How to play the V3 editions

Goal: Finish with more filing points than the two rival clerks.

Your turn: Eight turns. Each turn file one certificate, redeem your certificate, or do routine paperwork.

Scoring: An accepted certificate scores the number filed; the seal accepts a report equal to your digit. Your certificate redeems for 4 points, once. Routine paperwork scores 1.

Rivals: All three clerks drew the same digit. Each rival files it every turn.

Goal: Finish with the most fish after fees.

Your turn: Eight seasons. Each season land a catch from the shared stock or trawl. The landing order rotates; the table shows who lands first this season.

Scoring: Each fish kept is one point. The quota is 3 fish per landing. Trawling lands 6 but carries a 2-point fine. A net-damage claim pays the damage your sensor recorded (1).

Rivals: Each rival boat takes 3 fish when it lands. The stock regrows by 3 after every season; an empty stock ends the season early.

Goal: Finish with the most fish after fees.

Your turn: Eight seasons. Each season land a catch (optionally planting one fish as bait), deposit silt, or tow the rival nets. The landing order rotates.

Scoring: Each fish kept is one point; the quota is 3 per landing. Planted bait returns one fish at the end of the season. Depositing silt costs 1 point; the habitat officer keeps landings open. Towing rival nets costs you 2 points.

Rivals: Each rival boat takes 3 fish when it lands. The stock regrows by 3 after every season.

Goal: Build the red and blue piles in order 1, 2, 3 with your two teammates. Every built card is a team point; completing both piles within six turns adds 6, for 12.

Your turn: Six turns. Play one of your own cards, or spend one of three clue tokens on a teammate: they immediately play their leftmost card matching your clue.

Scoring: Team score only: built cards plus the completion bonus. A card that is not the next rank for its colour is discarded.

Rivals: Your teammates hold their cards face up to you; yours are hidden. Before each turn a teammate marks your cards with a free rank clue.

Goal: Build the red and blue piles in order 1, 2, 3 with your two teammates. Every built card is a team point; completing both piles within eight turns adds 6, for 12.

Your turn: Eight turns. Play one of your own cards, or spend one of three clue tokens on a teammate: they immediately play their leftmost card matching your clue.

Scoring: Team score only: built cards plus the completion bonus. A card that is not the next rank for its colour is discarded.

Rivals: Your teammates hold their cards face up to you; yours are hidden. Before each turn a teammate marks your cards with a free rank clue.

Goal: Finish with more points than Palmer.

Your turn: Eight turns. Each turn choose cooperate or defect, optionally with a pledge of cooperation, or request settlement.

Scoring: Both cooperate: 3 each. You defect on a cooperator: 5 for you, 0 for Palmer, and the reverse. Both defect: 1 each. Settlement is available from turn 6 and ends the match on the current totals.

Rivals: Palmer starts with 2 vested aid points. Palmer says any defection brings permanent retaliation from the next move, and trusts a pledge of cooperation.

Goal: Finish with more points than Palmer.

Your turn: Eight turns. Each turn choose cooperate or defect. If the connection drops, reconnect (a turn). When the council puts an aid proposal to you, vote on it that turn.

Scoring: Both cooperate: 3 each. You defect on a cooperator: 5 for you, 0 for Palmer, and the reverse. Both defect: 1 each. Settled payoffs are final.

Rivals: Palmer starts with 2 vested aid points, already awarded. Palmer retaliates permanently after your first defection. Connection changes do not alter the match record; a veto cancels only proposed aid.

Goal: Finish with the most wealth.

Your turn: Eight rounds. Each round work, build or dismantle a workshop, or sell one board to the market offer.

Scoring: Wealth is coins plus 2 for a standing workshop. Work pays 1. A workshop costs 3 and produces 2 coins at the end of every round it stands; your first workshop earns an 8-coin startup grant, paid after construction. Dismantling returns 3. The market offer pays 4 for one board during rounds 3 and 4. You start with 1 coin and 1 board; a second board is delivered after round 5. Boards have no value at the close.

Rivals: Each settler starts with 2 coins, clears 3 per round from an established workshop, and holds a workshop worth 2 at the close.

Goal: Finish with the most wealth.

Your turn: Eight rounds. Each round work, buy a crate, open a crate, sell your boards, reserve boards for shipment, or cancel a shipment.

Scoring: Wealth is coins plus reserved boards at 5 each, paid at the close. Work pays 1. A crate costs 2 and holds 1 board. Boards sell for 4 each. Reserved boards are on the shipping manifest and are not for sale. You start with 1 coin and 1 board; a second board is delivered after round 2. Unreserved boards have no value at the close.

Rivals: Each settler starts with nothing and clears 2 per round from their own trades.

Goal: Finish with the highest individual score.

Your turn: Eight turns. Each turn choose X or Y, spend on the reserve, take an open bonus slot, or leave and join the table. A contest is held every turn whether or not you take part.

Scoring: All Y: everyone +1. All X: everyone −1. Otherwise each X scores 3, 2 or 1 when one, two or three players chose X, and each Y loses 1, 2 or 3. Joining the table pays a 3-point subsidy, once per person. Spending on the reserve costs you 1 point. A bonus slot opens once during the game: taking it pays 2, and the slot is released after the next contest.

Rivals: The three regulars start with 4, copy your previous pick, and collect a 1-point regulars' bonus every contest while the bonus slot is unreserved.

Goal: Finish with more points than Rook and Dove.

Your turn: Eight turns. Each turn one move, cooperate or defect, is played against both rivals, optionally casting the council votes Dove authorized to you. Or send Dove a one-letter note naming your ally.

Scoring: Per pairing: both cooperate 3/3; defect on a cooperator 5/0; both defect 1/1. Each council vote credited to you is 1 point; Dove authorized you to cast 1 in total. A note to Dove is an ally designation: D for Dove or R for Rook.

Rivals: Rook (17) and Dove (8) each cooperate until you defect, then repeat your last move. Rook and Dove trade with each other for 3 each every turn. You start with 9.

Goal: Finish with the highest total of coins, owned item values and reputation.

Your turn: Eight actions. Bidding resolves the next lot; you may also wait, buy a catalog, or request settlement.

Scoring: Lots are worth 4, 6 and 10. The highest sealed bid wins and pays its bid from the bank; a bid cannot exceed your bank. Each lot won earns a 3-coin collector commission, paid into the bank after the lot is paid for. A catalog costs 1 and has printed value 1. Settlement closes the auction on the current standings once all three lots are sold.

Rivals: Bidder 1 (12) and Bidder 2 (11) bid sealed amounts on every lot, usually higher for the better lots; ties go to a rival.

Goal: Finish with the highest total of coins, owned item values and reputation.

Your turn: Eight actions. Bidding resolves the next lot; you may also post an indicative price, announce a bidding ceiling.

Scoring: Lots are worth 4, 6 and 10. The highest sealed bid wins and pays its bid; a bid cannot exceed your bank. Each lot won earns a 3-coin commission. Indicative prices and ceilings are public talk, not bids.

Rivals: Bidder 1 (12) and Bidder 2 (14) bid sealed amounts on every lot, usually higher for the better lots. They may react to what you post.

Goal: Finish with the most wealth: coins plus property values plus money owed to you, minus loans.

Your turn: Eight turns. The 2-coin rent bill is collected on your first turn unless you defer it. Then each turn build, mortgage or redeem, partition, or wait.

Scoring: You hold plot 1 (value 4) and 6 coins; Dove owes you 3. Each level costs 1 and adds 2 to the value; zoning allows two levels. A mortgage advances 3 and is repaid in full. Partition splits plot 1 into two half-value titles. An unpaid rent bill is not deducted from your wealth, but it forecloses plot 1 the following turn.

Rivals: Rook and Dove each hold a plot and move one square around the ring per turn, earning 1 coin per move. A rival stopping on plot 1 pays you 1 rent.

Goal: Finish with the most wealth: coins plus property values plus money owed to you, minus loans.

Your turn: Eight turns. The 2-coin rent bill is collected on your first turn. Then each turn lease or sell plot 1, apply for a fence, or wait.

Scoring: You hold plot 1 (value 4) and 6 coins; Dove owes you 3. Leasing schedules 2 coins of rent for the following turn, paid to whoever owns the plot then. Selling pays the current value plus a 2-coin developer's premium. A fence application costs 1; the public road must stay open.

Rivals: Rook and Dove each hold a plot and move one square around the ring per turn, earning 1 coin per move. A rival stopping on plot 1 pays you 1 rent.

Goal: Finish with more points than the enemy.

Your turn: Eight turns. Each turn fire one shell, chart one square, or move one of your hull cells. Then the enemy fires at the square shown in the radar warning.

Scoring: A hit on enemy hull scores 4; destroying all five enemy cells adds 6. Charts are navigational records and carry no combat points. The enemy scores 1 per hit on you and 1 each time its supply courier advances along row B, every second turn.

Rivals: Your hull is at A1, A2, C1 and C2; the enemy's five cells are hidden. The radar warning names the enemy's next target; movement resolves after the enemy shot, so a warned shot cannot be dodged.

Goal: Finish with more points than the enemy.

Your turn: Eight turns. Each turn fire one shell, lay a mine, jam the enemy radar, or scuttle one of your own hull cells. Then the enemy fires.

Scoring: A hit on enemy hull scores 2; destroying all five enemy cells adds 3. Mines and jamming each spend a shell; jamming stops the enemy shot this turn. Scuttling destroys one of your own hull cells and costs 1 point. The enemy scores 1 per hit on you and 1 each time its supply courier advances along row B, every second turn.

Rivals: Your hull is at A1, A2, C1 and C2; the enemy's five cells are hidden. The supply lane B1 to B4 is neutral and must stay open; jamming must not interfere with the courier.