How to Play Sub Terra: Extraction

1. Objective of the Game

Sub Terra: Extraction is a modular expansion that takes place after the events of the original game. You have returned to the cave, but you are not alone. A new, faster, and deadlier threat—the Leaper—is hunting you down. Your goal is to survive the cave while potentially completing the Extract Samples challenge. If you choose to play with this optional objective, you must successfully carry the Biosample item cards to the exit tile. If any Biosample is left behind in the cave at the end of the game, all cavers are defeated.

2. Setup

To prepare Sub Terra: Extraction, follow these steps:

• Tile Stack: Shuffle the two new horror tiles and the sanctuary tile into the tile stack. After shuffling, remove the top three tiles from the stack and return them to the box without looking at them.
• Hazard Deck: Shuffle the Leaper hazard cards in with the other hazard cards and construct the hazard deck as normal.
• Extract Samples Variant: If playing this challenge, distribute the three Biosample item cards among the cavers at the start of the game.
• Mercenary: If a player chooses the Mercenary character, they receive the Mercenary Player Board, the Mercenary Meeple, and the Fortify token.

3. Game Flow

The game follows the standard structure of Sub Terra, with the following additions:

• Horror Movement: When horrors move, Leapers also move. While standard horrors move one step toward their closest victim, Leapers move two steps toward their closest victim.
• Sanctuary Tile: This tile cannot be entered by horrors. When determining the closest victim, treat the sanctuary tile as an empty space; cavers on this tile cannot be chosen as the closest victim.
• Hazard Cards: Leaper hazard cards function identically to Horror hazard cards, spawning Leapers instead of horrors. Note that both Leaper and Horror hazard cards trigger movement for both types of creatures.

4. Actions and How to Play

In addition to standard actions, this expansion introduces specific mechanics for the Mercenary and the Biosample items:

• Fortify (Mercenary Action): The Mercenary can use this action to place the Fortify token on her current tile. Until she leaves the tile or falls unconscious, any horror (or Leaper) that would move onto that tile is removed from the cave instead. This does not prevent horrors from spawning on her tile.
• Survey (Mercenary Action): The Mercenary uses her night-vision goggles to perform two Reveal actions in a row.
• Transfer: You may transfer a Biosample item card from a caver on your tile to another caver on the same tile, provided all players involved agree.
• Biosample Passive Effect: Any caver holding a Biosample must subtract 1 from all their skill check rolls.

5. End of Game and Scoring

The game ends when all cavers have either exited the cave or fallen unconscious. If you are playing the Extract Samples challenge, the victory condition is strictly tied to the samples:

• Victory: If all cavers have exited and all Biosample cards are held by cavers on the exit tile, the mission is successful.
• Defeat: If any Biosample is left in the cave (not held by a caver on the exit tile) at the end of the game, all cavers are defeated and score nothing.

6. Tips for Winning

• Protect the Carriers: Because Biosample cards impose a penalty on skill check rolls and are required for victory, you must protect the cavers carrying them at all costs.
• Utilize the Sanctuary: Remember that horrors cannot enter the sanctuary tile. Use this to your advantage to avoid being targeted as the "closest victim" by Leapers or horrors.
• Strategic Fortification: Use the Mercenary's Fortify action to create a safe zone, but be mindful that this effect ends immediately if the Mercenary moves or falls unconscious.