Objective:  As a crew member, your primary goal is to survive the hostile environment and complete your personal objective (revealed at the start of the game). This might involve escaping in an escape pod, reaching Earth in a repaired ship, or even achieving a more sinister goal. However, be wary of your fellow crewmates, as some might have hidden agendas that threaten the mission and your survival.

Number of Players: 2-5 players

Playing Time: Around 60-90 minutes

Components:

• Game board depicting various sections of a spaceship

• Player boards with character abilities and tracks for health, movement, and inventory

• Character decks with unique starting items and abilities for each crew member

• Action cards used for movement, combat, and interacting with the environment

• Intruder bag containing tokens representing hostile alien organisms

• Event deck introducing random challenges and threats

• Item cards offering various tools and equipment

• Fire and noise tokens to track environmental hazards

• Dice for resolving actions and combat
  

Setup:

1. Choose Your Character: Each player selects a character board and corresponding deck, familiarizing themselves with the unique abilities and starting items.

2. Hidden Objectives: Draw a hidden objective card that defines your personal goal for the game (keep it secret from other players).

3. Starting Location and Items: Place your character token on the designated starting location on the game board and equip your starting items.

4. Deck Setup: Shuffle your character deck and draw your starting hand of action cards.

5. Intruder Bag Setup: Fill the Intruder bag with tokens based on the chosen scenario and difficulty level.

6. Event Deck and Other Components:  Shuffle the Event deck and place other components like item cards, fire/noise tokens, and dice within reach.
   

Gameplay:

The game is played in rounds, with players taking turns in clockwise order. Each round consists of several phases:

1. Player Phase:

On your turn, you can perform two actions chosen from a variety of options:

• Move: Explore the spaceship by moving your character token between connected areas on the board.

• Play Action Cards: Use action cards from your hand to perform various actions like attacking intruders, repairing the ship, searching for items, or interacting with objects in your environment.

• Use Character Ability:  Activate your character's special ability once per turn (refer to your character board for details).

• Discard and Draw Cards:  Discard used cards and draw new ones from your deck to replenish your hand.

2. Event Phase:

Draw and resolve an event card. These events can introduce challenges, force tough decisions, or even benefit the players.

3. Intruder Phase:

• Intruder Bag Draw:  Draw a specific number of tokens (depending on difficulty and game state) from the Intruder bag. These tokens represent different types of alien creatures that will appear on the board and attack the crew.

• Intruder Movement and Attack:  Move the newly spawned intruders according to their movement patterns. If they encounter a player character, combat ensues.

• Combat Resolution: Use dice rolls and action cards to resolve combat between players and intruders. Defeat the intruders to earn rewards and ensure your survival.

4. Noise and Fire Management:

Check for noise and fire token effects, which can attract intruders and create additional dangers.

5. Round End:

After completing all phases, the round ends, and the next player turn begins.

Winning and Losing:

• Cooperative Victory:  The players win the game if they collectively achieve their primary objective (e.g., repairing the ship and reaching Earth).

• Hidden Agendas:  If a player with a hidden agenda that threatens the crew (like sabotaging the ship or unleashing a deadly alien) achieves their goal, they win, while the other players lose.

• Crew Wiped Out:  If all player characters are incapacitated or killed by intruders or environmental hazards, the crew loses the game.
  

Strategy and Tips

• Personal Objectives: Each character has unique objectives. Understanding your personal goals helps prioritize actions and strategies.

• Primary Objective: Ensure you know the main goal for escaping the spaceship, whether it’s repairing systems, reaching specific locations, or something else.

2. Coordinate with Other Players:

• Teamwork: Collaborate with other players to manage threats and complete objectives. Share resources and information to enhance your chances of survival.

• Divide and Conquer: Assign different roles to players based on their character’s strengths, such as scouting, repairing, or combat.

3. Manage Alien Threats:

• Avoid Detection: Use noise strategically to lure aliens away from critical areas or to distract them. Avoid making unnecessary noise that might attract more aliens.

• Combat Strategy: When facing aliens, use your action cards effectively. Combine your character’s abilities with available items to maximize damage and minimize risk.

4. Explore the Spaceship:

• Search Rooms: Explore different rooms to find valuable items and resources. Pay attention to event cards that may affect room conditions.

• Repair Systems: Prioritize repairing broken systems that could hinder your progress or increase alien threats.

5. Utilize Items Wisely:

• Item Management: Collect and use items based on your current needs. Items can be used for healing, combat, or completing objectives.

• Combine Items: Some items can be combined or used in conjunction with others for better results. Experiment with different combinations.

6. Keep Track of Alien Movement:

• Monitor Patterns: Understand the movement patterns of aliens and anticipate their actions. This helps in planning safe routes and avoiding encounters.

• Use Alien Movement Tokens: Track alien movements carefully to avoid ambushes and plan your movements accordingly.

7. Manage Noise Levels:

• Noise Tokens: Be aware of noise tokens on the board. They represent sound that attracts aliens, so manage and minimize noise to avoid attracting unwanted attention.

• Use Noise Strategically: You can use noise to draw aliens away from important areas or to distract them while you complete objectives.

8. Stay Flexible:

• Adapt to Changes: The game’s events and alien movements can change quickly. Be ready to adapt your strategy based on new information and situations.

• Plan Ahead: While flexibility is important, having a general plan helps in staying focused and organized.

9. Conserve Resources:

• Resource Management: Use resources and items sparingly to ensure you have what you need for critical situations. Avoid wasting items on minor issues.

10. Focus on Survival:

• Health and Safety: Keep an eye on your character’s health and manage damage effectively. Survival is key to completing objectives and escaping the spaceship.
  

Key Strategies:

• Effective Communication: Constantly communicate with other players to ensure coordinated efforts and to share critical information.

• Prioritize Objectives: Focus on completing your personal objectives and the primary goal to ensure success.

• Balance Risk and Reward: Weigh the risks of exploring or engaging in combat against the potential rewards of finding items or advancing objectives. Additional Notes:

• Semi-Cooperative Play:  While there's a common goal of survival and potentially escaping the ship, hidden agendas and player betrayal add a layer of suspicion and tension.

• Variable Difficulty and Scenarios:  Choose from various difficulty levels and scenarios that offer unique challenges and objectives.

• High Replayability:  With hidden agendas, random events, and ever-changing threats, Nemesis offers a thrilling and unpredictable experience every time you play.