Gamehelpnicodemus

Objective

• To be the first player to reach 20 or more points by repairing machines and completing projects.

Game play

• The players take turns until the end of the game is triggered by reaching 20 points or drawing the last machine.
• During their turn, a player has the choice between two actions:
  • play a machine from their hand or
  • repair a machine from the Bric-a-brac.

Playing a machine from their hand

The player places a machine from their hand in the next empty space on the Bric-a-brac, then activates it. They have 3 choices:

1. Earn as many charcoalium as the victory point value of the machine. These are taken from the reserve and placed in their workshop.

2. Produce 1 resource or charcoalium according to what is shown in the machine’s production zone. The resource or charcoalium is taken from the reserve and placed in their workshop. (Note: If you want charcoalium, it is usually better to choose first option even if your machine shows it in the production zone.)

3. Apply the effect of the machine (See details on help button.)

The player finishes their turn by drawing a new machine from the deck to bring their hand up to 5 cards once more. If there are not enough cards in the deck, the end of the game is triggered.

Repairing a machine from the Bric-a-brac

• To repair the last machine placed on the Bric-a-brac, a player must simply spend the resources listed on that machine, returning them to the reserve from their workshop less any reduction they have earned.
• If they want to repair a machine placed before the last one, in addition to the required resources, they must also place 1 charcoalium from their workshop on each machine in front of the one they want to repair, going from right to left, bottom row first.
• The player takes the machine that they have repaired as well as all the charcoalium placed on it during previous turns.
• They place the machine in their workshop and score the number of victory points indicated on the machine by moving their token forward on the score track.
• If the repaired machine leaves an empty space when removed, those placed to the right are shifted left to fill the empty space.
• The player checks if they can complete any of the projects that are still available.
  • They must fulfil the conditions of the project and the machine they just repaired must meet one of those requirements.
  • If they do, they move forward on the score track the number of points indicated on the project.
  • Then they set it aside together with the machines they used to complete it, separate from their workshop.
  • The empty project space it is not refilled with another project.
  • Completing projects is optional.
• The player then checks if their workshop now contains 4 machines.
  • If so, they only keep the last one.
  • The other 3 are set aside separate from their workshop.
• Note: The machines and projects that are set aside are no longer part of the workshop.
  • They will not be used for the rest of the game.

End of the game

• The end of the game is triggered when a player reaches 20 or more victory points OR when there are not enough cards in the deck for a player to have a full hand.
• In both cases, the players finish the current round.
• Note: If the first player triggers the end of the game, the second player plays their turn and then the game ends.
  • If it is the second player, the game ends at the end of their turn.
• The player with the highest score on the track wins.

Tiebreaks

1. Most charcoalium wins
2. Most resources

Additional information

The Bric-a-brac

• The Bric-a-brac shows 2 rows of spaces for machines.
• Each space can hold only 1 machine at a time, and they are always filled from left to right, top to bottom:
  • If the top row is full, new machines are placed in the bottom row.
  • If both rows are full at the end of a player’s turn, discard all 5 machines in the top row and move the ones in the bottom row up
    • Any charcoalium on the discarded machines goes back to the reserve.

Resources and Charcoalium

• The three resources have the same value.
• The quantity of each resource and charcoalium is limited to the components in the game.
• If you gain a resource or charcoalium and there are none left in the reserve, take it from your opponent instead (if possible).
• The "3 different faces symbol" is a “wild” resource:
  • When you see this symbol, you may choose one of the three resources.

Repairing reductions

• Repaired machines in your workshop allow you to reduce the resources needed to repair a machine on the Bric-a-brac:
  • Each resource shown in the production zone of these machines counts towards the repair cost.
• Likewise, each charcoalium reduces the fee you must place on the Bric-a-brac.
  • But, you must use your charcoalium reduction first then top off with charcoalium from your workshop, if necessary.

Projects

• It is possible to complete more than one project during the same turn, even using the same machines for multiple projects.
• You are not required to complete a project if you are able.
• You can save your machines for a more interesting project later.
  • However, in order to complete the original project, you would have to wait until you repair another machine needed for this project.