETUP CARDS
1 NUCLEUM
TOKEN
11 NEW CONTRACT TILES (INCLUDING 2 REPLACEMENTS)
8 COAL MINE TILES5 NEW ACTION TILES
2 SIDE BOARD OVERLAYS
1 POWER PLANT
STANDEE
3 NEUTRAL
BOATS
PER PLAYER COLOR (X4)

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1.Place the Australia main board in the center of the table with
the side matching the number of players facing up, and place
the side board next to the main board.
2.Place the Coal Import Wagon tiles with the side showing Place the Coal Import Wagon tiles with the side showing
facing up on the indicated spots on the Queensland coal
import area.
3.Place the VP Flag token under the “75” spot on the VP track.
4.Place the Coal Mine tiles on the spaces in the cities indicated on the tiles.
5.After separating the 20 Base Action tiles from the base game, add the 5 new ones into the remaining 30 and shuffle them together. Then, continue setting up the Action tiles as normal.
6.Place the two side board overlays on their respective locations in the Contract market and the endgame condition area.
7.Perform Contract setup with the following changes:
A.Remove the following base game Contracts: C06, C13, C24, and C26 (i.e., those relating to Praha or tile count).
B.Add the five new Silver, five new Gold, and one new Purple contract to their respective stacks before shuffling.
C.Select two more Silver and two more Gold contracts than instructed in the base game (8/11/14 Silver contracts and 12/14/18 Gold contracts when playing with 2/3/4 players).
8.Shuffle the new Milestone tile with the base Milestone tiles before selecting four for the game.
9.Do not use the Riesa Power Plant standee. Instead, place
a Power Plant standee with the Nucleum token on top in Hobart.
10.Using the new Setup cards, place the starting Nucleum, Neutral
Urban Building tiles, and Rubble tiles following the same steps as in the base game. Then use the same cards for next step.
11.Additionally, place Neutral Boats on the shipping lanes visible
on the first revealed Setup card. Place three Neutral Boats in a 2-player game and two Neutral Boats in a 3- or 4-player game.
12.Give each player one Special Shipping tile (increasing the
number of starting tiles by one), one Coal Mine Extraction tile, four Boats in their color, and one player aid.
CHANGES IN MAP SETUP
CHANGES IN PLAYER BOARD SETUP
CHANGES IN SETUP
SETUP - AUSTRALIA EXPANSION
5
8
7
6
6

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SETUP - AUSTRALIA EXPANSION
2
1
4
4
4
4
3
9
10
11
11
11
12

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Nucleum: Australia introduces several new
concepts and rule changes to the base game. All
the new tiles from this expansion can be easily
distinguished by the kangaroo icon depicted
on them.
Shipping lanes are a new connection type between cities, different
from regular links. There can be multiple Boats on a single
Shipping lane but only one Boat per player. Shipping lanes with
your Boats extend your network, just as a rail line does;
however, they are not Railway tiles for the purposes of Milestones,
Contracts, and scoring Technologies. You may transport coal and
uranium using your own Boats, but unlike completed rail lines,
however, you cannot transport electricity using Boats. And finally,
you cannot transport anything using other players’ Boats.
The new Place a Boat action allows you to place
a Boat on a Shipping lane. The cost of placing
a Boat is 1 Thaler, plus 1 Thaler for each Boat
already present on that Shipping lane. You may
place a Boat on any Shipping lane where you
do not already have a Boat. Just like when placing a Railway tile,
this Shipping lane does not need to be connected to any of your
networks.
Your Special Directive tile cannot be used to perform a Place a
Boat action.
The new Special Shipping tile is a chaining tile: it
allows you to take a Place a Boat action (as described
above), then immediately play another tile on top of
this tile, also resolving it. You may never place this
Special Shipping tile as a railway.
SHIPPING LANES
COAL MINES
NEW CONCEPTS
Using the Industrialize action, you may (instead of placing a Turbine or a Uranium Mine) spend 1 Worker to take a Coal Mine tile from a city that is within one of your networks. Place the spent Worker on the empty Coal Mine space to indicate
your presence, and place the Coal Mine tile in any slot on your Coal Mine Extraction tile. If you perform the Industrialize action with a discount of 1 Worker, then take this Worker from the supply. Placing a Worker on a Coal Mine space that is not part of your network (only possible on your first turn or with certain Technologies) adds that city into your networks. Workers on a Coal Mine space can therefore contribute to “Any Building” Contracts (such as C01-C04 and C18-C21). However, Coal Mines are not eligible for Contracts explicitly showing a Uranium Mine (i.e., C17, C33, and C39) and for the Uranium Mine Milestone, nor does the Worker on the Coal Mine count towards Workers on Railway tiles (i.e., C08, C25, and C50).
During Energize actions, each Coal Mine tile produces 1 free coal
at the Mine’s location, which you need to transport (as usual) to
the power plant you are activating to produce +1 electricity.
Your Coal Mine Extraction tile contains four spaces for your Coal
Mines. When you place a Coal Mine in a space adjacent to one that
already contains a Coal Mine, immediately receive the reward(s)
printed between those spaces.
NEW CONCEPTS - AUSTRALIA EXPANSION
EXAMPLE:Red uses their Special Shipping tile along with a tile
containing Industrialize and Energize actions. They want to place their Boat on the Shipping lane between Sydney and Hobart. Because Teal’s Boat is already on this space, Red pays 2 Thaler (instead of 1) before placing their Boat here.

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NEW CONCEPTS - AUSTRALIA EXPANSION
Next, Red uses their Industrialize
action to take a Coal Mine from
Toongi. It requires Red to use 1 of
their available Workers, placing it
on their Coal Mine space. Red then
places the tile on an available space
on the Coal Mine Extraction tile,
adjacent to an another Coal Mine
tile, thus immediately receiving a
reward of 2 Thaler.
Then, Red performs their
Energize action. Red transports
2 Uranium and 1 free coal from
their Uranium and Coal Mines
respectively, located in Toongi, to
Sydney via a completed rail line (A).
Additionally, Red pays 2 Thaler to
buy 2 coal from Queensland and
transports them via long distance
rail to Brisbane (B), then further to
Sydney via Shipping lanes by Boat
(C). Finally, Red transports all the
aforementioned coal and Uranium
from Sydney to Hobart by Boat (D),
where 2 Uranium are transformed
into 4 electricity and 3 coal into 3
electricity, while 1 electricity comes
from their 4th Turbine on their
player board (not shown). With 8
total electricity, Red’s building in
Hobart is energized (E). Red also has
a Coal Mine in Latrobe, but could
not transport its coal as they cannot
use Neutral Boats or Boats belonging
to other players. Furthermore, they
couldn’t use Hobart’s Power Plant
to energize Neutral Buildings
in Sydney because Boats cannot
transport electricity.
A
B
C
D
E

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6
COAL IMPORTS
On the Australia map, you may import
coal the usual way from Queensland
(top of the board), or you may pay 3
Thaler per coal (any number of times)
to import it from Adelaide.
The reward for placing a Nucleum here is a
Level 1 Technology.
The reward for placing a Nucleum here is a
completely free Place a Boat action.
This Power Plant has a pre-built
Nucleum. You cannot place
another Nucleum token here.
There is a reward of 1 Uranium
depicted on several railway spaces.
When you place a railway in one
of those spaces, you immediately
(before resolving your actions)
gain 1 Uranium, which you must place in one of your Uranium
Mines. If you did not build any Uranium Mines or they are all full,
you may convert that Uranium into a Worker as usual but only
after you have already placed an available Worker on the tile.
THE LUCAS HEIGHTS POWER PLANT
THE GEELONG POWER PLANT
THE HOBART EXPERIMENTAL POWER PLANT
MINOR URANIUM FINDINGS
MODIFIED ENDGAME CONDITIONS
In 3- and 4-player games, the number of conditions to trigger the end of the game has increased from 2 to 3, while in 2-player and solo games the number of conditions remains unchanged.
Players who are already well-acquainted with Nucleum and
Nucleum: Australia are encouraged to try the following expert
variant. Players no longer take Experiments in reverse player
order; instead, in player order, players proceed to an open auction,
using Victory Points to determine their order in choosing an
Experiment. The auction is an open-bidding process: each player
may “offer” an amount of VP to be first to choose—and this
amount must be higher than the previous said amount—or pass.
In a 4-player game, the player who passes first will choose last, then
the next player to pass must lose the amount of VP equal to their
last bid and be 3rd, and so on. In a 3-player game, only the first
and second players to choose lose their last bid amount of VP,
and in a 2-player game, only the first player to choose loses their
last bid amount of VP. All players must mark down (in any way
they choose) the amount they bid and lose that number of VP at
the end of the game, just before tallying up Victory Points and
determining the winner.
Expert variant is not supported by the solo mode.
EXPERT VARIANT
EXAMPLE:Players A, B, C, and D are bidding for priority of
choosing Experiments, as follows: A, “1 VP”; B, “3 VP”; C,
“4 VP”; D, “6 VP”’; A, “7 VP”; B, “Pass.” Being the first to
pass, B will be the last to choose an Experiment and loses no
VP. Bidding continues as follows: C, “8 VP”; D, “10 VP”;
A, “Pass.” So, A will choose third and must lose their last bid
amount of 7 VP. Bidding continues one final time: C, “11
VP”; D “12 VP”; C, “15 VP”; D, “Pass.” Therefore, D loses
their last bid amount of 12 VP and chooses second, while C
loses their last bid amount of 15 VP and chooses first. All
these Victory Points will be lost at the end of the game, before
determining the winner.
NEW CONCEPTS - AUSTRALIA EXPANSION

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The solo rules from the base game remain unchanged. Set up the
game as per regular Australia rules, using the setup rules for Baron
from the base game. Include the new Special Shipping tile in the
Baron’s tiles when shuffling, while the original Special Directive
tile continues to function as the stopblock. Give the Baron the
four Boats in its color but not the Coal Mine Extraction tile.
The end of the game is triggered in two ways:
•Two (not three) of the four Endgame Condition markers have
been placed.
•The Baron has Recharged three times (or if playing against two
Barons, once they both have Recharged three times).
Either way, finish the current round and then you and the Baron
play one additional turn as in the multiplayer game. However, the
Baron takes two Energize actions without paying Thaler on its last
turn instead of its usual selection procedure.
The Baron will take a Coal Mine off the board during the
Industrialize action as its lowest priority (if it cannot build a
Uranium Mine or a Turbine). It needs an available Worker to do
this, and it spends the Worker when doing so (placing it on the
Coal Mine space). If there is a Nucleum present in the same
network, the Baron scores 1 VP per Coal Mine when it performs
an Energize action (applying the same rules as for Uranium
Mines).
If the Baron selects the Special Shipping tile, it performs a Place a
Boat action (see below) and additionally resolves the tile directly
after it (the next one to the right), as if the die roll selected that
tile. If the next tile after the Special Shipping tile is the stopblock,
the Baron forfeits this additional action. After resolving both
the Special Shipping tile and the tile directly after it, move both
tiles (or just the Special Shipping tile of the next tile was used as a
railway or was the stopblock) to the end of the queue, preserving
their order. The Special Shipping tile can never be placed on the
board as a railway, so resolving it is always a Regular turn.
If there is a choice, the Baron prioritizes the Place a Boat action
before all other actions.
COAL MINES
SPECIAL SHIPPING TILE
BARON VON AUTOMAT
GOES TO OZ
Game Design: Dávid Turczi & Simone Luciani
Solo Mode Design: Dávid Turczi
Game Development: Andrei Novac, Maciej Górkowski,
Michał Cieślikowski, Kacper Frydrykiewicz, Kuba Polkowski, Borys Bielaś
Solo Development: Chuck Case, with Kacper Frydrykiewicz and Gary Perrin
Illustrations: Andreas Resch, Aleksander Zawada, Piotr Sokołowski
Graphic Design & DTP: Zbigniew Umgelter, Andreas Resch
Rulebook: Dávid Turczi
Rulebook DTP: Zbigniew Umgelter
Rulebook Editing: Emanuela and Robert Pratt
Board&Dice would like to thank the following
for their invaluable play testing, advice, and feedback:
Akwa Timba, Jan-Fredrik “JF” Wahlin. Charlie Adams, jnordmoe, Steve Fladda,
Andrew Cleverley, Yuriy Ivanov, Przemysław Kapica, Jarosław “Yaro” Pawełczyk,
Dario Ghidini, Jordan Thomas, Łukasz Stadnik, Joanna “Kocia” Szopińska, Jan
Skornowicz, Anita Sokołowska, Frikkie Borman, Adam Kamiński, Daniel Dubel,
Marta Szpaderska, Wade Bates, Lori Anné,
Anna Oksanen, Matthijs Huijzer, Giacomo A. Mallamaci, Marc Gerstein,
Maria Jóźwik, Janek Mikołajczak, Konrad Nowicki, Carl Zee, Pieter Jan Tiersma,
Laurens van der Beek and Jacob Coon.
© 2024 Board&Dice. All rights reserved.
For more information about Nucleum please visit:
www.boardanddice.com
CREDITS
The Baron selects a Shipping lane where there are the fewest Boats
already present. If multiple such spaces exist, use the standard
tie-breaker on the Logic card to choose between Shipping lanes
(using the numbers on the lanes themselves).
•If the selected lane already has one of your Boats, the Baron
pays 1 Thaler. The Neutral Boats and Boats belonging to
other Baron do not increase the Thaler cost. If it does not have
1 Thaler, it ignores spaces with your Boats.
•If no legal space can be selected (the Baron has a Boat on every
space, or every space with the fewest Boats has your Boats and
the Baron does not have 1 Thaler), the Baron forfeits the action.
If the forfeited action originated from the Special Shipping tile,
the Baron still resolves the tile directly after it.)
If you wish the Baron to put a greater pressure on you about
ending the game, use the following advanced variant. These rules
can be used in the base game or when playing with Australia.
•Put the two Action tiles the Baron receives during the setup
behind the stopblock.
•Change the Baron’s income at each Recharge to 2 Workers,
3 Thaler, 4 VP.
•When the Baron is resolving a Development action, and it has
8 or more tiles behind the stopblock, it removes 2 tiles from
the offer (to the box) instead of keeping them, and gains
1 worker and 2 VP instead.
• Baron can trigger the VP endgame condition.
THE SLY BARON CHALLENGE
SOLO RULES - AUSTRALIA EXPANSION
PLACE A BOAT ACTION

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APPENDIX
SILVER CONTRACTS
(C06B) Have 9 Action tiles (available or on top of
your player board), excluding Railway tiles.
Gain 1 Worker, and a Level 1 Technology.
(C51) Have 1 Coal Mine. Gain 3 VP and 1 Action tile from the offer without
paying any cost.
(C52) Have 2 Boats on Shipping lanes.
Gain a Level 1 Technology and 1 Worker income
step.
(C53) Have a total of 2 Uranium Mines and/or Coal Mines in different colored cities.
Gain a Level 1 Technology and 2 Thaler income
steps.
(C54) Have 1 Urban Building in Tasmania.
Gain a Level 1 Technology.
GOLD CONTRACTS
(C26B) Have 12 Action tiles (available or on top
of your player board), excluding Railway tiles.
Gain 2 Workers, a Level 2 Technology, and 5 VP.
(C55) Have 3 Coal Mines. Gain 6 VP and 2 Action tiles from the offer
without paying any cost.
(C56) Have 4 Boats on Shipping lanes.
Gain 3 VP, a Level 2 Technology, and 2 Worker
income steps.
(C57) Have a total of 3 Uranium Mines and/or Coal Mines in different colored cities.
Gain a Level 2 Technology and 2 Thaler income
steps.
(C58) Have 2 energized Urban Buildings in Tasmania.
Gain 4 Thaler and a Level 2 Technology.
PURPLE CONTRACTS
(C59) Have a total of 4 Uranium Mines and/or
Coal Mines in different colored cities.
Gain 6 VP, a Level 3 Technology, and 2 Thaler
income steps.
MILESTONE TILES
Score for every Boat you have on the map.
Place another tile on top of this one
Place a Boat
A Coal Mine
Tasmania
APPENDIX - AUSTRALIA EXPANSION
Missing or damaged components:
Although we take a lot of care to make sure that your game is complete, manufacturing mistakes can still leave you with a missing or damaged component. If that happens, please contact us to receive replacements swiftly, and with our sincere apologies.
Customer support:
https://boardanddice.com/customer-support/
LIVING RULES PLEDGE
We pledge to support every game well after its initial release. Despite rigorous
play testing and multiple rounds of both internal and external proofreading
and editing, occasionally the need for rules corrections or minor game play
adjustments are discovered only several months or years after the game was
manufactured. We promise to produce timely rules updates as necessary, along
with expanded FAQ clarifications if needed, available for download from our
website in digital PDF format.

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