Nucleum: Australia — How to Play

Objective of the Game

In Nucleum: Australia, players take on the roles of entrepreneurs capitalizing on Australia's uranium deposits to revolutionize energy production. The goal is to expand your network, build infrastructure, and efficiently manage resources to generate the most Victory Points (VP) by the end of the game. The game ends when specific endgame conditions are met, and the player with the highest VP wins.

Preparation (Setup)

1. Place the Australia main board in the center, using the side matching the player count. Place the side board next to it.
2. Place Coal Import Wagon tiles on the Queensland coal import area.
3. Place the VP Flag token under the "75" spot on the VP track.
4. Place Coal Mine tiles on their indicated city spaces.
5. Shuffle the 5 new Action tiles with the base game's 30, then set them up as usual.
6. Place the side board overlays in the Contract market and endgame condition area.
7. Modify Contract setup: Remove base game Contracts (C06, C13, C24, C26) and add new Silver, Gold, and Purple Contracts. Adjust quantities based on player count.
8. Shuffle the new Milestone tile with the base tiles and select four for the game.
9. Place the Power Plant standee with the Nucleum token in Hobart (do not use the Riesa standee).
10. Use the new Setup cards to place starting Nucleum, Neutral Buildings, and Rubble tiles. Place Neutral Boats on shipping lanes as indicated.
11. Give each player:
    • 1 Special Shipping tile
    • 1 Coal Mine Extraction tile
    • 4 Boats (in their color)
    • 1 player aid

Flow of the Game

The game follows the base Nucleum structure with these additions:

• Shipping lanes and Coal Mines introduce new actions and resource management.
• In 3- and 4-player games, three endgame conditions (instead of two) must be met to trigger the finale.
• Players take turns performing actions like Place a Boat, Industrialize, and Energize, adapting to Australia's unique challenges.

Consulte o manual para detalhes sobre esta seção.

Actions and How to Play

Shipping Lanes and Boats

Shipping lanes are new connections between cities. Key rules:

• Multiple Boats can occupy one lane, but only one per player.
• Boats extend your network but cannot transport electricity.
• Cost to place a Boat: 1 Thaler + 1 Thaler per existing Boat on the lane.

Special Shipping Tile

This tile lets you take a Place a Boat action, then immediately play another tile on top. It cannot be used as a railway.

Coal Mines

During Industrialize, spend 1 Worker to take a Coal Mine tile from a city in your network. Place it on your Coal Mine Extraction tile to earn rewards for adjacent placements. Coal Mines produce 1 free coal during Energize.

Modified Power Plants

• Lucas Heights: Reward for placing a Nucleum is a Level 1 Technology.
• Geelong: Reward is a free Place a Boat action.
• Hobart: Pre-built Nucleum; no additional token can be placed here.

End of Game and Scoring

The game ends when:

• 3 (or 2 in solo/2-player games) endgame conditions are triggered.
• In solo mode, the Baron recharges three times.

Players tally VP from:

• Completed Contracts and Milestones.
• Technologies, energized buildings, and Boat placements.
• Resources and income steps.

Tips to Win

1. Prioritize Coal Mines: They provide free coal during Energize and adjacency rewards on your Extraction tile.
2. Use Shipping Lanes early: Expand your network efficiently and block opponents by placing Boats on key lanes.
3. Target Tasmania: Contracts and rewards for buildings here offer high VP potential.