Exodus: by Phil Eklund, Geoff Speare, Paweł Garycki, & Justin Grey

EXODUS
By Phil Eklund, Geoff Speare, Paweł Garycki, & Justin Grey

High Frontier 4: Module 4 - Exodus, for 1 to 6 players. Updated Apr 10, 2022.
Table of Contents
4A. Module 4 3
4B. Contracts & Enterprises 10
4C. Spaceborns & Cybernetic Augmentations 18
4D. Isobank (Module 1) 22
4E. Module 4 Endgame 28
4F. Exodus Scenarios (Module 3 competitive) 33
4G. Module 4 Solitaire Games 36
4H. Module 4 Strategy (Geoff Speare) 38
4I. List of Spaceborn Colonist Futures 42
2 | HIGH FRONTIER 4 ALL | MODULE 4 - EXODUS

4A. Module 4
As Factions settle the Solar System and adopt a commodity economy based upon isotope rocket fuel, humanity
changes and augments itself to adapt to the space environment of low gravity and high radiation.
The science of cybernetics allows human-machine hybrids to flourish. Terawatt technology enables rocket
starship engines and augmented humanity makes it possible to expand to the stars. Module 4 Exodus plays with
multiplayer and solitaire scenarios and only needs the Core High Frontier 4 game including Module 0 to play, but
can be combined with Modules 0 - 3. It expands High Frontier in scope but not in length:
a. Contracts (All Games). Enhance the early to mid-game, granting early Aquas and mission goals.
b. New Spaceborn Colonist Queue (Modules 1 & 2) represent Humans born in space whose bodies have
atrophied to the point that they are largely mechanical.
c. Augmentation Chits (Modules 1 & 2) are gained by completing contracts and played on Colonists to
upgrade them and allow them to Promote other cards or be promoted themselves.
d. Enterprises (Modules 1 & 2) are another path to augmentations, as humanity alters itself and its machines
to better colonize the Solar System and reach the stars.
e. A Starship Stack (Modules 1 & 2) holds the isobank/starship's repository of Isofuel and is the center of
starship construction. If a starshot occurs, either in the spirit of expansion1 or to escape from bondage,2 a
combination game into Interstellar is possible.
f. New Solitaire Political Diagram (Module 0) integrates contracts with the CEO and altruism solitaire games.
g. Terms being defined are listed in bold, or italicized if defined elsewhere. Capitalized terms are defined in the
glossary. Rules in blue font are advanced rules that are ignored unless using the 6-7 Cycle game.
The numerical prefix on a reference (e.g. 1A3) signifies the Module number.
1 WHY GO AD ASTRA? Each of us has a drive to spread one’s wings that has been reinforced by eons of natural selection. This instinct, rather than
“population pressures”, will impel a pioneering minority to the stars. Earth is never going to run out of living space, as this is being written, the
global population increase is plummeting at a rate such that the population max will be achieved this century. Meanwhile, technological advances
continue to shrink the ecological footprint, the number of hectares per person that each of us requires for our food and other needs. A simple
application of arcology and high tech farming would provide more living space than the vastness of space could provide for centuries, because of
what it takes to make such places habitable.
2 EXODUS refers to a mass departure of refugees, as originally accounted in the second book of the Torah and of the Old Testament. The war-
refugee scenarios in this Module describe a postwar interstellar exodus comparable to the flight of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt about 3.5 kya.

4A1. Core, Starship, & Exodus Game Lengths
Module 4 Exodus lasts from 4 to 7 solar cycles. The Combined Game leads into the next game: Interstellar.
a. 4-5 Cycle Core Game (competitive).
•M odules. Module 0 must be used, and optionally Modules 1, 2, and/or 3 (Conflict).
• Ignore Rules in Blue Font. Ignore rules in blue font unless using Modules 1 and 2 (including spaceborns, isotope
monetization, enterprises, augmentations, and Project Exodus). Include rules labeled for Module 3 if using it.
•N umber of Players. 2 to 6 competitive, or 1 solitaire (4G).
•G ame Victory. See 4E2.
VARIANT (MODULES 1 & 2): b. 6-7 Cycle Games (competitive).
For an advanced game
•M odules. Modules 0, 1, and 2 with Futures, and optionally Module 3 (Conflict).
that introduces contracts,
use only the blue-side of •N umber of Players. 2 to 6 competitive, or 1 solitaire (4G). Solitaire is not supported if using Module 3.
contracts and ignore rules in •G ame Victory. See 4E2.
blue font. [4A1b,c] c. 5-7 Cycle Scenarios using Module 3 (competitive).
•E xodus Conventional War (4F1). Use Module 3, but additionally score per 4E2.
•E xodus Union War (4F2). Use Module 3, but additionally score per 4E2. War can break out, with the Spacer
Union (including Robots) as the Independence B bloc and the others as the Loyalist M bloc.
d. Interstellar Combined Game. This is the same as a 7-Cycle game (4A1b,c), but your accomplishments and
augmented Colonists are imported into the next game in the series: Interstellar. See 4E5.
e. Solitaire. See 4G. For victory conditions, including Combined Game solitaire, see 4G4.
4A2. Module 4 Components

a. 1 Drawer Box.
b. 1 Rules Booklet. You are reading it.
c. 6 Reference Cards (1 for each player, to house one's fulfilled contracts and augmentation chits).
d. 36 Contract Cards which form the 3 contract decks (4B1). Each has a blue-side and a gold-side.
e. 6 Timepiece Chits (1 for each of 6 player colors). Each has an clock side and a deadbeat (alarm) side.
f. 1 Default Chit.
g. 1 Module 4 Placard. This includes a player aid and space to store the 4 contract decks.

h. 1 Starship Stack Placard holds the isobank's Isofuel stored in the isovault of each player plus starship parts/ STARSHIP TOKEN [4A2l]
Colonists. It becomes the starship if launched. The other side has the Alternative Solitaire Political Diagram.
i. 6 Exodus Contract Cards form the Exodus contract (4B1c) deck. Each side has a purple contract.
j. 10 Spaceborn Colonist Cards.
k. 6 Robot Colonist Cards.
l. 1 Starship Token. Place this at the base of a Bernal where the isobank is founded (4D2).
m. 6 Child Chits (1 for each of 6 player colors).
n. 36 Augmentation Chits (6 for each shape).
o. 3 Medal Chits. Isobanker (4E2e), propulsion (4D3a), & command (4D3b). Each is worth 4 VP.
4A3. Contract Card Anatomy

Contract cards are auctioned after a fundraise operation (O2b). Most have a blue-side and a gold-side, and start in
one of 3 decks with the blue-side faceup. In games of 6 or more cycles, the decks flip to the gold-side when the first
Isotope (gold bead) is produced (4B1b). A special contract deck of purple cards is the Exodus contract deck (4B1c).
a. Name.
b. Mass/Rad-hardness. Use these when the contract is carried as a Stack Card, see 4B2.
c. Type.
Add diagram of con-
d. Humans on Board Icon. See 4B2d.
tract anatomy?
e. "When Fulfilling" or "Fulfilled" Abilities. See 4B2e.
f. Tophat/Felony. See 4B2e.
g. Ideology Pair. Individuality-freedom, honor-unity, or equality-authority. See 4B3c.
h. Cash Advance. See 4B3h.
i. Destination. See 4B4.
j. Late Fee. See 4B5c.
k. Cybernetics. This icon is in the shape of an augmentation chit, allowing that chit to be implanted (4C4c).3
l. Victory Points. See 4E2b.
3 CYBERNETICS is the science of communication and control systems shared by machines and living things. Such an integration is essential for
mastering the high frontier as well as for a starship controlled by both humans and machines.

CYBERNETIC SHAPES: 4A4. Augmentation Chit Anatomy
Domesticated goo. Augmentation chits have two effects, one on each side. Only the face-up effect is active. They are placed upon a
Colonist card via the implant operation (4C4).
Wardens. a. Cybernetics & Shape. Irregular (domesticated goo), hexagon (wardens), heart (life-support), jar-shaped
Life-support.
(hibernation jars), battery-shaped (batteries), or triangle (engine).
b. Abilities. See 4C3a,b,c,d,e,f.
Hibernation jars.
4A5. Module 4 Setup
Batteries. Setup is per Core (C) plus for the Modules used plus the following:
a. Seniority Disks. Four to seven, depending on the game length chosen (4A1).
Engine.
b. Contract Decks. Place the Module 4 placard (4A2g) next to the Political Assembly. Separate the contract
[4A4a]
cards with into 3 decks, one for each ideology pair (4A3g), with the blue-side faceup. Shuffle each deck and
TIP: Contracts require
place according to their ideology pair on the Module 4 placard.
boosting, so there is more
boosting in a Module c. Timepiece & Default Chits. Place these chits near the Sunspot Cycle placard.
4 game. This gives the d. Starting Aqua (Modules 0, 3). Contract decks are not patent decks and so do not affect starting Aqua (C5).
Player White NASA Faction e. Player Aids & Starship Stack. Give one player aid to each player. The starship stack placard goes into a public area.
Privilege (with a boosting f. Exodus Contract Deck (Modules 1 & 2). Shuffle the Exodus contracts (4A2i), randomizing which side of each
bonus) an advantage. This is faceup. Place them on the Module 4 placard with the starship Token (4A2l) on top to show the deck is locked.
Faction is recommended for g. New Colonists (Module 2). Shuffle the new Colonists (spaceborn and Robot), plus all Robots from Module 2,
beginning players. [4A5] into a new spaceborn queue.
EASILY MISSED: The Exodus •Q ueues. Module 4 uses 2 Colonist queues: earthborn and Robot/spaceborn (4C1).4 “Earthborn” is slang for a
contracts have different non-Robot Colonist from Module 2.
contracts on each side, but h. Augmentation & Child Chits (Module 2). Each player adds to their Reserves the child chit of their color,
only one side of each is used and a set of augmentation chits of the 6 shapes.
in a game. [4A5f] i. Module 3 Conflict. If playing with this Module, decide if the War will be conventional (4F1) or Union (4F2).
Then additionally setup per 3A2.
4 EARTHBORN vs. SPACEBORN. A person born on Earth is acclimated to a 1 gee planet or Bernal. A person who has spent years in a low gravity
rocket or world suffers from muscular atrophy to the point where they would need a lot of bionic help to take a vacation on Earth. As the
future unfolds, humans may specialize into two kinds of cybernetic augmentations: mental aids, such as an exocortex or wearable computers, and
physical aids, such as bionic limbs, locomotion, and life-support, all of which allow acrobatic performance in zero-gee.

4A6. Core/Module 0-3 Rules Changes EASILY MISSED: Module 4
introduces chits (timepieces
a. Inspiration (K2a). This event is applied to both Colonist queues (2A2b) plus the contract decks (4A5b), & child chits) placed on the
including the Exodus contract deck if it is active (4D2c). Sunspot Cycle. Moving the
b. Contract Fulfillment (add to G). This new free action moves a completed contract card from a Stack to Sunspot Cube *past* one of
adjacent to your playmat. Completed contracts are called enterprises (4B8). these chits during Phase D2
c. Negotiation Summary (add to N). The following are negotiable: Possession of unfulfilled contract cards. Fulfilled will trigger an effect (this
contract Abilities (4B2f) that are specified negotiable. Transfer of Isotopes between isovaults (4D2f). Fulfilled may be immediate or at the
contract icons may be shared (see partnership delegates, 4B8). Augmentation chits are not negotiable. start of that player's Turn).
d. Fundraise Operation (O2 of Module 0). During this Operation, a partner delegate can be placed on an See the diagram for example
enterprise per 4B8a in order to increase your portfolio. If you have an available timepiece (4A2e), as the final 4B6 on page 16. [4A6]
step of this Operation, you may start a contract auction (4B3), bidding in years for the top of the contract
deck corresponding to the Active Law. May inspire the contract deck before bidding (4B3d).
e. FINAO (H7e). Failure Is Not An Option cost changes after isotope monetization (3B5, 4D1) when any player
first establishes an isostandard.
f. Starship Stack (add to E3). This new Stack is formed by the founding of the isobank (4D2), and starts
colocated with the isobank Bernal Stack. The starship stack placard (4A2h), held by the isobanker, stores its cards
and Isofuel. If a player makes a purchase using Isotopes at their Bank, these beads are stored as unowned on the
map on the Earth icon (4D2d). Unowned gold beads on the Earth icon can be purchased for 10 Aquas per 4D1d.
g. Exomigration (2A6). There are 2 queues instead of 1: earthborn and Robot/spaceborn (4A5g). Once you
have a Colony beyond your Home Bernal, you may choose to draw from the spaceborn queue and join
the Spacer Union (4C2c). This Decommissions all of your earthborn Colonists. Regardless if you hold Robot/
spaceborn Colonists, or Human Colonists, your Colonist limit is equal to the number of anchored Bernals
(doubled for Promoted Bernals, see 2Ca).
h. Robot Exomigration (2A6). If multiple Robots are drawn during a single exomigration (2C2a), choose one
to keep and Discard the rest, then shuffle the spaceborn queue.
i. Promotion (1A5 / 2A3). Promotion is the same as in Modules 1 and 2, except a Colonist (or Colonists) of
yours must be present and implanted with a certain number of unique augmentation chits (4C7e).
j. Space Empire Shutdown (3F4). Caused by certain Futures or a Loyalist War victory (Module 3). It dissolves
the political assembly per 4F2f. (This shuts down contract auctions (4B3) except Exodus contracts (4B1c)).

4A7. Core/Module 0-3 Rules Clarifications
a. Bank (clarification). Your Bank is the Space on the map where your Aquas and/or Isotopes on your playmat
are located. It is located in LEO, a Home Bernal (2B3), or (if Module 3) an ET Home Bernal (3F1), whichever is
farthest from Earth. You may only have one Bank at a time. It is distinct from an isobank (4D2).
b. Powersat Stacking (clarification). The thrust bonus conferred by Powersat does not stack and is limited to
+1 excepting completion of the "Mass Beam" Future (where it becomes +2) and "MagBeam" robonaut (which
always receives +3 thrust for itself only).
c. Multiple Rerolls (clarification). If multiple Abilities and/or rules grant rerolls for a particular roll, you may
reroll once per such Ability/rule. After a reroll, you decide whether to keep it or roll again (if possible).
d. Site/Space Descriptions (clarification). Some cards in this Module use new methods of describing Sites:
•U nexplored: A Site without a Claim disk or Busted disk.
•F lyby Space: A Space with a flyby bonus printed on the map (B7d), including solar oberth flyby (H8e).
The Venus flyby only counts during season blue.
•S ignposted: Any Site with a colored route leading to it (B7i).
•S pace Elevator Site: A Site connected to an elevator path printed on the map (e.g. phobos).
• BEO Colony: "Beyond Earth Orbit"; any Colony dome including ET Home Bernal other than one on a Home Bernal.
e. The Martian (Module 4 expansion). A buggy can carry manned contracts (4B2d) as well as Crew or
Colonists along a buggy road (H9b).
f. Ownership (clarification). References to Tokens and Stack items (cards, FTs, etc.) apply to those that you
own or which you have permission to use (through negotiation, freedom to roam, Felony, etc.), except:
• "Any" or “Any player’s” means any such item regardless of permission.
• “ Your” means only items that are in your playmat or are in your player color.
The "Fugitive" contract destination requires you to take the contract to "any player's" BEO Colony. You do not need the
EXAMPLE [4A7f]
owner's permission to visit this Colony. The "Planetary Rail Network " requires you to take the contract to "Your" Colony
connected by buggy road to any Colony. You can't use another player's pair of connected Colonies, even during Freedom to Roam, to satisfy
this contract.

g. Industrialists (Module 4 expansion). This profession (2C1c) may perform one industrialize operation (I7),
anchoring operation (2A5), nanofacture operation (1A7), or implant operation (4C4) as a once-per-turn free Add diagram of Chu-
action per industrialist, if requirements are met. rynmov-gerasimenko
h. Order of Operations (clarification). When performing multiple steps of adding/subtracting and
multiplying/dividing, use the following order:
•S ubtraction.
•D ivision / Multiplication (but see 4A8).
•A ddition.
•R ound if necessary (up or down as indicated).
i. Dirtside Cargo Transfer (Module 2 Living Rules change to 2A7f). By spending an Operation, you may
perform cargo transfers (G1) ascending from a Dirtside to its cooperating Bernal..
j. Anchoring of Elevator Home Bernals (Module 2 Living Rules change to 2B4f,i). Anchoring the
Lofstrom Loop Microgravity or the GEO Elevator Bernal in a Home Orbit requires an Epic Hazard Roll that risks
the Bernal's support.
k. Miner Colonists (Module 2 Living Rules change to 2C1a). During a site refuel operation (I5), you may
perform one extra refuel per Colocated miner present, including on an Anchored Bernal.5 The refuels may be
of different types (you may receive 1 Isotope and 7 water, for example).
4A8. Module 4 Refueling (modification to Core)

A central plot to Module 4 is the accumulation of enough Isofuel to launch a starship to another star. To more
accurately reflect this, Abilities and privileges which are stated to double refueling instead add to each other.
You are performing a site refuel using the "Femtochemistry" refinery (2X site refuel) and the Dharma Refuel privilege (2x
EXAMPLE [4A8]
site refuel with glory chit). The combination of the two yields 3 Isotopes rather than 4. If you have a miner Colonist present
(allows two site refuels), each site refuel yields 3, for a total of 6.
5 BERNAL HOUSEHOLDS. Although your colonists can be working anywhere in space, it is assumed that their families and supplies reside back
home in the Bernal’s shirtsleeve environment. Without such human factors, space cannot be colonized.

4B. Contracts & Enterprises
Contract decks are made up of contract cards representing available-for-hire work from various organizations.
The winning bidder gets instant funding in return for a promise to complete the contract by a specific deadline,
with penalties for being late. Fulfill a contract by taking its card to the specified location, and (if specified) returning
it. Once fulfilled, a contract grants cybernetics icon(s) and (usually) an ongoing Ability, both representing a
continuing partnership with a high-tech enterprise. A fulfilled contract is also worth VP at the endgame.
Contracts start in 3 decks on their blue-side, and flip to their gold-side as soon as the first Isotope is produced.
a. Ideology Pairs (4A3g). Most contracts are available according to the Active Law.
• Individuality-Freedom. These carry human or avatar passengers, either tourists or trillionaires. Cybernetics:
life-support or jars.
• Honor-Unity. Military contracts or government grants. Cybernetics: batteries or engine.
• Equality-Authority. Science projects or megaprojects. Cybernetics: wardens or goo.
b. Discard. This glossary term means to put a card (including contracts) to the bottom of its appropriate deck or queue.
4B1. Contract Decks

Contracts form three or four decks placed around the political assembly and use special rules for bidding and inspiration.
a. Inspiration Event. Like patent decks, all contract decks, except Exodus contracts if inactive, are inspired
during the inspiration Event Roll (K2a).
b. Isobank Contract Upheaval. Each contract has two sides: blue and gold. As soon as any player establishes
an isostandard (produced an Isotope for your GW/TW thruster per 1Cb), flip all three non-Exodus contract
decks so the bottom is on top and from now on the more ambitious gold-side is used.6
c. Exodus Contracts. This fourth deck (4A5f) contains purple contracts which start on the module 4 placard
(4A2g). The deck starts covered by the starship token (4A2i) to indicate that it is locked (and not affected by
inspiration events). Establishing the isobank removes this Token, indicating that its top contract is auctionable
(4B3c). Once activated, these contracts are auctioned and boosted as normal.
6 AQUAS VS. ISOTOPES. These two commodity currencies differ in their value on Earth. Aqua (water) is not very valuable on Earth, while isotopes
(gold beads) are quite valuable as fuel for fusion powerplants. Aqua has no value on Earth’s surface, but does have value in LEO. If you pay the
programmers in Aqua, you pay in water orbiting in big cans where the programmers can resell it to outward-bound ships that need propellant.

4B2. Contract Cards
Contract cards have Mass and rad-hardness and are carried in Stacks like other cards in play until their contract is
fulfilled whereupon they are stored as enterprises (4B8).
a. Not Patents. Contract cards do not count against academia hand limit (I2a) and cannot be sold (I3a) or Discarded (G6).
b. Side Matters. When boosting, a contract must be placed on the side (blue-side or gold-side, see 4B1b) that
was faceup when it was auctioned.
c. Launch Surety Contracts. Contract cards are immune to pad explosion/space debris events (K2c) and HUMAN ICON [4B2d]
budget cuts events (K2f).
d. Manned Contracts. The “Human” icon makes a contract Human (see glossary). This is significant for Glitch repairs,
Felony defense, colonization (G3), Glory, or as a manned target during combat. However, voluntary Decommission
of a manned contract is a Felony and they cannot establish Colonies. Any Decommission of a manned
contract makes it deadbeat (4B5d). You cannot bid on manned contracts if you have the default chit (4B6).
TOPHAT ICON [4B2e]
e. Contract Abilities are of 3 types:
• Tophat & Felony Abilities. These 2 Abilities are active before fulfillment. A Stack containing a contract with
the tophat icon can safely enter 1 Hazard per Turn without paying FINAO (the costs are thematically paid
for by the trillionaire, even if FINAO is shutdown, for instance by War). A Stack containing a contract with the
Felony icon may commit Felonies (see glossary).
FELONY ICON [4B2e]
• "When Fulfilling" Abilities. These Abilities occur once only, as the contract is fulfilled (4B4f).
• "Fulfilled" Ability. These Abilities remain active after the contract is fulfilled and becomes an enterprise (4B8).
You win the auction for the contract "Chiron Quest", receiving the advance of 13 Aquas. You boost it to your Home Bernal,
EXAMPLE [4B2e]
and take the trillionaire's avatar to his destination, Chiron (12:30 F). On the way, he pays for one FINAO a Turn. Upon arrival,
you gain 8 Aquas for his "When Fulfilling" Ability. Having fulfilled the contract, you place it next to your playmat and gain the fulfilled
ability, which is "Bailout" (immunity to budget cuts events). add illustration of Chiron
contract (example 4B2e)
f. "Fulfilled" Ability Keywords: (These Abilities stack with multiple copies of the Ability).
• I nsight. After announcing a research auction (I2), you may initially choose one patent deck and move
its top card to the bottom of its deck. Then choose any top card to auction. This Ability is inactive during
research grants (O5e).
•B ailout. This Ability grants immunity from budget cuts (K2f). This is negotiable (N7).
• Connections. During a contract auction, select any contract deck where you have a corresponding delegate.

HAZARD IGNORE [4B2f] • Secured. During Anarchy, you retain your faction privilege and are immune to Felonies (superseding all other
Felony Abilities such as Soldier Caste's), but may commit them during Anarchy.
• Shielded. Minus 2 to Belt & CME Rolls to your Stacks (cumulative with multiple copies of this ability).
• Transport. Cargo transfer (G1) along a buggy road or between a Dirtside and its cooperating Bernal (1/turn).
• Hazard Ignore. Ignore Crash Hazards of the type listed. Text in quotes means that Crash Hazards with that
AEROBRAKE IGNORE [4B2f] text in their description are ignored.
• Aerobrake Ignore. As Hazard Ignore (previous bullet), but for Aerobrake Hazards
• Push. Gain the Powersat faction privilege.
You gain the insight Ability after fulfilling the contract “Hexapod Explorer”. You initiate a research auction, and apply
EXAMPLE [4B2f]
insight to the generator deck, hoping to reveal a pulse generator. But alas, the revealed generator is even worse.
PUSH [4B2f]
You are obliged to research something, so you put a Freighter up for auction.
g. Negotiation. You may trade your unfulfilled contract as part of a negotiation (N) replacing your timepiece
with the other player's timepiece and transferring any late fee Aquas on the contract. The contract card may
be transferred via cargo transfer (G1), etc.
• C
ontract Abilities are not negotiable unless specified.
h. Fulfilled Contract VP. See 4E2b.
i. Unfulfilled Contract Penalty. An unfulfilled contract suffers a VP penalty equal to how much you still owe (4E2c).
j. Cybernetics. These icons (engine, batteries, jars, life-support, wardens, goo) are active after a contract is fulfilled
and becomes an enterprise (4B8). They enable the implant of the corresponding augmentation chit (4C4c).
TIP: Due to late fees, bidding 4B3. Contract Auction (adds to the Fundraise Operation)
in the first solar cycle is risky
If your timepiece is not in the Sunspot Cycle, as the final step of a fundraise operation (O2b) you may choose a
unless you boost a Rocket
quickly. [4B3]
contract deck to auction. This deck must share an ideology with an Active Law (or the Exodus deck if active, 4A5f).
After optionally Discarding the deck's top card, you may auction the top card or abandon the auction:
a. Partner Enterprise. Whether or not there is a contract auction, a delegate from a fundraise can be used to
form a partner enterprise per 4B8a instead of being placed in the political assembly.
b. Auction Prohibition. Contract auctions cannot be held during War/Anarchy. You must have an available
timepiece to initiate a contract auction.

c. Deck Selection. After performing the fundraise and associated vote tally (O2a), choose a contract deck TIP: 58% of individuality-
sharing an ideology in its ideology pair (4A3g) with an Active Law. This choice cannot be lobbied. freedom contracts are
• If the Active Law is in unity, multiple laws may be active; otherwise, only one is the Active Law. manned; 12% of honor-unity
contracts are manned; and
•O nce the isobank is built (4D2c), you may choose the Exodus contract deck (4A5f) regardless of Active Law.
33% of equality-authority
You perform a fundraise while the Active Law is freedom. You add a delegate into equality and move another delegate into are manned. [4B3c]
EXAMPLE [4B3c] equality so that freedom, equality, and unity each have 2 delegates. You examine the contracts, and the honor-unity ideology
pair (4A3g) is the best one. Since the vote tally (O3a) is tied, you can move the Active Law to unity and auction the top honor-unity contract. EASILY MISSED: There are
no contracts which match
centrist. If the Active Law
d. Proposal Review. Unless the auction is prohibited (4B3b), you may choose to Discard the top card from the
is centrist, none of the con-
chosen deck. Then choose to either initiate a contract auction for the top card or abandon the auction. tract decks may be selected
e. Bid Media. Bids are made in years, from where the Sunspot Cube is currently located. Bids must start at 10 except (post-isobank) the
years (highest) and can go as low as 0 years (lowest). Exodus contract deck. [4B3c]
f. Auction Procedure. If you initiate this auction, you must start the bid at 10 years. Then, in any order, players
EASILY MISSED: If you have
whose timepiece is not on the Sunspot Cycle may bid. You must bid the same or lower as all other bidders.
the default chit, you cannot
Continue until no player wishes to lower their bid. The lowest bid is the winner (minimum bid of 0 years).
participate in or initiate
g. Ties. As the initiator, the active player wins ties they are involved in. If they are not involved, they choose an auction for a manned
which of the tied players wins. The Marketeer faction privilege, if active, always wins ties. contract. [4B3f]
Player Purple places the "Search For Life Center" contract up for auction, automatically bidding 10 years. Player Red has a
EXAMPLE [4B3g]
contract; their timepiece is in the Sunspot Cycle and so is not available for bidding. Player Green bids 9 years; Player Purple
responds with 9 (winning ties as the active player). Bidding goes down to 3 years until Player Green passes. Player Red is committed to
founding the “Search For Life Center” in 3 years’ time.
h. 3-step Win Procedure for the auction winner:

•D eadline. The winner places their timepiece (“clock” faceup) into the Sunspot Cycle a number of steps into
the future equal to their bid. TIP: Contracts will be put
into a Stack on the map via
•C ash Up Front. The winner takes the cash advance (4A3h) in Aquas from the Pool.
the boost operation (I4).
•H and. The winner takes the contract as a Hand Card. It ignores academia hand limits, pad explosions, or budget Secure a contract before
cuts (4B2a,c). boosting your Rocket; that
i. Finder's Fee. If the auction is won by a player other than the active player, the active player receives 1 Aqua way you can boost both in a
from taken from the contract's cash advance (4A3h), so that the winning player receives 1 less. single Operation. [4B3i]

EASILY MISSED: A Human
contract cannot be volun-
4B4. Contract Fulfillment (new free action)
tarily Decommissioned. Each step of a contract’s destination is fulfilled as a free action (G) by moving your Stack containing the contract
[4B4b] to the listed destination (4A3i), while satisfying any other listed conditions. If you fulfill the terms of the contract,
move it to a space adjacent to your playmat, and return your timepiece from the Sunspot Cycle placard, which
EASILY MISSED: If you have instantly lifts restrictions on contract auctions. Any “Fulfilled:” Abilities of the contract are now active (4B2e).
an ET Home Bernal (Module a. Contract Start. All contracts are put onto the map via the boost operation, boosted to your choice of either
3), this is a valid return your Bank (4A7a) or LEO.
location for contracts. b. Representation. The contract card and any other required cards must be part of the Stack which fulfills the
However, because you contract or destination step.
cannot boost there, if you
• P
ass Through. If the destination or step includes “Enter”, the Stack instead must have entered the listed
have an ET Home Bernal you
may only pick up contracts in
location this Turn.
LEO. [4B4d] c. Return. If your destination specifies “Return,” after reaching the destination(s) listed, the contract must move
to your Bank (4A7a) or LEO to fulfill.
A player is completing the "Search for Life Center" contract (visit echeclus and return). She lands on echeclus with the
EXAMPLE [4B4c]
contract and announces the completion of this part of the contract. On a later Turn, she brings the contract back to LEO, and
FULFILLMENT [4B4d,f] announces fulfillment of the contract.
CONTRACT ABILITIES (4B2)
Bailout. Immune to budget cuts. Negotiable.
Connections. During fundraise, select any
d. PR. You must announce each step of a contract’s fulfillment if the contract specifies multiple destinations.
The tourist contract “Inner Tour” has a destination “Enter 4 different flyby spaces in 1 Turn.” Your Spacecraft, with the contract
contract deck where you have a
corresponding delegate.
Hazard Ignore X. You may ignore rolling 1d6
for the listed Hazard type/paying FINAO cost. EXAMPLE [4B4d]
Insight. When performing research auction,
may cycle 1 patent deck prior to auctioning. aboard, navigates the Earth, Luna, Mercury, and Venus (requiring season blue) flybys in a single Turn. Because the contract
Fulfilled Contract here
Secured. During Anarchy, retain faction

privilege; immune to Felonies but may
still commit them.
Shielded. -2 to Belt & CME Rolls (cumulative
says “Enter”, you do not need to stop at the final flyby, but you must fulfill the contract on this Turn, or you will have to do the tour again!
with multiple copies of this Ability).
Transport. Cargo transfer along a buggy
road [and/or possibly between Bernal and
Dirtside] (1/turn). e. Glitch Trigger. Contract fulfillment (including intermediate steps) is a Glitch Trigger.
PROMOTION (4C7)
Colonist. 1 augmention (self-promoted)
Freighter. Colonist w/ 2 unique augmentations
f. Contract Added to Your Contracts Fulfilled Area. If this is the last (or only) destination, the contract is
Bernal. Colonist w/ 3 unique augmentations
GW Thruster. Colonist w/ 4 unique
augmentations, then make Epic Hazard Roll.
fulfilled. Orient/splay the card together with your other fulfilled contracts next to your playmat so that its
EASILY MISSED: As the Glitch cybernetics (4A3l) and fulfilled ability (if any, 4A3e) are visible. Discard your timepiece to your Reserves and
Trigger occurs before the free Discard any Aqua from late fees on the contract.
action, it could destroy the • "When Fulfilling" Abilities. Enact these after removing the contract. They are free actions (even if
contract or a piece of needed operations are listed).
equipment before the contract • “ Colocated” refers to the contract location at the start of fulfillment (even though the contract is no longer there).
can be fulfilled. [4B4f] •F ulfilled Abilities: These Abilities are now active (4B2e).

4B5. Late Penalties "DEADBEAT" TIMEPIECE [4B5a]
If the 1st player cube moves past your timepiece in the Sunspot Cycle, you are late, which flips the timepiece. Each
Turn, either pay the late fee until the contract is fulfilled or its advance is paid off, or else default. Follow these steps:
a. Flip To Deadbeat. Flip your timepiece to its “deadbeat” (alarm) side. It remains in place until removed by late
fulfillment or debt repayment (bullets c or e).
b. Pay Late Fee (optional). At the start of your Turn in which your timepiece is “deadbeat”, after Bernal profits,
you may pay all or part of the late fee listed on the contract. Place all payments directly upon the late
contract (wherever it is) to track how much you have spent.
•N o Overpayments. You cannot pay more than the late fee each Turn. EASILY MISSED: You can
• Nonpayment. Until the debt is paid, if you fail to pay the entire late fee of a Turn, then see 4B5d. negotiate a late contract.
The payments transfer with
•M ishap Insurance. If the Mishap Insurance Law is active when your timepiece flips to deadbeat, the first
the card. [4B5a]
Late Fee is paid from the Pool (represents the insurance settlement). You may lobby (O4) this Law.
c. Late Fulfillment. The instant a late contract is fulfilled, see 4B4f. This Discards the payments and timepiece. EASILY MISSED: Defaulting
d. Default Contract. If you fail to pay the full late fee on a late contract, or you Decommission a manned has no effect if you already
hold the default chit and the
contract, then place it into your Hand horizontally (retaining any Aqua) to show that it is a default contract
contract is already in your
(4B6) that can never be fulfilled. It will be Discarded after debt repayment (4B5e).
Hand. [4B5b]
e. Debt Repayment. The instant the payments on a late or default contract are equal to or greater than its
cash advance (4A3h), Discard the contract with its payments and remove your timepiece from the Sunspot TIP: Defaulting on a contract,
Cycle. If the contract was never boosted, then the payments must equal twice the cash advance. In either especially a manned one, can
case, Discarding the contract claims the default chit (4B6).7 See the Example 4B6 (next page). be ruinous. Doing any of the
following is like landing on
Sol and hoping a sunspot will
save you:
•M ake a Belt or Glitch Roll
with a contract.
•M ake a Hazard Roll/Epic
Hazard Roll which could
Decommission a contract.
•H aving a contract in space
7 DEFAULT is the failure to fulfill a contractual obligation. It damages reputation, the most fundamental asset of any enterprise. However, it is
assumed that memories are short, and the media concentrates only on the most recent defaulter.
during Season Red. [4B5d]

EASILY MISSED: If your
unmanned contract blows up
4B6. Default Contracts & Default Chit
(perhaps an Act of God or a If your contract is Discarded (returned unfulfilled to the bottom of its contract deck), or you fail to pay its late fee
military action), then it goes (4B5d), it becomes a default contract. Immediately claim the default chit (4A2f) from wherever it is. There is only one
into your Hand. This means such chit, passed from player to player. It is claimed on its blue or its gold-side depending on the contract color.8
that you have a second a. Decommission. A Decommissioned unmanned contract is added to your Hand vertically with a second chance
chance to boost it. [4B6a] to boost it. It is in default if Discarded unfulfilled. However, a Decommissioned manned contract (4B2d) is added
to your Hand horizontally (retaining any Aqua) to show that it is a default contract that can never be reboosted/
fulfilled. It will be Discarded after paying off its advance per 4B5e, whereupon you claim the default chit.
You boost a tourist contract (manned), but it perishes in a solar flare, placing the contract into your Hand horizontally.
EXAMPLE [4B6a]
On your next Turn, you decide not to pay anything on the contract. But eventually you start repaying, until the amount of
Aqua on the contract finally equals the cash advance. The contract, payments, and timepiece are Discarded, and you receive the default chit.
b. All Abilities on a default contract (including tophat or felony, see 4B2e) are deactivated.
c. Default Stigma. If you have the default chit, you are not allowed to bid on manned contracts.
d. Endgame Scoring (4E2d). The default chit subtracts 3 VP if on the blue-side or 6 VP if on the gold-side.
You won the bid for the “Mercury Forge”
EXAMPLE [4B6]
contract, and accepted its 11 Aqua advance, but
1 2
getting to Mercury is harder than you thought.
(1). The 1st player cube moves past your timepiece.
(2). Flip your timepiece to the deadbeat side.
(3). At the start of your Turn, you pay the late fee of 4 Aqua
placed on the contract.
(4). At the start of your next Turn, it is still unfulfilled but you 3
decide to pay the next late fee of 4 Aqua, added to the others
on the contract.
(5). On the Turn after that, it is still unfulfilled and you pay the
last 3 Aqua. Now that the advance (11 Aqua) are on a late
contract, it is Discarded along with its payments, and your
timepiece is removed from the Sunspot Cycle.
8 MERCURY, NOT FOR BEGINNERS. Why is the closest planet to Sol one of the hardest and highest delta-v planets
to reach? First, it orbits swiftly (about 45 km/sec) and deeply in the Sol gravity field. Second, it is inclined at 7
degrees from the ecliptic. Third, without an atmosphere, aerobrake is not an option. NASA was unable to attain
This frees you to be able to bid on more contracts. a satellite orbit around Mercury until the MESSENGER Spacecraft of 2011, which needed 6 years and flyby of
Earth, Venus, and Mercury. The programmer responsible was Robert Farquhar, a planetary trajectory pioneer who
(6). You take the default chit (4B6) from another player. designed some of the most esoteric and complex spacecraft trajectories ever attempted.

4B7. Contracts & War/Anarchy (Module 3) REMINDER (MODULE 3):
An opponent is another
With the Conflict Module, contract auctions and fulfillment are slightly different during War/Anarchy: contracts other player, a player that is not
than military contracts may be brought to LEO/Bernal without needing to pay, which obtains the default chit. you, the player whose Turn
a. War Outbreak Partner Dissolution. If War occurs, or if during War an ally becomes an enemy, all partner it is. During War, an enemy
delegates (4B8b) on enemy enterprises are Discarded. See 4B8c for re-installing during War. is an opponent who is in
b. Military Contracts. These contracts remain unaffected by War/Anarchy, and ignore bullets c & d below. the bloc you are fighting
c. Auction Freeze. No contract auctions (except military) are allowed during War/Anarchy. against. [4B7a]
d. Abandonment. A contract (except military) may be abandoned (without paying late fees or repayment but
EASILY MISSED: It is legal
suffering the default chit) during War/Anarchy by taking its card to LEO or the Anchored Bernal of any player. (but unscrupulous) to win
Discard the contract and remove your timepiece from the Sunspot Cycle. a contract during Anarchy,
Anarchy occurs in Season Blue, and you worry that an opponent will attack your Rocket Stack carrying a trillionaire collect its advance, and then
EXAMPLE [4B7d]
contract to cause you to repay your advance. You dump the trillionaire at a nearby Bernal and receive the default chit. boost and abandon it. [4B7e]
EASILY MISSED: Enterprise
4B8. Enterprises (Modules 1 & 2) cubes can be removed the
A completed contract stored adjacent to your playmat is called an enterprise. The 6 different types of cybernetics same as other cubes, see
icons on them are important for implanting augmentations (4C3). cube limits (I7f). [4B8]
a. Delegates & Partner Enterprises. During a fundraise operation (O2b), you may place a delegate on an
opponent’s enterprise (see next bullet) instead of on the political assembly. An enterprise with your delegate
is called a partner enterprise.
b. Placing Partner Delegates. You may place a partner on an enterprise in an opponent’s enterprise only with
their negotiated permission. Partner delegates count as delegates during endgame scoring (4E2a).
c. Placing Partner Delegates (Module 3). During War, you cannot place or retain partners on enemy enterprises,
but you can place on allied enterprises, even without permission, as long as you pay the owner a bribe (3B1).
d. Portfolio. The cybernetics icons on your enterprises and your partner enterprises is called your portfolio.
This is important for the implant operation (4C4) and thus for the Promotion Operation (4C7).
You wish to Promote your muddling GW thruster into a TW thruster, but only have 3 of the 4 implantations needed. Player
EXAMPLE [4B8d]
Gray has a jars cybernetics that you lack. During a fundraise, you place your delegate on his fulfilled contract. Then on the
following Turn, you move your thrice-augmented Colonist to the Home Bernal of Player Gray to perform the 4th implantation as a
negotiated on-site operation (N6). In return for these services, you transfer ownership of your second Bernal to become his second Bernal.

4C. Spaceborns & Cybernetic Augmentations
Human Colonists come in two types: earthborns (comfortable in 1 gee planets and Bernals) and spaceborns
(comfortable in zero-gee and high radiation). Colonists of all types become augmented if they are implanted with
an augmentation, a chit that represents technological modifications for Humans, and biological modifications for
Robots.9 Place them on a Colonist card via the implant operation (4C4) to enhance the Colonist’s capabilities.
EASILY MISSED: Earthborn
Colonists are Human (and
not Robots). Spaceborn 4C1. Spaceborn Colonists
Colonists are Human (and Module 4 introduces new Colonist cards called spaceborns, cyborg Humans whose bodies have atrophied so
not Robots). Unemancipated severely in the space environment that they are inseparable from their augmented limbs, locomotion, and life
Robots are not Human and support system. Unlike earthborns (Colonists introduced in Module 2), spaceborns have artificial blood and are
not spaceborn (but are cancer-immune. Although they are Human (see glossary), they support Robot equality during emancipation (2A6b).
drawn from the spaceborn a. Colonist Provenance. Colonists may be spaceborn Humans, earthborn Humans, or Robots.
queue). Emancipated Robots •E mancipated Robots (2A6b) count as Humans, Robots, and spaceborns.
are Human and spaceborn.
• “ Colonist” refers to any of the above. See diagram on page 19.
[4C1]
b. Sterile. Spaceborns and Robots cannot obtain the parenthood side of the heart augmentation.
add illustration 4C2. Spaceborn Exomigration (new option for exomigration free action)
of Spaceborn Icon This Module plays with 2 queues (2A2b): one for the Human Colonists of Module 2 (called earthborns), and the other
(4C1) for all Human Colonists from this Module (called spaceborns) plus Robots from either Module. If you have at least one
BEO Colony (4C2a), you may choose to exomigrate from the spaceborn queue. In doing so, you join the Spacer Union;
you must Discard all earthborn Colonists. Once in the union, you cannot draw earthborn Colonists (unless you have no
Colonists). Except per 4C2e or 4F2f, no player may hold Colonists (including Robots in Hand)from both queues.
9 PROMOTION VS AUGMENTATION. Many of the Promotions on Colonist cards are a combination of genetic and bionic enhancements, as well
as the cybernetics that communicate with them. An extreme case is a “reverse cyborg”, which has mental functions largely undertaken by an
exocortex. On an interstellar mission, augmentations of human biology are essential because the expected radiation levels are not survivable for
pure humans. In the next game in the High Frontier saga - Interstellar - the humans have further diverged into specialized cyborgs, Amazons with
reproductive capacity and heavily-augmented brains, and meatheads with hibernation capacity and who have heavily augmented bodies.

a. Beyond Earth Orbit Colony. You may not exomigrate from the spaceborn queue unless since the beginning EASILY MISSED: This means
of the Turn you owned a BEO Colony (4A7d). you cannot draw a space-
You have a Home Bernal anchored, and then industrialize your first Factory. You use your Colonist to make it into a Colony, born when Decommissioning
EXAMPLE [4C2a] a Colonist to build your first
and then exomigrate a new Colonist. This new Colonist cannot be spaceborn, because this Colony is your first outside your
Bernal, and did not exist as a BEO Colony since the start of the Turn (too soon to produce spaceborn). Colony Site. (This reflects
that you need a space colony
b. Spaceborn Exomigration. Draw the top card of the spaceborn queue, following normal exomigration rules.10 first before you can have
spaceborn). [4C2a]
• If Multiple Robots are Drawn, choose one per 4A6h, then Discard the others and shuffle the queue.
c. Joining Spacer Union. If you put a spaceborn into play, immediately Discard (not a Felony) all your
earthborns in play and then exomigrate (2A6), drawing from the spaceborn queue.
d. Earthborn Exomigration. If you hold any spaceborn Colonists, including Robots in Hand, you are a EASILY MISSED: Once you
member of the Spacer Union and are not allowed to exomigrate from the earthborn queue. have spaceborn Colonists,
e. Rank & File. If the spaceborn queue is empty or contains only Robots when you attempt to draw from it, you cannot choose earth-
your exomigration emancipates the Robots per 2A6b. If post-emancipation and the earthborn queue or the born unless you Discard all
your spaceborn Colonists.
spaceborn queue is empty, players must exomigrate from the other queue (even if they do not meet the
[4C2d]
space-based requirement listed above). The Spacer Union is dissolved, so that 4C2c and 4C2d are ignored.
You establish a Colony on Ceres, and on a later Turn Anchor a Home Bernal. Your Ceres Colony allows you the option to
EXAMPLE [4C2]
exomigrate from the spaceborn queue. The first 3 cards that you draw are Robots, and finally you draw a Human which
goes into your Bernal Stack. You examine the 3 Robots, choose one, and shuffle the 2 remaining back into the spaceborn queue.
COLONIST DIAGRAM [4C1a] Spacer Union (4C2c)
Human
Earthborn Spaceborn Robot

Colonist Colonist (4C1) Colonist
10 EARTHBORN COLONIZATION. In the Solar System,
humans accustomed to one gravity can live comfortably
in rapidly spinning Bernals, or the aerostats of Venus, Saturn, Parent Augmented Colonist (4C6)
Uranus, and Neptune. That's lots of space to flourish and bear & Child
children. On the other hand, only the spaceborn are able to
settle the "magnificent desolation" of the rocky planets, dwarf Unemancipated Robot
Emancipated Robot (2A6b)
planets, and moons. –Paweł Garycki, 2022.

4C3. Augmentation Chits
Augmentations are chits that come in 6 shapes, listed below. Augmentation chits are placed on and removed from
Colonists via the implant operation (4C4), they are also removed upon Decommission. The Ability granted depends
on which side of the chit is chosen during implant (4C4f), see table below.
a. Chit Management. Each player has 1 of each chit in their Reserves; if a chit is Discarded, it returns to that
player's Reserves. Chits are not negotiable.
AUGMENTATION TABLE [4C3]
AUGMENTATION ICON 1 ABILITY (side 1) ICON 2 ABILITY (side 2)
a. Domesticated Goo A Colocated Factory may ET produce products of Spectral Class C in Adds 1 Hydration to Colocated Sites during prospecting
addition to the Site's Spectral Type. and site refuel operations.
b. Wardens Adds a Colocated raygun platform of ISRU = 1. Adds a Colocated buggy platform of ISRU = 2.
c. Life-Support Can only be implanted on an earthborn Colonist & enables parent- During a fundraise op, allowed an extra delegate move.
hood (4C5), allowing you to grow your own perfect Colonist.
d. Hibernation Jars This Colonist is Mass 0. Allows your FT’s anywhere to be spent for any FINAO.
e. Batteries Adds a Colocated On-board Pulse Generator. Adds a Colocated On-board Exotic Reactor.
f. Engine A Colocated factory refuel that produces Isotopes receives an A Colocated site refuel that yields Aqua yields 2 more
additional Isotope, applied after all other refuel modifications. Aqua, applied after all other refuel modifications.
TIP: If using sleeves, you A factory refuel at a Site with a miner Colonist generates 2 Isotopes (1, plus 1 for the Colonist). If the “Femtochemistry”
EXAMPLE [4C3]
may put it inside the sleeve refinery were present, each of those would be doubled by the refinery’s Ability, for 4 Isotopes overall. In either case, the
if it has a sufficient volume, engine augmentation would provide 1 extra Isotope (3 total with just the miner, 5 total with "Femtochemistry").
just as in Expedition Zetta.
[4C3]

4C4. Implant (new Operation)
This Operation places one or more augmentation chits onto any number of Colocated Colonists (earthborn,
spaceborn, and/or Robot) at an Anchored Bernal. The chits are in cybernetics shapes (engine, batteries, jars, life- cybernetics shapes
support, wardens, goo); you must have corresponding icons on fulfilled contracts in order to implant. Additionally, here
you must have at least one BEO Colony (4C2a) (simulates the space-based conditions that lead to augmentation).
a. Location Requirements. This Operation must be performed at your Anchored Bernal (or an opponent’s
Bernal if negotiated or the Law is freedom to roam O5f).
b. Space-Based. Since the start of your Turn, you must have had at least one BEO Colony (4C2a) to perform
this Operation. If playing with Module 3, your ET Home Bernal qualifies.
c. Portfolio Requirements. You must have cybernetics in your portfolio (including partner enterprises 4B8a)
with icons for each of the chits you wish to implant.
d. Implantation Limits. Each Faction is limited to one augmentation chit of each shape.
e. Augmentation Juggling. Before an implant operation, you may remove augmentation chits from Colocated
Colonists, which allows them to be implanted on the targeted Colonist(s) in the next bullet. Chits that are EASILY MISSED: If you
removed (via this op or Decommission) return to your supply for reuse. transfer a parenthood
f. Choose Augmentation Side. Place one or more valid augmentation chits on top of the targeted augmentation from one
Colonist(s). You may choose side-1 or side-2 of each chit depending on the desired Ability (4C3). Colonist to another, the child
g. Industrialist Colonists can perform the implant operation as a once/turn free action (4A7g). chit resets per 4C5f. [4C4e]
h. Parenthood. The parenthood side of the heart augmentation can only be implanted on earthborn (4C5a)
and has immediate effects (4C5b). if juggled, see 4C5f.
You Anchor your “GEO Space Elevator” Home Bernal in GEO. Remember that this requires an Epic Hazard Roll (2B4i). This
EXAMPLE [4C4]
exomigrates the “Vatican Observers”. Since you have a Colony on Ceres, you are qualified to implant the observers. The
cybernetics on your fulfilled contracts include two hearts and a hexagon, so you expend an Operation to implant the heart (parenthood-side
up) and the wardens (raygun-side up), placed on the Colonist card. See the next example for the effects of the parenthood chit.
4C5. Parenthood PARENTHOOD CHIT [4C5]
The life-support (heart-shaped) augmentation can only be implanted in earthborn Humans, because the genetics
of spaceborn suffer from their high radiation environment. This augmentation enables parenthood:

a. Reproduction Requirements. The parenthood side of the heart chit can only be placed on an earthborn
Colonist, and cannot be placed on Robots or spaceborns.
b. Preteen Years. When this chit is implanted, place your child chit on the Solar Sunspot Cycle 9 years into the
future. During this period, the child Colonist is considered part of the heart augmentation of its parent.
EASILY MISSED (A CHIP c. Coming of Age. When the Sunspot Cube moves past the child chit, at the start of your next Turn the child is
OFF THE OLD BLOCK): ten years old. The life-support Colonist is Decommissioned, and replaced in the same location by an earthborn
Since parenthood (4C5f) Colonist of your choice. Look at the entire earthborn Colonist deck, and choose the one you wish to be
Decommissions the parent the newborn. Shuffle the deck after examining it. This does not cause any delegate placement.
first, you may choose that d. Wunderkind. If upon maturation the parent Colonist is at its promotion colony (2A3a), the promotion colony
Colonist as the child. [4C5c] of its child, or a Lab (2A3c), or if the parent is Promoted, the child comes into play Promoted (Purple-Side).
e. Inheritance. The preteen inherits all the augmentations (including the heart but on its non-parenthood
NOTE: If a card Ability allows side) of the retired Colonist (its parent). Remove the child chit from the Solar Sunspot Cycle.
parenthood for spaceborns, f. Orphanage. If the parenthood chit is removed (including if the Colonist is Decommissioned, or if
the child of a spaceborn is parenthood is removed via juggling (4C4e), the child chit is removed from the Solar Sunspot Cycle.
chosen from the spaceborn Your “Vatican Observers” from the previous example scandalously got pregnant in the last year of Season Blue. Place the
deck instead of the earth- EXAMPLE [4C5]
child chit 9 years into the future, in the first year of the next Season Blue. When the Sunspot Cube moves into the 2nd year
born deck. [4C5c] of Season Blue, the Vatican Observers at your Promoted Bernal are Decommissioned into their queue (perhaps the Pope was outraged).
Because the Observers were at a Lab, you choose the wunderkind “Malcolm” as the successor, Promoted as “Renaissance Man”. He receives
EASILY MISSED: Coming of the heart Augmentation on its "delegate move" side.
Age may require a dry mas
adjustment (F2). [4C6c]
4C6. Augmented Colonists
An Augmented Colonist is a Colonist (Human or Robot) implanted with at least one augmentation chit.
a. Augmented Humans vs. Augmented Robots. Humans (either earthborns or spaceborns) can prevent or
EASILY MISSED: Once a cause Felonies, collect glory, can repair Glitches, and it is a Felony to voluntarily Decommission them. Robots
Colonist has implanted a few don’t have these capacities unless emancipated (2A6b). See Human and Robot in the glossary.
augmentations, it is better b. Promotion. If a Colonist is Promoted, move their augmentations onto the Colonist’s Purple-Side.
to use your Crew for colo- c. Death or Colonization. If a Colonist is Decommissioned (other than for parenthood), Discard their
nizing so as not to have to augmentations to your Reserves. This includes colonization (I7e).
re-implant augmentations
During Anarchy, you decide to Murder/Suicide your Colonist left stranded on Mars after delivering a contract.
on the new exomigrated EXAMPLE [4C6c]
The Colonist’s jars augmentation is returned to your Reserves.
Colonist. [4C6c]

4C7. Promotion (Operation superseding the version in Modules 1 & 2) EASILY MISSED: Bernals
must still be anchored
This Operation flips a Stack card to its improved Purple-Side. 4C7a,b,c,d are the same as Modules 1 and 2 (1A5 adjacent to their promotion
& 2A3), while 4C7e is a new requirement unique to Module 4. In short, to perform the Promotion Operation, you Colony to be promoted
must bring Colonist(s) with a certain number of unique augmentation chits as well as the card being Promoted to (2A3b). [4C7]
either a Promotion Colony or a Lab Bernal.
a. Dome Icon. This indicates the Colony type where a Promotion can take place. There are 5 types:
•S pectral Colony if at the specified Spectral Type (D, H, S, etc.)
•S ubmarine Colony (waves icon )
•A strobiology Colony ( )
•A tmospheric Colony (clouds icon )
•P ush Colony (push icon )
b. Lab Promotion Site. A Promoted and Anchored Bernal is always a valid Promotion Colony for Colonist,
Freighter, and GW thruster cards (2A3c).
c. Negotiation. To Promote, the Colony or Lab must either be your color or be an opponent’s color as a
negotiated on-site operation (N6).
d. Decommissioning Promoted Cards. Except for Robot sales (2C2a) and Robot transfers (Nb), Purple-Side
cards cannot be sold on the free market (I3b) or included in a stack transfer (N3). They can be involuntarily
Decommissioned, but see 1B7 and 2C2. They can be voluntarily Decommissioned (Felony for Human
Colonists) and then, if not Human, sold or transferred from your Hand. They return to play on their White-Side
or Black-Side by being boosted (Bernals), exomigrated (Human Colonists), or ET Produced (Robots, Freighters,
& GW thrusters).
e. Augmented Colonists (new Promotion Requirement). In order to Promote, a Colonist (or Colonists) of
yours must be present with a certain number of unique augmentation chits:
•T o Promote Your Colonist. The Colonist being Promoted must have at least 1 augmentation.
•T o Promote Your Freighter. The Colonist(s) doing the Promotion need(s) at least 2 different augmentations.
•T o Promote Your Bernal. The Colonist(s) doing the Promotion need(s) at least 3 different augmentations.
The Promotion Colony must be a Dirtside.
•T o Promote Your GW Thruster to a TW Thruster. The Colonist(s) doing the Promotion need(s) at least 4
different augmentations, You also must have completed at least 1 gold-side (4B1b) or Exodus contract (4B1c).

You have 2 Colonists, one with a batteries and another with an engine augmentation. This is enough to Promote your
EXAMPLE [4C7a,e]
Freighter. Your “Fusion Fragment Sail” has the Promotion Colony M. Accordingly, you fly it and the Colonists to your Colony
on lutetia and spend a Promotion Operation to flip it to its Purple-Side.
4D. Isobank (Modules 1 & 2)

The ready availability of Aqua to Earth and the mining of rare Isotope Fuels (Isofuels) causes the Aqua market to
crash, making Isotopes the new standard. The labor market causes FINAO costs in Aqua to double. Isotopes are
represented by gold beads, and if stored at a Bank may be sold for 10 Aquas (4D1d). Any Isotopes reserved for the
starship are permanently stored at the isobank, the locus for refueling and launching the Exodus starship.
4D1. Isotope Monetization (changed from Module 3 (3B5))

In Module 1, gold beads representing starship Isotope Fuel can be factory-refueled (1C1a) at Factories matching
the Spectral Type of your GW thruster, should you have one. This Spectral Type is called your isostandard. The
first player who establishes their isostandard by producing the first gold bead for their GW/TW thruster triggers
isotope monetization.11 It can also be triggered per 4D1a. This doubles the costs of FINAO for all players. Gold beads
transported to and stored at a player's Bank can be used as currency (worth 10 Aquas each) for auctions, FINAO, etc.
a. 2X FINAO Costs. Failure Is Not An Option (H7e) costs are instantly and permanently doubled for all players
(including those with Open Source faction privilege) if one of these occurs:
• E ither Lofstrom Loop (2B4f) or GEO Space Elevator (2B4i) is Anchored as a Home Bernal. The latter must be at GEO.
• T he first gold bead of Isotope Fuel is produced (1C1a).
• ( Module 3 only). The first ET Home Bernal (3F1) is Anchored.
b. Debasement (Modified from Module 3). If you have no isostandard and your Bank receives an Isotope in
trade, immediately convert it into 10 Aquas. An Isotope can also be converted into 1 FT locally, see F4d or G2.
THE EARTH MARKET. View c. Isostandard Permanency. See 1Cb.
of gold beads stored on the d. Blue/Gold Exchange (New for Module 4). You may transport gold beads to your Bank or isovault. As a
map on Earth. 4D1d free action or in a payment at your Bank, you may sell 1 Isotope for 10 Aquas. Each Isotope sold is placed
11 ISOTOPE MONETIZATION describes the crash of the Aqua market, as a result of LEO becoming eclipsed as a space hub, supplanted by Bernals
in water-rich areas. The new commodity economy is based upon isotopes, the sort of material needed for clean nuclear reactors for both
Earth and starships, that is perhaps equally thirsty for energy.

unowned on the map on Earth (the earth market) per 4D2f. As a free action, you may purchase unowned ISOBANK/STARSHIP STACK PLACARD
Isotopes in the earth market into your Bank for 10 Aquas each. [4D2d]
You have a "Mini-mag Orion" that you wish to take through a Hazard and need to pay the programmers. You isotope refuel
EXAMPLE [4D1e]
one Isotope at your M Factory, and transport this by Freighter to the Bernal that is your Bank. Then you pay the program-
mers 1 gold bead, and receive 2 Aquas in change. The spent gold bead is stored at Earth on the map (4D2f).
4D2. Founding The Isobank (new in Module 4)

An isobank is the Fort Knox of the Solar System, a Bernal where all the Solar System’s reserves of Isotope Fuel (Isofuel,
see glossary) are permanently stored for the interstellar rocket called Project Exodus. As the drydock for starship
construction, it activates Exodus contracts. The player owning the isobank Bernal is known as the isobanker and is
awarded the isobanker medal (4A2o). During scoring, Isotopes in the isobank/starship count toward the isototal (4E3a).
a. Founding Bernal. You must found the isobank as the isobanker, if, on your Turn, no isobank exists and you have:
n isostandard (i.e. have produced Isofuel for your GW/TW thruster per 1Cb). This flips the contract deck per 4B1b.
•A
BEO Bernal (i.e. an Anchored non-Home Bernal, see 4A7d) with a Dirtside matching your isostandard.
•A
(This can be at an opponent’s Dirtside). If using Module 3, an ET Home Bernal can be the isobank. EASILY MISSED: If you
b. Place Starship Token (4A2l). Place this on the map next to the Bernal’s Token to show that it is the isobank. Anchor a Bernal to an
Even if this chit is separated to fly as a starship, the isobank and the isobanker role are permanent. opponent’s Dirtside, you
c. Exodus Contracts Active (4B1c). Removing the starship Token from the Exodus contract deck (4A5f) do not automatically get
activates it; this deck is now available for contract auctions (4B3c), and is now affected by inspiration events. permission to use it. [4D2a]
d. Starship Stack Placard (4A2h) is given to the isobank founder. It has a slot for the starship stack located REMEMBER Isotopes (gold
at the isobank, and 6 isovaults for storing each player's starship-dedicated isofuel. beads) tranported as Cargo
e. Decommission. The isobank Bernal, and the starship Stack and isovaults, may never be voluntarily Decommissioned. count as Mass = 1 each
You move your GW thruster to your Home Bernal, and transfer 3 Isotopes to your Bank there. You spend 1 Isotope for FINAO towards the Dry Mass. [4D2f]
EXAMPLE [4D3e]
for your Freighter move. This gold bead, instead of going into the Pool, goes onto the Earth icon on the map. EASILY MISSED: Once an
Isotope is moved to the iso-
f. Isofuel Transfer. Like Aqua, Isotopes stored on a player's playmat may be (virtually) transferred among Banks in
bank, it cannot be removed
transactions. Store Isotopes used for purchases (FINAO, boosting, patent auctions) into the earth market (placed since it is dedicated as
onto the Earth icon on the map) instead of the Pool. Isotopes in the earth market can be purchased per 4D1d. starship fuel. Thus deposits
• Isofuel in the Isobank can be negotiated/purchased between 2 isovaults but can never be transferred out. are usually made late in the
• Isofuel Deposits. Isotopes may be transported to the isobank and deposited into your isovault, but never withdrawn. game. [4D2f]

EASILY MISSED: Once you g. Privileges. The isobanker retains their faction privilege and Bernal profits even if their Home Bernal is unanchored.
become the isobanker or h. Mining Bonus. Isotope refuel operations (1C1a) at the isobank or its Dirtsides by the isobanker (or into a
the commander, you retain Stack owned by a player allowed to use either the Bernal or Factory) receive 1 extra Isotope. This additional
these positions permanently. fueling is in addition to, but separate from, other refueling Abilities (e.g. miner colonists).
[4D2i] i. Isobank Unanchor. The isobank can never be moved or voluntarily unanchored.
FUELING EXAMPLE: Since • Combat Unanchor (Module 3). If unanchored in combat, the isobank Bernal can be re-anchored per 2B6e.
Module 4 uses special •D ecommission of the isobank Bernal also Decommissions its Isotopes, reverting the game to the pre-isobank state.
isotope refueling (4A7h),
You ET produce an “Amat-catalyzed Fission-Fusion” GW thruster (Spectral Type S) and factory-refuel 1 Isotope for it. Your 2nd
if you refuel with 2x + 2x EXAMPLE [4D2]
Bernal, anchored at helene of Spectral Type S, becomes the isobank. Place the starship token next to your helene Bernal.
+ 2 miners + isobank +
augmentation chit of +1
isotope, you would produce
1 isotope, 2 doublings = 3
4D3. Desperation Starshots
isotope, 2 miners = 3 refuels If the starship stack (4D3d) has an Operational TW thruster and enough isofuel, the chosen commander (4D3b) can
(so 3 * 3 = 9), +1 for chit, +1 launch it from the Anchored isobank as a desperation starship. It uses the starship Token to move on the map.
for isobank = 11. [4D2i] a. Desperation Starship Requirements. The starship launch requires the following requirements at the isobank:
•T W Thruster and the supports necessary to make it Operational without afterburning.
•A ugmented Colonist. More than 1 can be carried, but only 1 per player. One will become the commander.
•F uel. On departure and upon exiting the map, the isototal (4E3a) must be at a minimum “reckless”, see 4E3b.
b. Choose Commander. The player with the most Isofuel in their isovault (isobanker breaks ties) and has completed
an Exodus contract (4B1c) chooses an augmented Colonist (if willing) in the starship stack (4D3d) to be in
command. That player receives the command medal (4A2o) and has until the end of the game to exit the starship
off the map, or face mutiny (4D3h). The commander must launch the starship on his Turn and make all flight decisions.
TIP: Launching within c. Exodus Desperation Launch. As a free action, the commander cargo transfers all starship requirements (4D3a)
two turns of the seniority into the starship stack placard (4A2h). The launch moves the starship from the Anchored Bernal of the isobank.
threshold is a bad idea if •E xodus Cargo at launch can only include 1 TW thruster and 1 or more augmented Colonists. The card
going for Jupiter. [4D3c] holders must allow their cards to be so used. The TW thruster must be the one present with the highest base
thrust (B2d) plus its supports. The owner of this thruster receives the propulsion medal (4A2o). If playing the
combined game (4E5c), a Promoted Freighter and a Promoted Bernal may also be included at launch.
• Exodus Isofuel. The starship carries the entire isototal (4E3a). This affects endgame scoring, see Table 4E3.
All isofuel (4D3c) in the isovaults converts into the isostandard of the starship's TW thruster.

•C rew Selection. Any augmented and colocated Colonist (of any player) may decide to join the starship stack.
Each player can have only 1 Colonist in the starship stack. One becomes the commander.
• L aunch. The launch moves the starship Token from next to the Bernal Token. This deactivates the Exodus
contract decks until the starship Token exits the map per 4D3g or is Decommissioned. Contracts with the
destination "isobank" are now destination "starship".
• Exodus Endgame. Remove all Seniority Disks except one (so that the game ends at the next seniority threshold).
d. Exodus Movement. The commander flies the starship Token (containing the contents of the starship stack)
as a new type of Spacecraft Stack, the starship stack. A starship's Operational TW thruster provides a net EASILY MISSED: Starship fol-
thrust of 1, or 2 if afterburn (expends 1 Isotope from the commander's isototal and provides no cooling). The low Spaceship rules, and if
starship has 3 Bonus Pivots, can use factory-assist, and cannot be towed or use Powersat.12 all passengers die (e.g. CME
• Cargo Lock. Once underway, the starship cannot change its Cargo (including cargo transfer, fuel, Decommission, Rolls) the mission continues
exchange, and negotiation) except to receive additional Isotopes and/or augmented Colonists via cargo transfer. unmanned. [4D3d]
e. Exodus Anarchy. Launching the starship causes Anarchy, which lasts until the starship exits the map.
f. Starshot FINAO Doubled. A starship pays double fees for Failure Is Not An Option (FINAO). EASILY MISSED: Other Space-
g. Exodus Exit. Once the starship takes one of the 3 ad astra map exits (1D1b), its cards and Isotopes are frozen. craft cannot stop in the
• Sol-Oort Exit. If you reach the heliopause (10:00 J), you are considered to have completed the Sol-Oort exit. solar oberth space, so only
ranged/kamikaze weapons
• Jupiter-Sol-Jupiter Exit. If you take this exit, move the starship to the solar oberth (H8e) (but don’t apply its
Crash Hazard since you have already done it in the exit path), where it remains for two Turns (and can, if using can be used to attack the
Module 3, be range or kamikaze attacked, similar to dropstones). At the end of the second Turn, if the starship starship there. [4D3e]
still has an Operational TW thruster, it exits and the game ends at the next seniority threshold (4D3c).13 EASILY MISSED: Starships
h. Endgame Mutiny. If the starship has not exited by the end of the game, give the commander the default chit (4B6). have doubled FINAO, which
• Dishonor. The commander must also surrender their isobanker medal (4A2o, if they have it) and their command makes the Jupiter-Sol-Jupi-
medal (4A2o) to the player with an on-board Colonist and the next most isofuel in their isovault, choosing if tied. ter less attractive. Any play-
If there no other passengers, Discard these medals. er can help the commander
• Payment. The commander must also surrender at least half their Isotopes to any other passengers evenly. pay the 16 FINAO. [4D3f]
12 STARSHIP EXODUS. Although its power is in the terawatt range, and a thrust of around nine in the High Frontier scale, its wet mass of over 200
gives it a rather sluggish (Freighter-like) acceleration. Its three ballerinas are based upon an estimated specific impulse of 2449 ks (8% c).
13 JUPITER-SOL-JUPITER EXIT. The most fuel efficient route to exit the Solar System starts with a flyby of Jupiter, killing the starship's orbital
velocity and plummeting it towards Sol. The fall takes 1.1 years. The engine is ignited at perihelion, when it is closest to Sol. The resulting
Oberth force multiplier and continued thrust takes it clear of the Solar System, after a final pass at Jupiter 2 years later.

4E. Module 4 Endgame
EASILY MISSED: The number 4E1. Module 4 Endgame
of Seniority Disks may be The game ends when the final Seniority Disk is taken.
reduced by the exit of a
desperation starshot (4D3c). 4E2. Module 4 Endgame Scoring
[4E1] Scoring is per the Core Game (M2), or 3G1 if using Module 3, but with these additions:
a. Token VP. Partner delegates (4B8b) of your color count as delegates at 1 VP each.
b. Contract VP. Each fulfilled contract scores VP as listed. (Module 3) Apply a multiplier as for bribe VP (3G1a).
c. Unfulfilled Contracts. If you have an unfulfilled contract (whether late or default), you suffer -1 VP for each Aqua
left unpaid towards the advance (or twice the advance if the contract was never boosted, see 4B5c,e). Then
Discard it and take the default chit (next bullet), with the player with the most debt Discarding last.
d. Default Chit (4B6). You suffer negative VP if you hold the default chit (-3 VP blue-side, -6 VP gold-side).
EXAMPLE [4E2c]
You end the post-isobank game with an unfulfilled blue-side late contract with a cash advance of 16 Aqua and no payments.
Your opponent also has an unfulfilled default contract, with a cash advance of 14 and with 10 Aqua of payments on the card.
You are more in debt than she and receive the default chit. You suffer a VP loss of 16 + 3 = 19, and she suffers a VP loss of 4.
EASILY MISSED: A Colonist e. Isobanker Medal (4 VP). If the isobank is Anchored, the isobanker receives the isobanker medal (4D2).
does not need to be present f. Project Exodus Starshot (4E4). A starshot occurs with Project Exodus scoring (4E4) if there is an isobank
(it's assumed they'll arrive in containing a high enough isototal (4E3a). Furthermore an Operational TW thruster must be at the isobank.14
time for the launch). [4E2f] •D esperation Starshot (4D3). Project Exodus scoring also occurs if a desperation starship has exited the map.
g. If Tied. Resolve by most Aquas. Otherwise, share victory.
14 OVERVIEW OF THE GAME INTERSTELLAR. The Starship Exodus departs a troubled Solar System. Under extreme mass limits, her crew is limited
to two heavily augmented teenagers plus frozen human embryos, eggs, and sperm. The ship is a generation ark on an interstellar voyage
lasting over a century, with new humans conceived and born either to their mothers or from artificial wombs to be raised by robotic nannies.
Searching for a new home planet, the human cyborgs and their robotic avatars develop technology for sanity, anti-cancer, survival, terraforming,
and colonization. As it flies through dusty interstellar space, the ship erodes and requires periodic reconfiguration; a job undertaken by living nanite
machines that unfortunately sometimes reproduce out of control in a cancerous plague called gray goo. The ship’s bow acts as a serendipitous
high-energy particle collider, and the exotic “nuggets” formed there give hints to the true nature of reality which can change the game state from
cooperative to competitive. Will these allow you to become a cult leader to adoring masses back home? Or will it destroy you as Humans transition
to Posthumans or the ship's computer becomes subjectively conscious? Will you discover new life or new civilizations, or seed all the Goldilocks
between Sol and Tau Ceti with human couples? Is your spouse, the Commander, thinking of leaving you for the attractive young pilot?

4E3. Exodus Fueling Table
Use this table to see if either the desperation starshot (4D3c) or endgame starshot requirements (4E2f) are met, triggering
Project Exodus scoring (4E4). It shows the minimum “reckless” amount of Isotope Fuel (Isofuel) required for a starshot
to occur depending on player count. The player providing the most Isofuel chooses the starshot commander (4D3b).
a. Isototal is total number of isofuel (gold beads) stored in all 6 isovaults (4D2d) of the starship stack placard, or
colocated with the starship at the endgame. Note that the isototal is reduced if Isofuel is lost during afterburning.
•A d Astra Future (1D1b). For each of these Futures that you complete, add 4 Isotopes to your isovault as part
of the isototal.
b. Starshot Determination. If the isototal at the endgame meets the minimum number in the “reckless” row for
the appropriate column based on player count, a starshot can occur with Project Exodus scoring (4E4).
c. Fueling Bonus. If there is a starshot, players receive an endgame VP bonus based on the isototal as shown in
the final column of the Exodus Fueling Table (below).
d. Interstellar Fuel Levels (Combined Game). The first column shows the starting wet mass, depending on
isototal and player count, in a continuing Interstellar combined game.
EXODUS FUELING TABLE [4E3]
Starting Wet Mass 1 Player 2 Players 3 Players 4 Players 5 Players 6 Players Module 4 VP
in 4E5 Interstellar isototal isototal isototal isototal isototal isototal (1st/2nd/3rd place in
Combined Game the isototal)
Max (220 mass) 18 or more 34 or more 49 or more 62 or more 73 or more 84 or more 18/9/4 VP
Crisis (130 mass) 12 - 17 23 - 33 32 - 48 41 - 61 49 - 72 56 - 83 12/6/3 VP
Reckless (80 mass) 6 - 11 11 - 22 16 - 31 21 - 40 24 - 48 28 - 55 6/3/1 VP
No Launch 0-5 0 - 10 0 - 15 0 - 20 0 - 23 0 - 27 0 VP
During the endgame starshot, in the isobank Player White has 8 Isotopes, Player Yellow has 4 Isotopes, and Player Green
EXAMPLE [4E3]
has 7 Isotopes plus 4 Isotopes earned for the completion of the “Lithiated Ammonia Ice Starship” Future (ad astra). The
isototal is 23 (“reckless” in a 3-Player game). With the most Isotopes, Player Green is awarded the command medal (4E4d).

4E4. Project Exodus Scoring
This endgame scoring is triggered at the end of the game by either of two conditions: (1) a desperation starshot
(4D3c) has exited, or (2) the number of Isotopes in the isototal (4E3a) is at least reckless. Both conditions require
that the starship carry an Operational TW thruster. A desperation starship additionally requires at least one
augmented Colonist and an completed Exodus contract. Project Exodus scoring awards players VP based on the
isototal and a ranking based on their Isotopes in the isovaults, see the final column in Table 4E3. Finally, the player
with the most Isotopes in their isovault is awarded the command medal, the highest thrust TW thruster gets the
propulsion medal, and players receive VP for on-board augmented Colonists:
EASILY MISSED: During a. Individual Isotope Count. Each player counts the number of Isotopes in their isovault (4D2d) of the
negotiations (N), you can starship stack placard (4A2h).15
transfer Isotopes in your b. Award Starship Rank VP. Compare the isototal (4E3a) to the appropriate column on Table 4E3 based
isovault to/from Isotopes in on player count. Each player receives VP per the final column in Table 4E3, depending on if they had the
another player's isovault per most, second-most, or third-most amount of Isotopes in their isovault. Tied players split the VP for contested
4A6b. [4E4a] positions, rounding down. (2 players tied for first would split 1st and 2nd VP.).
The starshot requirements are met in a 3-player game. Player A has 15 Isotopes, Player B has 15 Isotopes, and Player C has 5
EXAMPLE [4E4b]
Isotopes. With an isototal of 35, the starshot is at crisis fueling. Players A and B receive 6 VP each; Player C receives 1 VP.
c. Starshot Medals (4 VP each). If Project Exodus scoring occurs, per 4D3a,b, the player with the most Isotopes
in the isovaults gets the command medal (4A2o). The player with the TW thruster with the highest base
thrust (B2d) gets the propulsion medal.
d. Augmented Colonist (1 VP/augmentation). If a starshot occurs, for each augmentation on your Colonist,
you receive 1 extra VP. For a desperation starship (4D3d), this Colonist must be aboard the starship, but for an
endgame starshot (4E2f), this Colonist may be any Colonist who you choose.
15 BREEDER FUSION. The gold beads in the game represent different isostandards of Isotopes depending upon the Site they are mined at.
The fusion fuel boron-11 is mined on D worlds, fusion fuels tritium and helium-3 on H worlds, fission fuel curium-245 and lead (useful as
antimatter thermalizer) on M worlds, fission fuel uranium-235 on S worlds, and the fusion fuel lithium-6 on V worlds. And yet, the isofuel in the
isobank is assumed to be all the same isostandard: namely that required by the starship's TW thruster. This alchemy is assumed to have been
achieved by some sort of breeder fusion reactor. Unlike breeder fission reactors, which create more fissile fuel than it consumes, breeder fusion is
unfortunately an energy intensive process that creates less fusion fuel than it consumes, but has the advantage of creating the right isofuel for the
long interstellar journey. The chief requirement for this fuel is that it must be clean (aneutronic) energy, so as to not require huge radiators.

4E5. Combined Game Interstellar (6-7 cycles game only)
The next game in the grand saga is Interstellar, humankind’s journey to the stars. This competitive-cooperative
game is sold separately, and is a complete game in itself.16 The game can continue into Interstellar if there is a
starshot (4E2f), including an exited desperation starshot (4D3), during Module 4. Any player may participate in
Interstellar if they contributed any card in the starship stack or if they have isofuel in their isovault.17
a. Cyborgs are augmented starship Colonists. Each player may contribute one Module 4 cyborg to the starshot.
b. Summary Interstellar Perks (C8). The following give you advantages in Interstellar, either to maximize
mission success or maximize game victory. See C8 in the Interstellar rulebook:
• I sobanker (C8b). This awards the isobanker medal (4A2o) and you choose who is the first mate.
• Having the Biggest Isovault (C8c). You choose the Colonist in command who is awarded the command medal.
•H aving the Highest Thrust TW Thruster (C8d). This awards the propulsion medal per 4E4c.
•H aving Augmentations (C8e). Cyborgs on Exodus start with the augmentations which that Colonist
possessed in the endgame. These augmentations are given to the player who contributed the Colonist,
regardless of the Colonist's politics (2A8j).
c. Endgame Freighter/Bernal Selection. Project Exodus may choose one Promoted Freighter and/or one
Promoted Bernal that is in the desperation starship stack, or that exists during a starshot (4E2f). If more than
one Purple-Side Freighter or Bernal qualify, then the holder of the propulsion medallion (previous bullet)
decides which ones are used, which cannot be himself (unless there is no other choice).
• I f Exodus has a Promoted Freighter (C8g). Exodus starts with a “skinny” wardens blueprint plus your shield.
• I f Exodus has a Promoted Bernal (C8h). Exodus starts with a “skinny” life-support blueprint plus your shield.
16 BIOS GRAND CAMPAIGN. The Bios Series and the High Frontier series of games string together for one long campaign encompassing everything.
If one starts with the origins of life (Bios:Genesis), continues to life getting big and conquering the land (Bios:Megafauna/Mesofauna), continues
to life getting conscious (Bios:Origins), and then into High Frontier, concluding with the Interstellar game is necessary to complete the cycle. This is
because the starship brings with it the seeds to start microbial life afresh, on a distant planet, so that it is Bios:Genesis once again.
17 PROJECT DAEDALUS was a design study for an unmanned interstellar spacecraft that could carry a mass 10 payload to a nearby star in half a
century. The starship used terawatt fusion engines using isotopes of helium-3 and deuterium as fuel. The game Interstellar uses a version of
Project Daedalus is upgraded to be able to carry humans and able to actually halt at the target star system.
—A Bond & A Martin, Project Daedalus - The Final Report on the BIS Starship Study, 1978.

d. Interstellar Starship Wet Mass (C8l). Exodus starts with a variable amount of isofuel, depending on how
much the player’s have jointly contributed per 4E3d.18
Player Purple is both the isobanker and has the TW thruster (Daedalus) with the highest base thrust (11), and so claims the
EXAMPLE [4E5c]
"isobanker" medal and the "propulsion” medal. Player White, with the most vaulted Isofuel, claims the command medal.
All Players have Promoted Bernals and Freighters, and so Player Purple chooses Players Red and Gray, who are trailing in VP, to get the
benefits of donating the Bernal and Freighter for Project Exodus.
4F. Exodus Scenarios (Module 3 competitive)

These wargame variants require Module 3 (Conflict). They assume a total War between two implacable foes, and
the loser is motivated to exit the Solar System entirely, and start over in a new system. Conversely the winners of
the War are motivated to hinder the losers from building a starship and escaping.
a. Sides. One side (as specified) are the Loyalists and the other are the Independents. However, as this is an
ideological rather than racial war, you are free to join the enemy side using defection (3B3c).
b. War/Anarchy Desperation. During War or Anarchy, or during the year the War ends, either the isobanker or
the player with the most Isotopes in their isovault can launch/pilot a desperation starshot (4D3), even if they
haven't completed an Exodus contract. Other requirements (4D3a) still apply. This ends the game earlier per
4D3c.
TIP "COLD WAR": Module 3 c. Stillborn War. If War breaks out with all the Factions and all the extremists in the same bloc, then the War
can be used even if Factions ends without any War effect (including no space lord effects).
all start on the SAME side. d. Winning the War. See 3F4.
Even though the War will
end quickly, its effects will e. Winning the Game. See 4E2, including contributions to Project Exodus (4E4).
still occur. [4Fc]
18 PAYLOAD COST. A starship of mass 10 (400 tonnes) traveling at its game maximum (15% lightspeed) would have a kinetic energy of 18
trillion joules. Every kilogram of payload accelerated to this speed would need 150 kilograms of Isofuel releasing 45 million joules. This is
equal to the total global energy usage each month in 2020, mostly from gas, oil, and coal. Converted to power, the 2020 global power demand
of 17 terawatts is comparable to a starship engine (50 TW for Daedalus 1st stage, 4 TW for the 2nd stage). To achieve a delta-v for a cruising speed
of 15%c, and assuming Daedalus engines with an exit velocity of 3%c, the mass ratio equals 150. This means that if one astronaut was 10 kilos
overweight, it would cost the expedition man-years of miners and refiners to produce the additional one and a half tonnes of pure Isotope Fuel.

4F1. Exodus Conventional War
This game plays with all the rules of Module 3, but with scoring per 4E2.19
a. Isobank/Starship. The Isotopes in the isovaults remain undisturbed even if they are owned by enemies of
the isobanker. The chosen commander may launch the isobank as a starship per 4D3b.
b. Exodus Combat. Combat may take place as per Module 3 rules. The isobank/starship defends as a space TIP: Submarines make im-
target owned by the isobanker. Once launched, the commander may use the starship's Operational TW pregnable isobanks! [4F1b]
thruster as a gun (3E3b). A Colonist in the starship stack is considered the color of its politics (2A8j), and
this player (if in the game) may use the Colonist's weapons, but never upon another Colonist or card in the
starship stack.
War has broken out in a 3-player game, and Player Yellow, fighting for the Loyalist M bloc, has the most Isotopes (10) in
EXAMPLE [4F1a]
his isovault. He negotiates with the enemy, Player Gray fighting for the Independence B bloc, to send a TW thruster with
an augmented Colonist to the isobank at Titan. Player Yellow appoints Player Gray's Colonist as the commander, and Player Gray launches
the isobank as the Starship Exodus. Since there are 3 other isotopes in the isovaults, Exodus flies with a reckless 13 Isotopes.
19 OVERVIEW OF MODULE 3 (CONFLICT). As Factions expand into the solar system and trade among themselves, they become less dependent
on Earth and less tolerant of Earth-centered trade monopolies and regulations. Secessionists start to clamor for Independence and self-
governance. But if the War of Independence (War) is declared, the game state changes drastically until it is resolved, with hostilities between the
Loyalists M and the Independents B. At stake: will space ventures and pioneers be subject to regulatory governance by terrestrial superpowers
and multinational organizations like the UN, or will they become a free trade coalition of self-governing city-states?

4F2. Exodus Union War
The game begins with Human Factions per Module 3, but if War breaks out (from any of the causes listed below),
the Robots become introspectively conscious and join the spaceborns in a fight for recognition as fully human.
Players are assigned to a bloc depending upon the Colonists they hold. Follow these steps:
a. Indicate Bloc Allegiance. When War breaks out, players with Robot/spaceborn Colonists (i.e. belonging
to the Spacer Union (4C2c)) start as Independence. Players with earthborn Colonists start as Loyalist. Players
with no Colonists must join either bloc, choosing secretly and simultaneously. Flip your propaganda chit to
independence or loyalist without losing your extremist. Propaganda chits with no extremists are unaffected.
As Player Purple, you default as Loyalist when War breaks out. Yet you hold the “Gabonese Mining Consortium” Colonist
EXAMPLE [4F2a]
and thus are a member of the Spacer Union, which indicates that you start as Independence B. Flip the propaganda in
authority to its Independence side, with your extremist on top.
EASILY MISSED: If your ex- b. Desertion of Enemy Colonists (modifies 3C3f). All earthborn Colonists are members of the Loyalist bloc,
omigration is limited by the and all Robot/spaceborn Colonists are members of Independence, regardless of ideology. If at the end of your
lack of suitable Colonists, Turn a Colonist of yours supports the bloc other then what your propaganda chit indicates, you must either:
you must wait until one •E vade the “No Enemy Colonists” restriction (3D5d honor).
is available. See 3A3g. [4F2b] •D iscard this enemy Colonist to the bottom of its queue.
c. War Outbreak. There are 4 ways that War can occur:
•A War Outbreak Roll is made during each adjustment of the exploitation track per 3C1.
•E mpty Queue. If there is an exomigration (2A6) but no cards are in the appropriate queue to draw from.
•U plift Future. If a player completes the uplift future (1D5n), they alone become the independence bloc.
•C asus Belli. These Futures can start Wars (1D2c).
d. Exomigration. Independence can only exomigrate (2A6) from the Robot/spaceborn queue, and Loyalists
can only exomigrate from the earthborn queue.
e. Postbellum Space Republic. If a Space Republic occurs as a result of a Future or Loyalist victory,
•A narchy Event. Use K2e (so no combat).
• L una. You can Anchor Bernals to Luna, and no longer need permission from the 1st player to prospect Luna.
•P ax Republica. Any current Wars end with an Independence B Victory. There are no more Wars or war outbreak rolls.

f. Postbellum Space Empire. If a Space Empire occurs as a result of a Future or Loyalist M victory: EASILY MISSED: A Space
Empire shuts down non-
•A narchy Event. If using Module 3, use the Age of Piracy variant (3Ad) during Anarchy.
Exodus contracts! This
•E T Home Bernals (3F1) become ordinary Bernals.
is because a centralized
•P olitical Assembly Dissolved. Remove the political placard. This Discards all delegates and the Active Law
government regulates the
Token, propaganda, any bribes, and the placed (legacy vote) Seniority Disks. Module 0 is no longer used. myriads of transaction
•S pacer Union Dissolved. This negates 4C2c and 4C2d, allowing players to hold both types of Colonists. upon which free enterprise
•U nfulfilled Contracts Discarded. No more contract auctions are allowed except for Exodus contracts (4A5f). depends. [4F2f]
•P ax Tyrannica. Any current Wars end with a Loyalist Victory. There are no more Wars or war outbreak rolls.20
g. Winning the Game. See 4E2.21
4F3. Bios:Mars, Bios:Venus

If you use V8 variant starting on a Mars homeworld, use the overlay card (V8b) on either its Earth pangea or Venus
side. If starting on a Venus homeworld, place it on its Earth pangea side.
a. Contract Locations. If a contract specifies a Mars or Venus Site, it can be fulfilled at either Earth pangea or
Venus ishtar terra (whatever is present). Any location that starts Busted (e.g. homeworld) is not a valid contract
location for anyone. Anywhere glory chits cannot be picked up is not a valid contract location for players who
cannot pick up glory chits there.
20 TERRAFORMING LUNA. The only world that can be terraformed in High Frontier timescales is Luna, a Goldilocks world. If a catcher station is
located on the lunar farside, one unintended consequence of the kinetic energy (possibly augmented by protium fusion) from dropstone
impacts would be to give Luna an oxygen atmosphere ten times the atmospheric pressure on Mars. Thus, strangely, a terraformed Luna is caused
by pollution rather than deliberate effort. Even if fusion operations were to cease, its atmosphere would linger for centuries.
21 MORALITY is a code of values that guide a being’s decisions, assuming the being has free will and is not a slave to its programming. Morality
is inapplicable to machines or non-conscious animals without the free will to make moral or immoral choices. The origins of consciousness
is simulated in my game Bios:Origins as the result of using language to create a simulated mental landscape on which to make choices, a faculty
that can overwrite its own programming and adopt its own values. Just as for conscious humans, conscious robots are capable of abandoning
typical Darwinian impulses (survival or spreading of genes) in favor of values such as the pursuit of knowledge or happiness. See the footnote on
posthuman morality on page 29 of the Interstellar game.

4G. Module 4 Solitaire Games
If you play a solo or a fully cooperative game, apply the following Module 4 rules:
a. Alternative Solitaire Political Diagram (4A2h). This is recommended.
4G1. Contract Auctions Modifications

For all solitaire variants, fundraising still acquires contracts but the bidding is skipped and each contract has a flat 6
years to fulfill.
4G2. CEO Solitaire Modifications

EASILY MISSED: The Ideology
If using CEO Solitaire (V6):
present at a given time in-
a. Default if acquired, add this to the demand pile as a fatality disk (V6c).
fluences the VP count for the
board meeting but Seniority
b. Starshot VP. For purposes of meeting KPI, making a desperation starshot (4D3c) or meeting the endgame
Disks are only considered at starshot requirements (4E2f) counts as 8 VP (isototal = 6 - 8 "Reckless"), 16 VP (isototal = 9 - 14 "Crisis"),
the endgame. [4G2] or 32 VP (isototal = 15+ "Max") (Table 4E3).
c. Victory Conditions. See V6e (do not use 4G4). At least once before the final meeting you need to perform
an Exodus contract (4B1c) plus either a Future or a starshot (previous bullet).
4G3. Module 0 Solitaire Variant (Justin Grey)

EASILY MISSED: Academia When playing any solitaire variant that includes Module 0, use the provided solitaire political assembly. This changes
hand limit (I2a) applies to the Laws (O5), with the design goal to make all Ideologies relevant, and to reduce the randomness and luck-factor
solitaire. [4G3] of the experience, so one can plan better for victory. The revised setup, and the new Laws and lobbies are:
a. Setup. Place an additional delegate of your faction color into centrist. All Solitaire Module 0 games must
include all cards in each patent deck used.
b. Lobby. Pay 1 Aqua and Discard a delegate in an inactive Ideology to use its Law.
c. Individuality Law “Launch Contracts”. Boosting is a 1/Turn free action.
d. Equality Law “Subsidized Research”. Take the top card of a patent deck for free when initiating a research
auction. You may take any bonus supports, paying 1 Aqua per support card.

e. Authority Law “Regime Change”. After an Event Roll, Discard a delegate here to change to or cancel
inspiration. This may be the same delegate from a lobby action.
f. Unity Law “Sol Unification”. Lobby cost is 0 Aqua. Replace season blue Anarchy with “International
Assistance.” FINAO cost is halved until the end of season blue.
g. Freedom Law “Solo Free Trade Act”. May sell 2 white cards for 6 Aquas with a free market operation.
4G4. Solitaire/Cooperative Victory Conditions

As a solitaire player (including combined game solitaire but not CEO solitaire), you win by exiting the map with a
desperation starshot (4E2f) with the additional requirement that its isototal (4E3a) must be "Max" per the Exodus
Fueling Table (4E3). There are 3 "New World" victory levels:
a. Polynesian (decisive victory). Exit the map (4D3g) in 5 cycles. This is like sailing an outrigger canoe and
discovering Hawaii or New Zealand.22
b. Columbus (victory). Exit the map in 6 cycles. This is like sailing the Atlantic non-stop.
c. Viking (marginal victory). Exit the map in 7 cycles. This is like sailing the Atlantic with island hopping.
22 EXODUS HAWAII. Leslie Groube, a New Zealand archaeologist, had an idea that the greatest maritime feat of all time, the colonization
of the Pacific, was motivated by an exodus from disease. He observed that the Lapita culture was able to survive in Melanesia only by
accommodating horrific losses to malaria through high birth rates and mobility. Once they escaped the Anopheles mosquito by sailing from
western Melanesia, the Lapita/Polynesians could spread explosively across the Pacific. But how were remote islands like Hawaii discovered,
assuming that the Polynesians did not embark on a blind one-way voyage of thousands of kilometers with almost no chance of survival? Geoffrey
Irwin suggests a deliberate strategy of exploration, in which the islanders opportunistically waited for a reversal in wind direction and sailing in
the direction that is normally upwind (i.e. eastward in the Pacific). The pioneers would halt if no discoveries were made and supplies were still
enough for safe return, when the winds invariably returned to their normal easterly direction. These ideas have parallels for a scenario of interstellar
colonization. Since islands like the Hawaiian islands were alien with no edible plants, the Polynesians had to carry their seeds and animals with them.
–Geoffrey Irwin, The Prehistoric Exploration and Colonization of the Pacific, 1992.

4H. Module 4 Strategy (Geoff Speare)
Module 4 Exodus adds one new feature (contracts) for all games, and 3 others (augmentations, spaceborn
Colonists, and the isobank) for longer games. Contracts change the game significantly by injecting a lot of Aquas
into the early game (balanced by the need to spend time fulfilling their missions). A good strategy weaves
contracts into your main goals of exploration and industrialization. Contracts should help achieve your core
mission, not distract from it.
a. Longer Games. The need for augmentation chits changes the pace of promotions and gaining the all
important TW thruster. At the same time, there’s a race to found the isobank, the competition over isototal,
EASILY MISSED: Contracts are and the decision about whether to join the spacer union or stick with earthborn Colonists. Keep track of what
essential in this Module, but your opponents are doing, or (in solitaire play) balance your priorities.
is it better to win contracts
by initiating bidding, or by
muscling in upon someone 4H1. Contract Tips (4-Cycle Game)
else's initiated bid? If you Contracts can jump start your economy and missions, but can turn into distractions without proper planning:
are later in turn order than a. Early Rockets. Boosting quickly allows nabbing the easy Glory chits, which makes paleoconservative directive
the auctioneer, you have one (O5b) extremely attractive. Module 4 adds new advantages to early missions. If you are the first player with
extra Turn to complete the an Operational Rocket, you will have an edge in bidding for and fulfilling contracts, providing funding, VP, and
contract - take advantage Abilities. Players without early Rockets may try to influence politics to keep those contracts unavailable.
of that when bidding. b. Sails. Many contracts can be completed with Sails (especially with assistance from crew thrusters). If a Sail is
Otherwise, consider the available early, don't hesitate to make a high bid. In testing, a 5-6 Aquas bid for an early Sail was common.
benefits of fundraising c. Timing. As contracts need to be boosted, it’s best to take a contract when you have something else to
(Aqua, delegate placement, boost: your initial Rocket, an improved component, etc. The number of Operations you can perform in a
possible martial law) vs. the game is limited, so do as much as you can with each one.
saved operation if someone
d. Hazards. When bidding on (and fulfilling) a contract, all of the concerns for any High Frontier mission apply:
else starts the auction. If
radiation hardness, Mass, Burns, Hazards, and landing/liftoff. In particular, don’t forget that the contract
you do choose to start the
has its own Mass and rad hardness. If a contract with the "Humans on Board" icon suffers involuntary
auction, make sure no one is
in a better position than you Decommission, you suffer the default chit (4B6), the default stigma (4B6b), and loss of equipment. Do not
to complete the contract. risk manned contracts on a Hazard, CME, or Belt Roll unless you are truly desperate.
[4H1e]

e. Turn Order. Players after you in turn order have an advantage; they effectively get an extra Turn to complete
the contract. Choose a Turn to bid when you are in a better position to complete the contract than your
eligible opponents. If they do win, starting another auction next Turn is often a good idea - unless they EASILY MISSED: A contract
complete their contract very quickly, they will be unable to bid. with a heavy mass eats prof-
f. Bait. Contract auctions are also great opportunities to encourage opponents to make a mistake, or to nudge its with a heavy boost cost,
them away from your mission goals. Tempting an opponent with the right contract may distract them from and greatly complicates
landing and liftoff. [4H1f]
some other goal they should be pursuing - or even cause them to bid too aggressively and default. The price of
acquiring the wrong contract is much higher than that of buying the wrong patent. Consider bids carefully.
g. The Best Contracts. Contracts are central to Module 4. What makes one contract better than others? TIP: Several contracts
• Going My Way. The best contracts are those that have low opportunity cost because you were planning to have a subsurface ocean
go in that area anyway. “Return” contracts are often easier to take in the early game because you’ll probably destination, making Ceres a
be returning to LEO anyway. Later in the game, contracts must be judged in terms of return on investment: common early destination.
If your own goals include
what else could you be doing?
Ceres, watch the contract
•A bilities (4B2f). Important in the early game. Bailout saves you 3 Aquas - or a critical card - each time market and the politics to
budget cuts occurs. Insight (cycle a deck before a research auction) helps get the cards you need and/or acquire such contracts, or
buries cards your opponents want. Connections is more useful the earlier you get it. Other Abilities (such as keep them out of enemy
on contracts involving Mercury) may change your plans entirely. hands. [4H1g]
• Aqua Advance. Aqua is the scarcest resource at the start of the game. Watch for contracts that match what
your opponents are doing and keep the Active Law away from them.
• Victory Points (VP). Contracts are worth Victory Points - but usually, building Factories and Colonies is
worth more. If you pursue nothing but contracts, it is unlikely that you will win. Instead, try to leverage
contracts to accelerate your industrialization efforts without letting them distract you from that goal.
4H2. Planning Tips (Modules 1 + 2 + 4 Games)

a. Goals. A Module 4 game has 3 extra steps that you may need to get into an advantageous endgame position:
• Fulfill Contracts. Enough to gain at least one of 4 different augmentations. Should include at least one
gold-side contract.
• Get Factories. (VP, ET Produce)
• Get Bernals. (VP, Aqua; VP and Operations through Colonists)

• Augment Colonists. (Module 4)
• Transport Augmented Colonists to Promotion Locations (Module 4)
• Get TW Thruster. (Movement)
• Get Futures. (VP)
b. Long-Range Planning. Your Turns are often either Operation-limited or movement-limited. Try to combine
both in a Turn, for instance ET producing cards while moving a contract to its destination.
• Operations. Contracts require Operations to acquire and boost (as with patents, it’s better for you to win an
auction that someone else started, to save yourself an Operation), but give you Aquas - which in effect saves
you Operations that you would have otherwise spent selling cards or fundraising.
• Movement. Fulfilling contracts requires a lot more Rocket movement. The more you can align that movement
with other missions (industrializing, moving Bernals, etc.), or perform it when you are Operation-limited
(such as while you are ET Producing, or buying cards to launch a Bernal), the faster your game will progress.
c. Contract Variety. With the contract requirements for augmentation (and thus for Promotions), choosing a
variety of contracts is much more important than in Core+M0 games. Fortunately, there are multiple valid paths.
Getting an early start on contract diversity can be quite useful. The Political Assembly can fill up quickly, making
it harder to move the Active Law. If you can fulfill contracts before the Active Law gets stuck, or before the
isobank, you are one step ahead. The new connections Ability (4B2f) is useful here. Alternatively, waiting for (or
causing) Isotope production leads to contracts which are harder to fulfill, but which have more chit symbols on
them. You'll need at least one gold-side contract to promote your TW Thruster - make sure to plan for that.
EASILY MISSED (MODULE 2): d. To Bernal or Not To Bernal. High Frontier 4 has great balance between “Bernal first” and “Factory first”
If you fail the Epic Hazard strategies. Both are reasonable - and often, doing the one fewer people have chosen is the best option.
Roll, the Bernal supports Everyone needs a Bernal (probably a Home Bernal), and everyone needs Factories, but which has primacy is
are Decommissioned and opportunistic. Module 4 changes this balance a bit:
the Bernal is not Anchored.
• Early Bernal. If you focus on an early Bernal, you gain an early Colonist, and early Bernal profits which can
[4H2d]
be used while you launch your Factory mission. Since a Bernal is needed for the implant operation, you can
pick and choose the right augmentations as they appear to augment your Colonists.
• Early Elevator Bernal. Anchoring one of the two elevator Bernals (GEO Elevator or Lofstrom Loop) are
tremendously helpful with contracts, as you can boost directly to Bernal with no cost increase. Don't forget
about the Epic Hazard Roll when anchoring these in Home Orbits!

• Early Rocket. Since you need a Spacecraft to complete a contract, an early Rocket leads to early contracts
and their advantages (see 4H1a). You can also establish an early Colony in space (i.e. not a Home Bernal),
which gives the option of going directly to spaceborn Colonists when you do Anchor your Bernal.
e. How to get Isotope? There are many ways to dominate in Project Exodus scoring:: TIP: With one miner colonist,
• Miner Colonists give an extra refuel when performing the Site Refuel operation. one doubling ability, and
• Femtochemistry (the black-side of the Froth Flotation refinery) doubles site refuels, including Isotope. the engine augmentation
• Certain Futures double isotope refuel if completed (1 Freighter, 3 TW Thruster). chit, you can increase your
• Alchemist Aviatrices (Promoted side of "Rock Rats Miners' Union") doubles isotope refuel as its Ability. isotope site refuel to 5
• Dharma Refuel Faction Privilege (Player White) doubles site refuel. Isotope per turn. [4H2e]
• Engine Augmentation Chit, as well as refueling at the isobank, each give 1 additional isotope when refueling.
4H3. Augmentation Tips

Augmentation chits require an operation to move or remove, so consider carefully when implanting them.
a. Early Promotion. If you proceed with Parenthood, try to get the child Promoted via wunderkind (4C5d). This
saves an operation and gets you a much better Colonist.
b. Life-Support (Parenthood) is the most pivotal of augmentations. If you have access to it, staying with
earthborn Colonists makes more sense. However, if multiple players are doing the same, the selection of child
Colonists might not be as good as you like.23
c. Other Augmentations can augment your strategy (lowering mass, filling gaps in your patent collection,
etc.). Sometimes it makes sense to get a specific contract for it's augmentation.
4H4. Earthborn vs. Spaceborn

The more people on a side, the more churn (and the less control).
a. Earthborn Advantages. Parenthood, more Isotope multipliers, more miners and engineers, better Futures VP.
b. Spaceborn Advantages. Get Robots & more industrialists & prospectors, on average lower Mass & higher rad-hardness.
23 MALCOLM EKLUND is the son of Matthew Eklund, and a third generation board game designer.

EASILY MISSED (MODULE 2):
4I. List of Spaceborn Colonist Futures
a. Vinge Future: Req = This card at a Promoted Bernal and have completed an Exodus contract. Effects = Space
If either a Space Republic or Empire (4F2f) established, Robots emancipated (if not already emancipated), 10 VP.
a Space Empire occurs as a
b. Exonet Future: Req = Colonies in 4 Heliocentric Zones, with this card and another augmented Colonist at
result of either a Future or a
one of them. Effect = choose any contract deck when fundraising. Endgame Effect = 11 VP. This fundraising
War victory, see 4F2e,f. [4I]
Ability is granted for the remainder of the game, regardless of the state of this card.
c. Space Surveillance Future: Req = Active Law in Freedom. Effects = Space Republic (4F2e) established, 9 VP.
d. Union War Future: Req = This card and another Promoted augmented Robot at your Colony on a Site of Size
7 or greater. Effect = Casus belli (1D2), 9 VP. The War is a "War of Independence" (see core glossary) unless using
Module 3, in which case it is an Exodus Union War (4F2).
e. TNO Lab Future: Req = This card and 2 other augmented Colonists at your Colony in Neptune J zone.
Endgame Effect = +4 VP per Factory in Neptune J zone.
f. Von Neumann Future: Req = Decommission this card & Operational refinery at your Synodic Comet
Factory. This is not a Felony even if Robots are emancipated. Note that the refinery supports do not need to
be Decommissioned (they are replicated). Effects = Your Robots are always Promoted (your existing Robots
Promote regardless of augmentation chits and new Robots Promote upon being played), 9 VP. This Robot
Ability is granted for the remainder of the game, regardless of the state of this card.
g. Nanite Goo Future: Reqs = This card at your non-Dirtside Push Colony.
Effects = one free implant operation at this Site (immediately after completing the Future), 11 VP.
h. Interstellar Exploration Future: Reqs = This card and another augmented Colonist at EM Sunlens.
Effects = one free research grant (O5e) at no cost (immediately after completing the Future), 14 VP.
i. Quantum Entanglement Future: Reqs = This card at Haumea (10:10 J) with an Operational x reactor.
Effects = Ability to make 1 reroll of a Crash Hazard Roll, 10 VP. Crash Hazards have the white skull (so not
Aerobrake Hazards, Epic Hazards, etc.). If FINAO payment is made, it must be before the first roll. Make the reroll
after seeing the first roll result. This reroll Ability is granted for the remainder of the game, regardless of the
state of this card.

j. Isotope Cartel Future: This card and 15 Isotopes at your Promoted Anchored Bernal. Effects = Isotope
exchange rate is now 12 Aquas for all players (in effect for the remainder of the game, regardless of the state of
this card). Endgame effect = 9 VP.
k. LIC Scan Future: Reqs = This card and another Promoted Colonist at your Synodic Comet Factory.
Effects = If you produce any isotopes as part of a site refuel operation, you may move 1 of them to your Bank,
9 VP. You have this Ability for the remainder of the game, regardless of the state of this card.24
l. Avatar Future: Reqs = This card at Promoted Bernal with Neptune zone Dirtside, Active Law = Individuality.
Effects = immune to Felonies (other players may not perform Felonies against you), 9 VP. This immunity Ability
is granted for the remainder of the game, regardless of the state of this card.
m. Warden Starshot Future (Ad Astra): Req = Ad astra (1D1b) with TW thruster and Promoted Freighter.
Effects = Your Freighter and Mobile Factories receive +1 net thrust; 7 VP. Your Freighter speed increase is
granted for the remainder of the game, regardless of the state of this card.25
n. TW Commander Future: Reqs = In the isototal (4E3a), have at least 8 Isotopes plus have more than any opponent.
Effects = Your delegates count as 2 votes during vote tallies (O3a), 9 VP. You have this delegate Ability for the
remainder of the game, regardless of the state of this card.
o. Exodus Future (Ad Astra): Reqs = Ad astra (1D1b) with TW thruster and your Promoted Bernal.
Effects = Casus belli (1D2c), 12 VP.
p. Vats Future: Reqs=Your colonist with the life-support augmentation has a wunderkind (4C5d). Effects = 9 VP.
This Future can only be completed on a Turn in which a spaceborn wunderkind (4C5d) came of age (4C5c).
24 LIC. Around 100,000 years ago, when Neanderthal still walked the Earth, Sol blundered into the “Local Interstellar Cloud” (LIC), one of several
nearby clouds composed of warm (equal to the surface of Sol), low density (~0.3 atoms/cm3) dust and hydrogen blowing at us from the
direction of the Scorpius and Centaurus constellations. The difficulty with this cloud is that the material is electrically neutral and thus passes
undeflected through a starship's magnetic shields, directly eroding its dust shield. It is unknown how abrasive it is. Once safely outside the LIC, the
starship enters the “local bubble”, where the only material is hot plasma of ultra-low density (<0.001 atoms/cm3). Plasma is charged and thus can be
magnetically deflected. The boundary between the LIC and the proton flow of the solar wind is called the heliopause, at 121 AU from Sol.
25 WARDENS. These autonomous robots maintain the starship under a strategy of self-test and repair. Each is powered by a nuclear fission reactor,
but can also be beam-powered by base stations installed on the starship. Project Daedalus was designed to carry two such robots, at 5 tonnes
each, They could also perform dustbug missions, to clear the path ahead of dangerous neutral dust. Wardens can also make science observations,
distant from contamination by the ship’s fusion drive. —A Bond & A Martin, Project Daedalus - The Final Report on the BIS Starship Study, 1978.

AUGMENTATION TABLE [4C3]
AUGMENTATION ICON 1 ABILITY (side 1) ICON 2 ABILITY (side 2)
a. Domesticated Goo A Colocated Factory may ET produce products of Spectral Class C in Adds 1 Hydration to Colocated Sites during prospecting
addition to the Site's Spectral Type. and site refuel operations.
b. Wardens Adds a Colocated raygun platform of ISRU = 1. Adds a Colocated buggy platform of ISRU = 2.
c. Life-Support Can only be implanted on an earthborn Colonist & enables During a fundraise op, allowed an extra delegate move.
parenthood (4C5).
d. Hibernation Jars This Colonist is Mass 0. Allows your FT’s anywhere to be spent for any FINAO.
e. Batteries Adds a Colocated On-board Pulse Generator. Adds a Colocated On-board Exotic Reactor.
f. Engine A Colocated factory refuel that produces Isotopes receives an A Colocated site refuel that yields Aqua yields 2 more
additional Isotope, applied after all other refuel modifications. Aqua, applied after all other refuel modifications.
EXODUS FUELING TABLE [4E3]
Starting Wet Mass 1 Player 2 Players 3 Players 4 Players 5 Players 6 Players Module 4
in Interstellar isototal isototal isototal isototal isototal isototal VP per lower
Combined Game ranked player
Max (220 mass) 18 or more 34 or more 49 or more 62 or more 73 or more 84 or more 4 VP
Crisis (130 mass) 12 - 17 23 - 33 32 - 48 41 - 61 49 - 72 56 - 83 3 VP
Reckless (80 mass) 6 - 11 11 - 22 16 - 31 21 - 40 24 - 48 28 - 55 2 VP
No Launch 0-5 0 - 10 0 - 15 0 - 20 0 - 23 0 - 27 0 VP
Copyright © 2022, Ion Game Design & Sierra Madre Games About the cover. The starship Exodus is shown
Authors: Phil Eklund, Paweł Garycki, Geoff Speare, & Justin Grey under construction in an isobank facility on
Cover Artist: Anne Isaksson Prometheus, a moon of Saturn that shepherds
Rules: Michael Pokorny the F-ring (foreground). The facility includes
Part of High Frontier 4 All – Core: SMG28-4 a space elevator to Saturn, for the purpose of
Product no: SMG28-4.4 mining the helium-3 and deuterium Isofuels.
EAN: 653341042064 Art by Anne Isaksson.

Exodus: by Phil Eklund, Geoff Speare, Paweł Garycki, & Justin Grey

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EXODUS

By Phil Eklund, Geoff Speare, Paweł Garycki, & Justin Grey

2 | HIGH FRONTIER 4 ALL | MODULE 4 - EXODUS

3 | HIGH FRONTIER 4 ALL | MODULE 4 - EXODUS

4A2. Module 4 Components

4 | HIGH FRONTIER 4 ALL | MODULE 4 - EXODUS

4A3. Contract Card Anatomy

5 | HIGH FRONTIER 4 ALL | MODULE 4 - EXODUS

6 | HIGH FRONTIER 4 ALL | MODULE 4 - EXODUS

7 | HIGH FRONTIER 4 ALL | MODULE 4 - EXODUS

8 | HIGH FRONTIER 4 ALL | MODULE 4 - EXODUS

4A8. Module 4 Refueling (modification to Core)

9 | HIGH FRONTIER 4 ALL | MODULE 4 - EXODUS

4B1. Contract Decks

10 | HIGH FRONTIER 4 ALL | MODULE 4 - EXODUS

11 | HIGH FRONTIER 4 ALL | MODULE 4 - EXODUS

12 | HIGH FRONTIER 4 ALL | MODULE 4 - EXODUS

h. 3-step Win Procedure for the auction winner:

13 | HIGH FRONTIER 4 ALL | MODULE 4 - EXODUS

Secured. During Anarchy, retain faction

14 | HIGH FRONTIER 4 ALL | MODULE 4 - EXODUS

15 | HIGH FRONTIER 4 ALL | MODULE 4 - EXODUS

16 | HIGH FRONTIER 4 ALL | MODULE 4 - EXODUS

17 | HIGH FRONTIER 4 ALL | MODULE 4 - EXODUS

18 | HIGH FRONTIER 4 ALL | MODULE 4 - EXODUS

Earthborn Spaceborn Robot

19 | HIGH FRONTIER 4 ALL | MODULE 4 - EXODUS

20 | HIGH FRONTIER 4 ALL | MODULE 4 - EXODUS

4C5. Parenthood PARENTHOOD CHIT [4C5]

21 | HIGH FRONTIER 4 ALL | MODULE 4 - EXODUS

22 | HIGH FRONTIER 4 ALL | MODULE 4 - EXODUS

23 | HIGH FRONTIER 4 ALL | MODULE 4 - EXODUS

4D. Isobank (Modules 1 & 2)

4D1. Isotope Monetization (changed from Module 3 (3B5))

24 | HIGH FRONTIER 4 ALL | MODULE 4 - EXODUS

4D2. Founding The Isobank (new in Module 4)

25 | HIGH FRONTIER 4 ALL | MODULE 4 - EXODUS

26 | HIGH FRONTIER 4 ALL | MODULE 4 - EXODUS

27 | HIGH FRONTIER 4 ALL | MODULE 4 - EXODUS

28 | HIGH FRONTIER 4 ALL | MODULE 4 - EXODUS

EXODUS FUELING TABLE [4E3]

29 | HIGH FRONTIER 4 ALL | MODULE 4 - EXODUS

30 | HIGH FRONTIER 4 ALL | MODULE 4 - EXODUS

31 | HIGH FRONTIER 4 ALL | MODULE 4 - EXODUS

4F. Exodus Scenarios (Module 3 competitive)

32 | HIGH FRONTIER 4 ALL | MODULE 4 - EXODUS

33 | HIGH FRONTIER 4 ALL | MODULE 4 - EXODUS

34 | HIGH FRONTIER 4 ALL | MODULE 4 - EXODUS

4F3. Bios:Mars, Bios:Venus

35 | HIGH FRONTIER 4 ALL | MODULE 4 - EXODUS

4G1. Contract Auctions Modifications

4G2. CEO Solitaire Modifications

4G3. Module 0 Solitaire Variant (Justin Grey)

36 | HIGH FRONTIER 4 ALL | MODULE 4 - EXODUS

4G4. Solitaire/Cooperative Victory Conditions

37 | HIGH FRONTIER 4 ALL | MODULE 4 - EXODUS

38 | HIGH FRONTIER 4 ALL | MODULE 4 - EXODUS

4H2. Planning Tips (Modules 1 + 2 + 4 Games)

39 | HIGH FRONTIER 4 ALL | MODULE 4 - EXODUS

40 | HIGH FRONTIER 4 ALL | MODULE 4 - EXODUS

4H3. Augmentation Tips

4H4. Earthborn vs. Spaceborn

41 | HIGH FRONTIER 4 ALL | MODULE 4 - EXODUS

h. 3-step Win Procedure for the auction winner: