How to Play

Shackleton Base: A Journey to the Moon

1-4 players 60-120 min 8.0 Board Game Geek Rating

Players lead space agencies building lunar structures at Shackleton crater while pursuing corporate agendas. Three random corporations from seven available introduce unique projects, actions, and scoring mechanisms. Over three rounds, players draft shuttle tiles, deploy astronauts to gather resources and construct buildings, then manage maintenance. Victory goes to whoever accumulates the most points through strategic building and corporate project funding.

Published 2024

Shackleton Base: A Journey to the Moon

Get Ready

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

1
Place the main board
Position the main board at the center of the table
2
Add overlay for fewer players
If playing a 2 or 3-player game, cover the Command Action area with the Command Action overlay board matching the player count
3
Place Solar Panels
Place the 18 Solar Panels on their corresponding spaces around the crater
4
Set Energy marker
Place the Energy marker on space 4/5/6 of the Energy track for 2/3/4-player games respectively
5
Create general supply
Place Astronauts, Titanium, Rare Earth, and Credits next to the play area as unlimited supply
6
Sort Shuttle tiles
Organize Shuttle tiles by the number on their back corresponding to the round they will be used
7
Select Corporations
Randomly select 3 Corporations by shuffling their Corporation sheets
8
Setup Corporation boards
For each Corporation, place its board next to the main board
9
Place Corporation tokens
Take Corporation tokens, place 4 on matching slots of the corporation board and 1 on an available slot around the central hex of the main board
10
Prepare project decks
Shuffle project cards and form a face-up deck next to each Corporation board, with 2 face-up cards visible per corporation
11
Complete Corporation-specific setup
Follow each Corporation's specific setup instructions on their sheets
12
Add neutral Domes (2-player only)
Place two Domes from a non-played color on marked spaces with Solar Panels in those sectors
13
Choose player color
Each player takes matching components and a player board (their base)
14
Place structures on base
Position all 12 structures on matching spaces of the player base
15
Position Goal markers
Place 3 Goal markers at the bottom of the base
16
Set VP marker
Place VP marker on space "0" of the VP track
17
Set Reputation marker
Place Reputation marker on space "0" of the Reputation track
18
Determine first player
The last player who traveled into space is first player; otherwise determine randomly
19
Place turn order markers
In clockwise order from first player, each player places their turn order marker on the lowest available space
20
Distribute Agency leader tiles
Place tiles equal to player count (random side A or B), then in turn order each player chooses one
21
Place starting Dome
Each player places leftmost Dome from their base on one of the 6 central sectors
22
Add sector Solar Panel
Place a Solar Panel in the chosen sector, starting from the top of the crater clockwise
23
Activate Corporation token
Activate a Corporation token from the starting sector

On Your Turn

What you can do during your turn.

1
Reveal Shuttle tiles
Reveal Shuttle tiles from the current round equal to player count plus 1
2
Draft in reverse order
In reverse turn order, each player chooses an available Shuttle tile and takes indicated astronauts and resources
3
Adjust turn order
Player with lowest Shuttle number becomes first player; others follow in ascending Shuttle number order
4
Stock Lunar Gateway
Astronauts from the non-selected Shuttle tile go to Lunar Gateway (maximum 4 of each type)
5
Deploy astronaut
On your turn, choose one Astronaut from your Shuttle tile and deploy it to perform one main action
6
Place on crater slot
Place astronaut on an available slot around the crater to activate all sectors with structures in that row
7
Activate own sectors free
Sectors where you have a structure provide benefits at no cost
8
Pay for other sectors
Pay Credits (1-3 as shown on slot) to the player with the biggest structure in sectors where you have no structure
9
Engineer action
When deploying an Engineer, mine the resource (Titanium or Rare Earth) from each activated sector
10
Technician action
When deploying a Technician, gain 3 Credits from each activated sector
11
Scientist action
When deploying a Scientist, activate one Corporation token placed around each activated sector (each token once per action)
12
Pay slot cost
Deploy any astronaut on leftmost available Command slot, paying indicated Credits
13
Build Solar Panel (optional)
Once per turn during Command actions, spend 1 Rare Earth to place next Solar Panel on central hex, produce indicated Energy, and gain Reputation if marker passes symbols
14
Pay structure cost
Spend indicated resources and Energy (for Laboratory/Headquarters) shown on player board
15
Place structure
Put structure in a powered sector without same-size structure or structure from same player/color
16
Power unpowered sectors
Take available Solar Panel from central hex or build one yourself
17
Move astronauts immediately
Right after building, you may move astronauts in your base to the newly built structure
18
Engineer bonus
If deployed an Engineer, choose a Corporation and either place a new token from that Corporation on an empty slot around the sector and activate it, or activate an existing one
19
Choose visible project
Select a visible Project card from any Corporation in play
20
Check Energy requirement
Verify Energy level meets requirement shown on bottommost visible slot of Corporation board
21
Produce Energy if needed
Build Solar Panel, use Project abilities, or use Workshop ability (each Technician reduces requirement by 1)
22
Handle low Energy
If Energy below 3, spend indicated Credits to produce Energy and gain Reputation
23
Consume Energy
Reduce Energy level by the red consumption amount
24
Pay Credit cost
Spend Credits from supply equal to the project cost
25
Take and resolve project
Place Project card next to base and apply immediate effect
26
Reveal new project
Draw replacement card from same Corporation deck
27
Technician bonus
If deployed a Technician, perform one Corporation action
28
Select Corporation actions
Perform up to 3 Corporation actions; may repeat same action except from Reputation track
29
Use Reputation track actions
Only if your marker has reached or passed that slot; must use different ones if performing multiple
30
Gain 2 Reputation
Available at space 0 of Reputation track
31
Gain 1 Titanium
Available at space 4 of Reputation track
32
Gain 1 Rare Earth
Available at space 8 of Reputation track
33
Activate any token
Available at space 12 of Reputation track
34
Use Corporation board actions
May perform same Corporation board action multiple times
35
Use Project actions
Projects with gear icon provide Corporation actions; rotated icon means once per round
36
Scientist bonus
If deployed a Scientist, take an Astronaut from Lunar Gateway and place in your base
37
Deploy to Gateway
Place any astronaut in the Lunar Gateway area
38
Gain Credits
Receive 3 Credits
39
Recruit astronaut
Take an Astronaut (different from one placed) from Lunar Gateway and place on available base slot
40
Perform Corporation action
Execute one Corporation action
41
Claim Corporation goals
May claim any number of goals if requirements are met
42
One goal per Corporation
Cannot claim more than one goal from each Corporation
43
Check availability
Slot must not have a goal token; some slots reserved for 3-4 player games
44
Score goal points
Place Goal token on slot and score indicated VP plus extra VP based on Reputation position (0-4 VP)
45
Resolve Corporation maintenance
From Corporation #1 to #3, resolve their Maintenance steps
46
Retrieve crater astronauts
Starting from topmost crater space clockwise, player with biggest total structure size in facing row gains that astronaut
47
Break ties
Astronaut goes to tied player with biggest structure in sector closest to astronaut slot
48
Handle excess astronauts
May reorganize astronauts; excess returns to Lunar Gateway
49
Collect Corporation income
Gain any income from Corporations
50
Collect Dome income
Engineers produce 1 Titanium; Technicians produce 3 Credits; Scientists grant 2 VP
51
Collect Headquarters income
Gain 1 Reputation for each Astronaut there
52
Pay Reputation maintenance
Spend Credits for last maintenance cost reached on Reputation track (0-4 Credits)
53
Pay structure maintenance
Each Dome costs 1 Credit, Workshop 2 Credits, Laboratory 3 Credits, Headquarters 4 Credits
54
Apply Workshop discount
Each Engineer in top Workshop reduces maintenance by 3 Credits
55
Handle insufficient Credits
For each missing Credit, move Reputation marker back one space; if below 0, lose 2 VP per remaining missing Credit
56
Cleanup astronauts
Return all Astronauts from Command action area to supply

Winning

How to claim victory.

1
Complete three rounds
The game ends after the Maintenance phase of the third round
2
Score funded Projects
Add VP from all Project cards you funded
3
Score Laboratories
For each Laboratory built, score 2/5/10 VP if hosting 1/2/3 Astronauts of the matching type
4
Score Reputation
Add VP equal to your final Reputation level
5
Score Corporation bonuses
Add VP from each of the 3 Corporations according to their scoring rules
6
Determine winner
Player with the most VP wins
7
Break ties
Tied player with most Reputation wins
8
Share victory
If still tied, tied players share the victory

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FULL rules

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