How to Play AquaSphere | Rules & Setup Guide

Get Ready

Setup the game with these step-by-step instructions before diving into your turn.

Connect sectors

Connect all 6 Sectors together in a random order

Create card stacks

Create facedown stacks for the Research Cards and Lab Expansions

Place sector cards

Place 1 Research Card next to the Red areas and 1 Lab Expansion next to the Green areas of each Sector

Stack centre tiles

Stack Centre Tiles based on the number of players with random orientations in the centre of the Sectors, highest number on the bottom

Assemble headquarters

Assemble the Headquarters

Prepare program cards

Place 4 random Program Cards faceup in a stack

Set programming tiles

Place the 7 Programming Tiles on the spaces in the Headquarters according to the top Program Card, then discard the Card

Distribute player components

Each player chooses a colour and takes:

Gain starting time tokens

If your Starting Sector is adjacent to a '0' Lock gain 3 Time Tokens, otherwise gain 4

Determine play order

Choose a Start player who places 1 Bot at the Start of the Play Order track; in clockwise order other players place on each next free space

Place starting resources

According to the top of the Setup Card corresponding to the number of players, place Resources in the corresponding coloured areas in each player's Starting Sector

Deploy first submarine

Take 1 Submarine from the left-most space on your Player Board and place on the area with a single crossed out Time icon

Setup remaining sectors

Draw 1 Base Lab for each additional line on the Setup Card to indicate how the rest of the game is setup; use neutral Bots and/or Submarines from unused colours in 2/3 player games

On Your Turn

What you can do during your turn.

Choose one action

On your turn choose 1 of the following 3 options: Program 1 Bot, Carry Out an Action, or Pass

Move engineer to program

Move your Engineer 1 space along an arrow path to a Program Symbol, then place 1 Bot on the corresponding Programming space on your Player Board

Pay to program alternatively

Once per round you may pay 3 Time Tokens to place 1 Bot on any available Programming space; place 1 Time Token in the right upper corner of your Player Board to indicate usage

Observe bot limit

Maximum 2 programmed Bots at a time on your Player Board

Return bot for tokens

At any time on your turn return a programmed Bot to your Supply to gain 2 Time Tokens

Move scientist optionally

You may move your Scientist to another Sector, paying the indicated number of Time Tokens for each Lock it passes through

Place scientist in action area

Place your Scientist in 1 of the coloured Action areas corresponding to 1 of your Programmed Bots

Take sector control

Move your Programmed Bot into the centre of this Sector to control it

Displace existing bots

If another Bot is on the centre space, move it to the Loading Station; if this exceeds the limit then each player with Bots there returns all but 1 Bot back to their Player Board

Loading station limits

2 Players = 2 Bots, 3 Players = 4 Bots, 4 Players = 5 Bots

Execute the action

Carry out the Action, using any Research Cards that activate with that Action

Expand Your Lab

Take the top Lab Expansion from the Sector and place in your Lab; if the Expansion has Letters, you may place 1 Bot in the centre of the Sectors corresponding to those Letters; maximum of 5 Expansions

Take Time Tokens

Take as many Time Tokens as you can from the Sector according to your supply limit; always gain a minimum of 2, taking any additional from the Supply

Take Crystals

Take as many Crystals as you can from the Sector according to your supply limit

Catch Octopods

Discard as many Octopods from the Sector as you can according to your supply limit; immediately score VP: 1=1VP, 2=3VP, 3=6VP, 4=10VP, 5=15VP, more than 5=21VP

Deploy a Submarine

Deploy the left-most Submarine from your Player Board onto the next available Submarine space in the Sector; pay Time Tokens equal to the number of Time icons on the space; gain VP according to the number on the Centre Tile; only 1 Submarine per Sector allowed

Take a Research Card

Gain the top Research Card from the Sector and gain VP according to the number on the Centre Tile

Program a Bot

Move the next Bot from your Player Board to your Programming space corresponding to the colour in the White area of the Sector; if the space is already occupied, instead gain 2 Time Tokens

End your round

Move your Engineer from 1 of the top Programming Tiles to the next free space on the Pass Order Track; you may not carry out any more Actions this Round

Gain submarine income

Gain 1 Time Token per Submarine you've deployed

Discard spent tokens

Discard any Time Tokens from the top-right of your Player Board

Use research cards

You may use any Research Cards with end of round timing

Calculate VP total

Calculate your VP total without gaining it yet:

Adjust VP counter

Pay 1 Crystal to cross a Red Line; if you have no Crystals, you may return 1 Bot from a Program Symbol without gaining Time Tokens; you cannot fall back behind a Red Line

Replenish sector cards

Place 1 Research Card next to Red areas and 1 Lab Expansion next to Green areas of each Sector

Add sector components

Add additional components into each Sector according to the Centre Tile

Discard centre tile

Discard the top Centre Tile

Reset play order

Rearrange Bots on the Play Order track to correspond to the Pass Order track

Return engineers

Return Engineers to the Start space

Set new programming

Place the 7 Programming Tiles according to the top Program Card then discard it