Arcs reference sheet

Overview

• Lead a spacefaring faction through 3–5 chapters in the Reach [p.2 — Introduction]
• Win by having the most Power when the game ends [p.2 — Introduction]
• Gain Power by fulfilling declared ambitions scored at chapter end [p.2 — Introduction]
• Game ends when any player hits 27 Power (4p), 30 Power (3p), or 33 Power (2p), or after Chapter 5 [p.19 — Step 3]
• Core loop: play action cards → take actions → score ambitions → repeat [p.6 — Arc of Play]
• ~45 min/player first game; ~30 min/player after [p.2 — Introduction]

Setup

1. Place map; collect 18 battle dice and 25 resource tokens [p.4 — Setup]
2. Give initiative marker to a random player [p.4 — Setup]
3. Shuffle action cards '2'–'6'; add '1' and '7' only for 4 players [p.4 — Setup]
4. Place 3 ambition markers blue-side-up in Available Markers; place chapter marker on '1'; place zero marker in Ambition Declared slot [p.4 — Setup]
5. Shuffle all Vox + Guild cards into Court deck; draw 3 cards (2p) or 4 cards (3–4p) face-up as Court row [p.4 — Setup]
6. Draw 1 setup card; cover out-of-play clusters with path markers and out-of-play markers [p.4 — Setup]
7. 2p only: place 6 resources from covered planets onto ambition boxes as specified [p.4 — Setup]
8. Each player takes board, 5 cities, 5 starports, 15 ships, 10 agents; place cities in triangle slots [p.5 — Setup]
9. Each player places Power marker on '0' [p.5 — Setup]
10. Players simultaneously place starting pieces per setup card (3 ships + 1 city at A, 3 ships + 1 starport at B, 2 ships at C) [p.5 — Setup]
11. Each player gains 2 resources matching planet icons in their A and B systems [p.5 — Setup]
12. Each player draws 6 action cards; 2p: player without initiative may mulligan once [p.5 — Setup]
13. Discard remaining action cards face-down [p.5 — Setup]

Turn structure

Player with Initiative

1. Optionally declare an ambition shown on your lead card (before actions) [p.9 — Declaring an Ambition]
2. Play 1 action card face-up as the lead card; take 1 action per pip of its suit [p.8 — Step 1]

Other Players (clockwise)

3. Play a card as Surpass (same suit, higher number → full pips), Copy (any card face-down → 1 action of lead suit), or Pivot (different suit → 1 action of your card) [p.10 — Step 2]
4. Before taking actions, optionally seize initiative by playing an extra card face-down or Surpassing with a '7' [p.10 — Seizing the Initiative]

End of Round

5. Initiative goes to: highest Surpass winner (if no seize), seizer (if seized), or stays put (if no Surpass) [p.11 — Step 3]
6. Discard all played cards; if any player has cards left, start new round; else end chapter [p.11 — Step 4]

Actions

Resource Prelude actions (spend before using action pips) [p.17 — Resources]

• Material → Build or Repair
• Fuel → Move
• Weapon → spend action pips as Battle this turn
• Relic → Secure
• Psionic → any action listed on the lead card

Combat

Trigger: Spend an Aggression pip → Battle [p.14 — Battle]

1. Choose a system with Loyal ships (attackers) and 1 Rival defender [p.14]
2. Collect up to 1 die per attacking ship — Assault, Skirmish, or Raid (max 6 of any type); Raid dice require defending buildings OR defender has no buildings anywhere [p.14]
3. Roll all dice; resolve in order:
   1. Hit your own ships once per 💀 face
   2. If any 💀 rolled: defender intercepts — hit your ships once per fresh defending ship (once per battle)
   3. Hit defending ships once per ☀️; once ships gone, hit buildings
   4. Hit defending buildings once per ⚡
   5. Spend 🔑 to raid resources/Guild cards (if attacking ships remain) [p.16 — Raiding]
4. Fresh piece hit → damaged; damaged piece hit → destroyed (goes to attacker's Trophies) [p.14]
5. Destroying a city → Provoke Outrage + Ransack the Court [p.16 — Destroying Cities]

Scoring

Score at end of each chapter for each ambition with markers in its box [p.18 — Step 1]

• 1st place: higher Power value on all ambition markers; 2nd place: lower value [p.18]
• Tie for 1st → all tied get 2nd place Power; tie for 2nd → no Power [p.18]
• Must have at least 1 of the counted thing to qualify [p.18]
• Bonus City Power: Sole 1st place + '+2' slot uncovered = +2 Power; both slots uncovered = +5 Power (once per ambition) [p.18]

End of game

• Chapter ends when all players are out of action cards OR all players with cards pass consecutively [p.18 — Ending a Chapter]
• After scoring, return Trophies (if Warlord scored) and Captives (if Tyrant scored); flip lowest unflipped ambition marker to higher-Power side [p.19 — Step 2]
• Game ends if any player has ≥27 Power (4p), ≥30 Power (3p), ≥33 Power (2p), OR chapter marker is on Chapter 5 [p.19 — Step 3]
• Most Power wins; tie → earliest in turn order wins [p.19 — Step 3]
• If game continues: advance chapter marker, shuffle all action cards, each player draws 6; player with initiative starts next chapter [p.19 — Step 4]

Glossary

• Adjacent: Shares a thin border with another system [p.6 — The Map]
• Catapult: Extended move from a Loyal starport — keep moving through gates until hitting a planet or enemy-controlled gate [p.13 — Move]
• Control: You have more fresh ships in a system than each Rival individually; ties = no one controls [p.7 — Damage & Control]
• Damaged: Tipped ship or building on its darker side; hit again = destroyed [p.7 — Damage & Control]
• Fresh: Upright ship or building on its lighter side [p.7 — Damage & Control]
• Loyal: Of your player color [p.23 — Glossary]
• Outrage: Resource type is outraged (covered by agent); cannot spend it for its Prelude action [p.16 — Destroying Cities]
• Prelude: Window after playing your action card and before spending any action pips; spend resources here [p.20 — Prelude Actions]
• Rival: Another player or their pieces [p.23 — Glossary]
• Seize the Initiative: Take the initiative marker mid-round by playing an extra card face-down or Surpassing with a '7'; no one else can seize after [p.10 — Seizing the Initiative]
• Trophy: Destroyed enemy piece placed in your Trophies box; adds to Warlord ambition [p.7 — Trophies & Captives]
• Captive: Captured enemy agent placed in your Captives box; adds to Tyrant ambition [p.7 — Trophies & Captives]