How to Play Arcs | Rules & Setup Guide

Get Ready

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

Place the map

Put the game board in the center and place 1 matching resource token on every planet (all clusters are in play at all player counts)

Give initiative marker

Randomly select one player to receive the initiative marker

Separate Construction cards

Remove Construction action cards from the deck and put the "7" Construction card back in the box; remaining Construction cards become start cards

Create action deck

The 21 remaining action cards form the action deck

Place ambition markers

Put the 3 ambition markers in the Available Markers section with "5" and "3" markers on blue side, "2" marker on orange "4" side

Set chapter marker

Place the chapter marker on the "1" space of the Chapter track

Place zero marker

Put the zero marker in the Ambition Declared slot

Collect player materials

Each player takes their color's player board, 10 ships, and 1 agent

Set power markers

Each player places their Power marker on "0" on the Power track

Place starting agents

The initiative player shuffles start cards, draws 1, and places their agent on a planet system of the designated cluster; repeat in player order for all players (agents don't collect resources), then return remaining start cards to box

Place starting ships

Starting with the player to the right of the initiative holder and going counter-clockwise, each player places 3 ships in any 1 gate system (initiative holder places last)

On Your Turn

What you can do during your turn.

Play three chapters

Each chapter has three phases: Recruit → Action → Ambition

Draw cards in Recruit phase

Shuffle the action deck, then each player draws action cards (3 players: 5 cards; 4 players: 4 cards)

Draft cards

All players choose 2 cards to keep and pass the rest face-down to the left; repeat once more

Lead player starts

The player with the initiative marker plays any card, establishing the lead suit

Following players must follow suit

Play a card of the lead suit if possible; otherwise play any card

Use card for actions OR placement

Choose one option when playing a card:

Move agent (X AP)

Move your agent X clusters clockwise or counter-clockwise, collecting 1 resource from any planet on the path or destination

Move ship (1 AP)

Move 1 ship to an adjacent cluster's gate system

Repair ship (1 AP)

Put 1 damaged ship upright to make it fresh

Battle (1 AP)

Initiate battle in your agent's cluster

Research (2 AP)

Spend a specific resource to gain that scientific advancement (once per round)

Colonize (2 AP)

Spend 1 resource, remove 1 ship from your agent's cluster, and place a city on a city-free planet in that cluster (once per round)

Product resource

Place up to 2 ships in your agent's cluster

Fuel resource

Move up to 2 ships 1 cluster to/from your agent's cluster

Rocket resource

Perform 1 battle in any cluster (agent need not be present)

Relic resource

Repair up to 2 ships in your agent's cluster

Psionic resource

Move your agent up to 2 times (no resource collection)

Buy back trophies

Pay 1 resource or 1 power to retrieve all your ships held as trophies

Lead player may declare

After performing actions, take an ambition marker and place it on a planet in your agent's cluster (if no ambition there yet)

Set card value to zero

Place the zero marker on your played card for round resolution

Check for 7 cards first

If any "7" card was played, the first played "7" wins

Otherwise highest lead suit wins

The highest card number in the lead suit wins the round

Winner takes initiative

The round winner receives the initiative marker

Calculate influence

Fresh ship = 1; Agent with fresh ships = +2; Damaged city = +1; Fresh city = +2

Award power

1st place in influence gets 2 Power; 2nd place gets 1 Power

Handle ties

Tied for 1st all get 2nd place; tied for 2nd get no Power

Choose defender

Select one rival with ships in your agent's cluster

Collect dice

Take 1 die (assault, skirmish, or raid) per attacking ship, maximum 5 dice; raid dice only if defender's agent or city is present

Resolve in order

Flames hit your ships → Intercept hits your ships once per fresh defender → Hits damage/destroy defender ships → Keys steal resources → Pyramids move defender's agent

Handle destroyed ships

Take destroyed ships as trophies; return all trophies and gain 2 Power when reaching 3+ trophies

Colonies (Material)

Turn all city markers fresh side up

Fleet Expansion (Fuel)

Send the 2 stored ships to your supply

Advance Tactics (Rocket)

Reroll all blue dice once per battle

Repair-bots (Relic)

Repair 2 of your ships after any battle involving your ships

Superior Intellect (Psionic)

Your agent provides +3 influence instead of +2