The board represents a number of planets in the galaxy. Players move about the board from space to space according to the movement cards.
Mostly, the cards say to move a specific number of steps. Each step can be to any adjacent space, though a few special cards allow the player to move in other ways.
There are two types of contract cards.
The money unit used is the stelo or star; bills come in ten denominations from ˜1 to ˜1,000.
There is one six-sided die needed. It is used for deciding who will be the starting player, and for determining inspection fees.
Each player begins with a player piece, a cargo marker, and ˜1,000. Shuffle the movement and contract cards separately. Deal five movement cards to each player, and place the remainder in a place convenient to all the players, with room next to it for discards.
Turn over a number of contract cards equal to two more than the number of players in the game. These cards are now considered to be in play.
Randomly select a player to play first.
On each player’s first turn, he places his player piece on the planet at location [G8] called “Hejmo”, and makes his first move.
On a player’s turn, he draws a movement card, adding it to the five cards in his hand. He then chooses one of the six cards to play and places it face-up in the discard pile. He then moves his player piece according to the instructions on that card.
A player may not end the turn on the same space where he started.
A player may not move through or onto a space occupied by another player. He may, of course, jump over such a space with an appropriate movement card.
There are some empty spaces on the board. These may not be moved to or through, but they may be jumped over with an appropriate movement card.
A player need not move all of the spaces allowed by the card he plays, and in any case, must stop and move no further upon reaching a planet where he intends to pick up or deliver a cargo.
If the supply of movement cards is exhausted, turn the discard pile face-down without shuffling, and continue.
When a player reaches a planet named on an active transport contract, or any planet that provides a cargo specified on an active deliver contract, he may stop and pick up the cargo. He does this by placing his cargo marker on the contract card.
Only one player’s marker may be on a transport contract, but any number of players may have their markers on a deliver contract.
A player’s marker may be moved freely between two deliver contracts for the same cargo. This is convenient if the contract has been fulfilled by another player, and there is another contract in play for the same cargo.
LSome planets require inspection of most cargos that pass through them (not being picked up or delivered there). When a ship carrying a cargo passes through a space with a magnifying glass icon, it must pause, pay the inspection fee, and then continue.
| Inspection Fee | |
|---|---|
| ” … ‡ ® | 0 |
| å , ô | 10% |
| Ÿ ¨ | 15% |
| e | 10% × die-roll |
| Everything else | 5% |
Inspection can be avoided by jumping over the space with a special movement card.
This table is also given in the lower left corner of the game board.
When a player carrying a cargo reaches the planet where it is to be delivered, he stops and moves no further during that turn. He receives the number of stars indicated on the contract card, which is then discarded. Another is immediately drawn to replace it. If it happens to be available at the planet where the current player delivered the cargo, he is allowed to pick it up.
If a player is fulfilling a deliver contract, all other players with cargo markers on that contract must remove their player markers, though they move them to another contract in play that names the same cargo.
When the supply of contract cards is exhausted, play continues until all deliveries have been made. Shortcut: when all remaining contracts in play are deliver contracts, all players not carrying cargo remove their ships from the board. When only one player remains on the board, he moves directly to his delivery destination, collects the payoff, and the game ends. The player with the most stars wins.