How to Play Underwater Cities: New Discoveries

Objective of the Game

Welcome to New Discoveries, the first expansion for Underwater Cities! In this game, you'll be building your underwater nation and making new discoveries to earn prestige. The expansion introduces new cards, unique assistants, starting resource tiles to speed up the game, new player boards for different variants, and green metropolises offering new benefits. You'll also contribute to an international museum by making discoveries, which will earn your nation prestige.

Preparation (Setup)

1. Before your first game, add all the new cards to their respective decks (18 cards to Era I, 15 to Era II, 11 to Era III, 3 one-credit Special cards, and 5 three-credit Special cards). Also, add the new building tokens (10 Farm, 10 Desalination Plant, 10 Laboratory tokens) to the supply.
2. Decide which variant you want to play: Standard Game, Metropolis Race, Metropolis Choice, or Museum.
3. Use the player boards and other components specific to your chosen variant. All variants are compatible with the Quick Start option.
4. Quick Start Setup:
   • Deal 2 new personal assistants randomly to each player. Return the remaining assistants (new and base game) to the box.
   • Randomly choose a number of starting resource tiles equal to the number of players plus one. Place these tiles face up on the table, visible to all players. Return leftover tiles to the box.
   • Players do not start with 1 kelp, 1 steelplast, 1 science, and 2 credits.
   • On the Federation track, players' markers start on the colored spaces below space 4. No one starts with bonus resources from the Federation track.
   • Place the era marker on the second space of the era track. You will skip round 1.
5. Metropolis Race Variant Setup:
   • Use player boards 1–4, 5-8, or 9–12. All players must use boards from the same set of four, assigned randomly.
   • Blue metropolises are not assigned to player boards. Instead, randomly select a number of blue metropolises equal to the number of players plus one. Return extra blue metropolises to the box.
   • Randomly select a number of green metropolises equal to the number of players plus one. Return extra green metropolises to the box.
   • Brown metropolises are randomly assigned to player boards as usual.
   • The blue and green metropolises selected during setup should be placed near the main board, visible to all.
6. Metropolis Choice Variant Setup:
   • Use player boards 13–16, assigned randomly.
   • The lower right corner of your player board shows the number of blue, green, and brown metropolis tiles you can choose from. Each player should draw the indicated metropolises randomly. For example, a board might instruct you to draw 2 blue, 2 brown, and 2 green metropolises.
7. Museum Variant Setup:
   • Use player boards 9–12, assigned randomly.
   • Each player takes the 5 discovery tiles in their color.
   • Use either side A or side B of the museum board.
     • If using side A, randomly choose 1 brown metropolis tile and put it near row IV. Randomly select 4 one-or-two-credit Special cards and place them beside the 4 spaces of column III.
     • If using side B, randomly choose 2 green metropolis tiles and put them near column III. Randomly select 3 three-credit Special cards and place them beside row IV.
   • Set up remaining Special cards as usual. Players are randomly assigned brown and blue metropolis tiles as in the standard game.
   • The player on your right should shuffle your 5 discovery tiles and place them face down in a random order in front of you or on "discovery places" on your board, so you don't know which is which.
8. Start of Game Summary (All Variants):
   1. Set up the game, revealing all cards and any metropolis tiles randomly selected during setup.
   2. Players choose colors and receive randomly assigned player boards.
   3. Players receive their personal metropolis tiles.
   4. Randomly determine the order of play.
   5. Each player receives 6 cards from the Era I deck.
   6. Quick Start: Each player receives 2 random personal assistants.
   7. Quick Start: In reverse play order, players choose starting resource tiles and gain the depicted benefits.
   8. Players play in order. Before your first turn, you must:
      • Discard down to 3 cards.
      • Choose a personal assistant if you are using the Quick Start.
      • Choose your metropolises if you are using the Metropolis Choice variant.

Fluxo do Jogo

Consulte o manual para detalhes sobre esta seção.

Ações e Como Jogar

Playing Cards and Action Slots

The always-available action slot always matches the color of the card you play. For example, if you play a red card and choose the always-available action slot, you can claim the card or perform its instant effect, just like you normally do when you play it with a red slot.

You may play one card from your hand as though you were playing it with a matching action slot. If the card has an instant effect, discard it and perform the effect. If it is not an instant effect, claim the card.

Quick Start - Choosing Resources

At the start of the game, after receiving their hand of six cards but before discarding down to three, players choose starting resource tiles. The selection is made in reverse player order, meaning the first player gets the last pick. When you choose your tile, immediately take the depicted resources. If you get a building, put it adjacent to your starting city. If you get a tunnel or a city, place it on a legal building site (you build them for free). Once tiles have been chosen and benefits taken, all tiles can be returned to the box. You are ready to play, starting in round 2!

New Personal Assistants

The assistants in this expansion provide each player with a unique special ability. The personal assistants from the base game are not used. During setup, each player receives two assistants at random. At the beginning of your first turn, before you choose an action slot, choose one of your two assistants and return the other to the box. Your chosen assistant becomes your first action card, just like the personal assistant from the base game. Once chosen, continue with your first turn.

Each assistant is an action card and follows the usual rules for action cards. If a rule or effect relates to a card’s type, your assistant is an action card, not any other type. However, each assistant also has another effect depicted on the bottom half of the card. This effect is independent of the action-card effect and applies even if your action is not available. If you discard your assistant due to the limitation on action cards, you can no longer use its other effect.

Explanations of Actions (New Personal Assistants)

• ARCHITECT
  • Action: Build a farm for the usual cost, or gain 1 science.
  • Permanent Effect: Whenever you build a city, you have a discount of 1 credit or 1 steelplast. This discount is cumulative with other discounts but a cost can never go below "free".
• SCIENTIST
  • Action: Pay 1 credit to build a new laboratory and upgrade it.
  • Permanent Effect: Whenever an action slot gives you at least 1 science, gain 1 credit. (Note: There are 2 yellow action slots that can give you science.)
• PRODUCTION MANAGER
  • Action: Gain 1 steelplast or 1 science.
  • Production Effect: During production, every connected city with 3 different buildings produces an additional 1 steelplast and 1 point.
• LOBBYIST
  • Action: Upgrade 1 structure for free.
  • Permanent Effect: Whenever you use the depicted action slot, you may advance on the Federation track 1 additional step. (Note: This applies only to the action slot that gives you two advances.)
• MANAGER
  • Action: Gain 2 steelplast or 2 credits.
  • Permanent Effect: When you build a new building, you may build buildings on expansion sites. (For example, a Survey allows you to build on any legal building site, including expansion sites.)
• TUNNEL BUILDER
  • Action: Gain 1 biomatter and 1 kelp.
  • Permanent Effect: Whenever you build at least 1 tunnel on your turn, gain 2 cards.
• BUILDER
  • Action: Build a building for the usual cost.
  • Production Effect: During production, the Builder produces 1 biomatter, 1 steelplast, and 1 point.
• HEADHUNTER
  • Action: Build a laboratory for the usual cost, or gain 1 kelp.
  • Setup Effect: At the start of the game, draw the top 3 one-or-two-credit Special cards. Choose 1 and return the other 2 to the bottom. Immediately play the chosen card as though you were playing it with a matching action slot, for free. (Note: When you put the Headhunter in play, perform the setup effect immediately.)

Metropolis Race - Gameplay

Instead of being assigned to boards at the beginning of the game, the blue and green metropolises are chosen during play. Your player board has two blank spaces where metropolis tiles can go. The first time you connect to one of these, you choose one of the blue metropolises and add it to your board. If you connect to the second blank space, you choose a green metropolis to add to your board. Thus, players who connect first will have first choice of tiles.

Metropolis Choice - Starting the Game

Before you take your first turn, choose one metropolis for each metropolis space on your board. The colors of the space and the chosen metropolis must match.

Museum Variant - Gameplay

Certain building sites are marked with a discovery icon. When you build on such a site, choose one of your discovery tiles and turn it face up to reveal its unknown benefit. You immediately gain the benefit depicted on the tile. Next, place your discovery in the museum.

Your first discovery goes on one of the spaces in group I, in the center, which means you immediately gain two cards. Your second discovery goes in row II. Your third discovery goes in column III. And so on. For each discovery after the first, you get to choose a reward from the corresponding set of spaces in the museum. (Some rewards are strictly better than others, but you are allowed to choose any of them.)

The first player to reach a certain level of discovery (II, III, IV, or V) will have four rewards to choose from. The discovery tile should be played on the space to indicate that it is now blocked for players who reach that level later. In a four-player game, the fourth player to reach the level will be left with only one choice.

Museum Board A Rewards

• First discovery: Immediately gain 2 cards.
• Second discovery: Produces a resource during Production.
• Third discovery: If placed on one of two specific spaces, immediately gain indicated points. You also choose one of the one-or-two-credit Special cards set out during setup (cards are not linked to a particular space). If it has an immediate effect, perform it and return the card to the bottom of the deck. If not immediate, claim the card. The credit cost is paid by the museum (it is free).
• Fifth discovery: Immediately gain the number of points indicated by the space on which you put your tile.
• Other rewards: Immediately gain 3 points. Take the brown metropolis tile randomly selected during setup, place it near your starting city (it is now connected). At the end of the game, gain the benefit from your brown metropolis tile twice. At the end of the game, one of your three-credit Special cards can be used twice.

Museum Board B Rewards

• First discovery: Immediately gain 2 cards.
• Second discovery: Produces the indicated resources during Production.
• Third discovery: Immediately scores 0, 1, or 2 points, depending on the space you choose.
• Fourth discovery: Gain the indicated number of points. On three of the spaces, you also get to take one of the three-credit Special cards randomly selected at the beginning of the game. Claim the card for free.
• Fifth discovery: Immediately gain the number of points indicated by the space on which you put your tile.
• Other rewards: At the end of the game, one of your three-credit Special cards can be used twice. Choose either of the green metropolises randomly selected during setup, place it near your starting city (it is now connected and all its effects apply). Choose one of your blue metropolis tiles and immediately gain all its benefits, including whatever it produces. (If using Metropolis Race, a player with no blue metropolises yet may apply this effect to gain benefits from any available blue metropolis.) If you use a specific space on a metropolis tile, you immediately gain 1 steelplast, 2 cards, and 1 credit. You also immediately gain its production, which is 1 point. This has no effect on the normal functioning of the metropolis.

Green Metropolises - Doubled Effects

Metropolises on these sites have their effects doubled. This includes all types of effects: immediate, production, and end of game.

• If "Immediately build a city for free" is doubled, it gives you 4 points and allows you to immediately, for free, build 2 tunnels and upgrade them.
• If "Whenever you build a city, gain 1 point and 1 credit" is doubled, it gives you 8 credits and 2 points.
• If "Immediately build two buildings on two expansion sites for free" is doubled, it immediately scores 6 points and your hand limit is increased twice (from 3 to 5).
• If "If this is doubled, it gives you 6 points for each connected metropolis at the end of the game" is doubled, it gives you 6 points for each connected metropolis at the end of the game.
• If "If this is doubled, it gives you 2 steelplast, 4 cards, and 2 credits. During Production, it produces 2 points" is doubled, it gives you 2 steelplast, 4 cards, and 2 credits. During Production, it produces 2 points.
• If "If this is doubled, it gives you 8 points for five connected cities, 16 points for six connected cities or 24 points for seven connected cities at the end of the game" is doubled, it gives you 8 points for five connected cities, 16 points for six connected cities or 24 points for seven connected cities at the end of the game.

Fim de Jogo e Pontuação

Consulte o manual para detalhes sobre esta seção.

Dicas para Vencer

1. In the Metropolis Race variant, connecting to your blank metropolis spaces early gives you first choice of the available blue and green metropolises, which can provide powerful benefits.
2. When playing the Museum variant, strategically choosing which rewards to take from the museum, especially for your third and fourth discoveries, can significantly impact your game by granting valuable Special cards or immediate points.
3. If you are using the Quick Start, remember that you skip the first round. This means you need to make the most of your chosen starting resource tiles and personal assistant to get a strong head start in round 2.