Hello, speed and strategy enthusiasts! Welcome to the complete guide for "Heat: Heavy Rain," the expansion that brings the thrill of the Japanese Grand Prix to your table. Prepare for a race under a heavy sky, where the treacherous track and new mechanics will test your driving and resource management skills. Let's accelerate!

Game Objective

In "Heat: Heavy Rain," players take on the roles of racing drivers competing in the challenging Japanese Grand Prix. The central theme revolves around the unpredictability and dangers of racing in heavy rain, where the track becomes a trap and every decision can mean the difference between victory and retirement. The main objective is to be the fastest and most efficient driver, crossing the finish line first and accumulating the highest possible score at the end of the race.

Setup

Setting up for a race in "Heat: Heavy Rain" involves assembling the board and distributing the starting components to each player. Follow these steps:

• Place the double-sided game board, choosing the Japan track.
• Each player receives a player board, a Gear Lever, a race car, and a set of 5 Stress cards.
• Deal 12 Basic cards and 3 Initial Upgrade cards to each player.
• The 15 Heat cards are prepared according to the general rules of the base game.
• The Advanced Upgrade cards (numbered 49 to 54, 2 copies of each), 2 Track cards, 4 Event cards (1964 Season), and 7 Sponsorship cards are added to their respective decks, as indicated in the manual.
• For the Weather and Track Conditions Module, draw only one Track Condition Token for each Chicane.

Game Flow

The game progresses in rounds, with each player taking their turn in sequence. The exact turn structure and maintenance or global event phases are detailed in the base game manual. However, the "Heat: Heavy Rain" expansion introduces elements that can alter the flow:

• Flooded Spaces: If you start a Round in a Flooded Space, downshifting in Phase 1 will cost 1 additional Heat. This means a single downshift will cost 1 Heat in total, and two downshifts will cost 2 Heat.
• Chicanes: These consist of 2 consecutive Corner Lines with the same Speed Limit and 1 or more Spaces between them. If the Weather and Track Conditions Module is used, the Track Condition Tokens associated with the Chicanes can modify the sector after the Chicane or both Corner Lines.
• Aggressive Legends: If a Legend starts its turn in a space with a chevron above the diamond on the track, it can move through an additional Corner Line in that Round. This rule can also be applied to the Great Britain track in the base game by drawing a Chevron on the "0" space in front of corners with a Speed Limit of 6, 5, and 4.

Actions and How to Play

The actions available to players are those described in the base game manual. The "Heat: Heavy Rain" expansion introduces new elements that can influence the choice and execution of these actions:

• Advanced Upgrade Cards: These cards, numbered 49 to 54, are added to the Upgrade decks.
• Event Cards (1964 Season): These 4 cards can be used to play the 1964 Season or added to a custom Event deck.
• Sponsorship Cards: In Press Corners, players receive 2 Sponsorship cards instead of one.
• Supercooling Symbol: This is an Optional Symbol for Phase 5. It allows you to look at your discard pile and remove up to # Heat cards, returning them to your Engine space. If there are no Heat cards in the discard pile, the symbol is lost.

Refer to the manual for details on specific actions and card usage.

End of Game and Scoring

The game ends when a player crosses the finish line. The final score is calculated based on various criteria, including final position in the race and other factors detailed in the base game manual. Victory and defeat conditions are determined by the total accumulated score.

Refer to the manual for details on the exact end-game trigger, all scoring criteria, and specific victory and defeat conditions.

Tips for Winning

To excel on the treacherous tracks of "Heat: Heavy Rain," consider the following tips:

• Carefully manage your Heat, especially when facing Flooded Spaces, as the additional cost can impact your ability to downshift.
• Pay attention to Chicanes and their associated Track Condition Tokens, as they can significantly alter track behavior and require adjustments to your strategy.
• Take advantage of the opportunities offered by Sponsorship cards in Press Corners to strengthen your hand and gain strategic advantages.