Faraway

2023

Experience the mysterious continent of Alula in Faraway, a strategic card game where you explore regions, meet characters, and compete for victory points.

30
minutes

2 - 6
player(s)

10+

Medium Light

About the game

Welcome to the enthralling world of Faraway, a captivating board game that takes you on an unforgettable journey through mysterious, unexplored territories.

Set in a distant, uncharted universe, Faraway is not just a game—it is an adventure. As you traverse through the extensive, intricately designed game board, you will encounter diverse and exotic landscapes, from shimmering crystal caves to lush alien forests, from vast deserts to icy terrains.

Game components Unboxing the fun!

The game ‘Faraway’ consists of multiple components, each having a unique role in gameplay. Here is a detailed description of each component:

1. Game Board:

The Game Board is a large printed board that depicts the ‘Faraway’ land. It has specific locations marked, paths to travel, and spaces to place cards or tokens. Players use this as the primary map to navigate their gameplay.

2. Decks of Cards:

‘Faraway’ includes several Decks of Cards such as Adventure cards, Character cards, Event cards, and Item cards. Each type of card offers different possibilities:

Adventure cards: These cards provide quests or challenges for players to complete.
Character cards: These represent the playable characters in the game, each with unique abilities.
Event cards: These cards introduce random events that can positively or negatively impact the players.
Item cards: These cards represent equipment or tools that players can use during their turn.

3. Tokens:

The game includes various types of Tokens like Health tokens, Resource tokens, and Progress tokens. Each token is used to track different aspects of the game:

Health tokens: These tokens are used to keep track of the player’s health. Losing all health tokens results in the player’s defeat.
Resource tokens: These represent materials or currency that players can collect and spend on items or actions.
Progress tokens: These tokens are used to track the player’s progress in their quests or challenges.

4. Dice:

The Dice in ‘Faraway’ are used to add an element of chance to the game. They can determine the outcome of battles, the success of actions, or the occurrence of events.

5. Player Figures:

Player Figures are small, usually plastic, representations of the characters that players control. They are placed on the game board and moved around to show the characters’ positions in the game world.

6. Rulebook:

The Rulebook provides all necessary instructions for gameplay. It explains the rules, the purpose of each component, and the way to win the game. It’s essential for players to read and understand the rulebook before starting the game.

Game setup Lay it out, line it up, let’s go

Faraway is a captivating board game that requires strategic thinking and careful planning. The game revolves around exploring distant galaxies, building colonies, and managing resources. Here’s how to set up the game:

Step 1: Prepare the Game Board

Place the main game board in the center of the table where all players can easily reach it. The game board represents the universe that players will explore, with different sectors for various celestial bodies, including planets, asteroids, and nebulae.

Step 2: Assign Player Roles

Each player chooses a color and takes the corresponding player board, pieces, and markers. The player board represents your home planet, it is where you’ll manage resources, build ships, and plan your exploration and colonization.

Step 3: Distribute Initial Resources

Each player starts with a certain number of resource tokens. The exact number and type of resources depend on the chosen home planet. For example, a player starting on a mineral-rich planet might get more ore tokens, while a player on a fertile planet might get more food tokens.

Step 4: Place Starting Ships

Each player places their starting ships on their home planet. These ships will be used to explore the universe, transport resources, and establish colonies.

Step 5: Shuffle and Place the Exploration Cards

Shuffle the exploration cards and place them next to the game board. These cards will add random elements to the game, such as encountering alien species, discovering new technologies, or facing space hazards.

Step 6: Set Up the Resource Market

Create a general supply of resource tokens next to the game board. This represents the resource market, where players can trade resources with each other and with the bank.

Step 7: Determine the First Player

Determine the first player using any method you prefer. For example, you can roll a dice, draw straws, or let the youngest player go first. The first player takes the first turn, and play continues in a clockwise rotation.

Once these steps are complete, you’re ready to embark on your journey in the far reaches of the universe. Remember, the goal of Faraway is not just to explore, but also to build a thriving interstellar civilization. Good luck!

Game flow Round and round we go

Faraway is a strategic board game that combines adventure, exploration, and survival elements. The game follows a sequential structure, divided into several rounds. Each round comprises of three main phases – Exploration Phase, Action Phase, and Survival Phase.

In the Exploration Phase, players uncover new sections of the game board. This phase is structured as follows:

Draw Exploration Card: Each player starts the phase by drawing a card from the Exploration deck. This card represents a new part of the landscape, which could be a dangerous location, a helpful resource, or a neutral site.
Place Exploration Card: The player then places the drawn card adjacent to an already explored section on the game board. The placement of the card should align with the cardinal directions – North, South, East, and West.

The second phase of the game is the Action Phase, where players interact with the game board, manipulate resources, and encounter challenges. This phase involves the following steps:

Choose Actions: Each player can choose two actions from the available list – Move, Gather, Build, or Fight. Players can perform the same action twice.
Execute Actions: The actions are then executed in the order chosen. If any conflict occurs (for example, two players choosing to gather from the same resource), the player with the highest Speed attribute goes first.

The final phase is the Survival Phase, during which players need to ensure their survival in the harsh environment of Faraway. This phase includes the following steps:

Check Supplies: Players must consume one food and one water from their inventory. If a player does not have enough supplies, they lose health equal to the deficit.
Rest: Players can regain health by resting, but only if they have a Shelter built. The amount of health regained depends on the quality of the Shelter.
Draw Event Card: The round ends with each player drawing an Event card. These cards represent unexpected occurrences that can be beneficial or detrimental.

The game of Faraway continues in this way, round after round, until either one player has found the signal source (winning the game), or all players have perished.

Players'turn One turn to rule them all

In the strategic board game ‘Faraway’, each player’s turn consists of several potential steps and actions. These actions can influence the overall gameplay and strategy, providing numerous ways to achieve victory. Here is a detailed breakdown of a player’s turn:

1. Drawing a card:

At the start of their turn, a player must draw a card from the deck. This can either be a ‘planet’ card, ‘event’ card, or a ‘resource’ card.

Planet Cards: These cards introduce new planets into the game. Players can choose to explore these planets for resources and advantages, or ignore them to focus on other strategies.
Event Cards: These cards introduce unpredictable elements into the game. Events can either be beneficial or detrimental, and players must adapt their strategies to account for these changes.
Resource Cards: These cards provide players with resources such as fuel, minerals, and technology. These resources can be used to build structures, upgrade ships, or trade with other players.

2. Performing actions:

After drawing a card, the player can perform up to two actions. These actions include exploring planets, building structures, upgrading ships, trading resources, and initiating combat.

Exploring Planets: To explore a planet, a player must spend fuel equal to the planet’s distance. If successful, the player gains the resources or benefits listed on the planet card.
Building Structures: Players can build structures on planets they control. These structures can provide ongoing benefits, such as additional resources each turn or defensive bonuses in combat.
Upgrading Ships: Players can spend resources to upgrade their ships, increasing their fuel capacity, combat power, or cargo space.
Trading Resources: Players can trade resources with other players. This can be a strategic way to gain needed resources or deprive an opponent of a crucial resource.
Initiating Combat: If a player’s ship is on the same planet as an opponent’s ship, they can choose to initiate combat. The outcome of combat is determined by each ship’s combat power and any defensive bonuses from structures.

3. Ending the turn:

After performing their actions, the player’s turn ends. Play then passes to the next player clockwise. The game continues in this manner until a player achieves one of the victory conditions, such as controlling a certain number of planets or accumulating a certain amount of resources.

Understanding the possible actions and strategic choices during a player’s turn in ‘Faraway’ is crucial to mastering the game. Each decision can potentially affect the outcome of the game, making every turn a chance to advance towards victory or fall behind.

End of the game All good games must come to an end

‘Faraway’ is an intricate and engaging board game that brings players into a world of fantasy and strategy. The game ends in one of two ways: either when a player has reached a predetermined victory point threshold, or when the game deck runs out of cards.

Victory Conditions:

Victory Points: Each player aims to collect victory points throughout the game. The first player to reach or exceed the agreed upon victory point threshold (usually 10 points for a short game, and 20 points for a long game) immediately triggers the end of the game.
Empty Game Deck: If no player has reached the victory point threshold, the game ends when the game deck runs out of cards. At this point, the player with the highest number of victory points is declared the winner.

End Game Actions:

Before final scoring, players must take the following actions:

Final Turn: If the game ends by a player reaching the victory point total, all other players get one last turn to try and improve their score.
Resource Conversion: If allowed by game rules, players convert any remaining resources into victory points according to a predetermined conversion rate.
Score Calculation: Players calculate their final scores by adding up their victory points, any bonuses from special cards, and points from converted resources.
Declare the Winner: The player with the highest final score is declared the winner. In the event of a tie, the player with the most remaining resources (before conversion) is the winner.

Scoring Did you outsmart your rivals?

In the board game ‘Faraway’, players accumulate points based on exploration, resource collection, and completing objectives. The player with the highest total points at the end of the game is declared the winner. Here is a breakdown of the points system:

Exploration:

Players earn points by exploring new lands and territories. The points awarded are as follows:

New Territory: For every new territory discovered, a player is awarded 2 points.
Unique Biomes: If a player discovers a unique biome, 3 points are awarded.
Mysterious Landmarks: Uncovering a mysterious landmark will earn a player 5 points.

Resource Collection:

In ‘Faraway’, gathering and managing resources is key. Points are awarded for collecting resources as follows:

Common Resources: For every 5 common resources a player gathers, they are awarded 1 point.
Rare Resources: Every rare resource grants a player 2 points.
Legendary Resources: A legendary resource is worth 5 points.

Objectives:

Throughout the game, players can complete objectives to earn additional points. The point values are as follows:

Minor Objectives: Completing a minor objective rewards a player with 3 points.
Major Objectives: A major objective is worth 7 points upon completion.
Final Objective: If a player completes their final objective, they earn 10 points.

At the end of the game, the player with the highest total points is the winner. In case of a tie, the following tie-breaking rules apply:

The player who has explored the most territories wins.
If there is still a tie, the player who has collected the most resources wins.
If a tie persists, the player who has completed the most objectives wins.
If all of the above are equal, the player who completed their final objective first is declared the winner.

Particular Cases and Exceptions Wait… is that legal?

Faraway is a complex board game with a few special rules and exceptions that players should be aware of. It’s important to remember these to ensure a fair and exciting game.

Special Rule 1: The Time Loop

When a player lands on a ‘Time Loop’ square, they must roll the dice again and move backwards by the number they roll. This repeats until they roll a number that would move them past the Time Loop square, at which point they continue forward on their next turn.

Special Rule 2: Alien Encounters

When landing on an ‘Alien Encounter’ square, players must draw a card from the Alien deck. These encounters can be beneficial or detrimental, depending on the card drawn. Players may choose to avoid these squares if they have a ‘Shield’ card in their hand.

Special Rule 3: The Black Hole

The ‘Black Hole’ square immediately ends the player’s turn and they lose their next turn. Players cannot use ‘Shield’ or ‘Teleport’ cards to avoid or escape the Black Hole.

Exception 1: The Teleport Card

A ‘Teleport’ card allows players to move to any square on the board, bypassing any obstacles or penalties along the way. However, the destination square’s effects still apply. This card cannot be used to teleport to the final square and win the game.

Exception 2: The Shield Card

A ‘Shield’ card can be used to avoid the effects of landing on a square. This includes ‘Alien Encounter’ and ‘Black Hole’ squares. However, the ‘Shield’ card does not protect players from the effects of the ‘Time Loop’ square.

Rule Clarification 1: Trading Cards

Players can trade cards with each other during their turn, but only if both players agree to the trade. Trades can include any number of cards.

Rule Clarification 2: Winning the Game

The first player to reach the final square wins the game. However, they must do so by exact count. If a player rolls a number that would move them past the final square, they do not move and their turn ends.

Tips and tricks Play smarter, not harder!

The board game ‘Faraway’ is a thrilling game of strategy and luck. Here are some advanced strategies, beginner tips, common mistakes to avoid, and ways to optimize gameplay:

Advanced Strategies

Plan Ahead: Always think a few steps ahead. Try to foresee the possible actions of your opponents and plan your moves accordingly. If you only focus on your current move, you may miss out on opportunities to block your opponents or make more advantageous moves.
Control the Board: Aim to control the central areas of the board. This can give you a strategic advantage as it allows you to easily reach different parts of the board and disrupt your opponents’ plans.
Resource Management: Properly manage your resources. Don’t spend everything in your early turns. It’s better to save some resources for later stages of the game when they can have a bigger impact.

Beginner Tips

Learn the Rules: Before even starting, make sure you understand the rules of the game. This will help you make better decisions during gameplay and avoid unnecessary mistakes.
Practice: As with any game, practice makes perfect. Play the game multiple times to get a feel for the mechanics and to develop your own strategies.
Ask for Advice: Don’t hesitate to ask more experienced players for advice. They can provide valuable insights and tips that can help you improve your game.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Not Balancing Actions: One common mistake is focusing too much on one aspect of the game, such as resource gathering, and neglecting others. It’s better to keep a balance between all actions to ensure you’re not leaving any opportunities for your opponents.
Ignoring Opponents: Don’t forget to pay attention to your opponents’ actions. If you’re too focused on your own game, you may miss out on chances to block their moves or exploit their weaknesses.
Being Too Predictable: If your moves are too predictable, your opponents can easily block you or plan their moves to counter yours. Try to vary your strategies to keep your opponents guessing.

Ways to Optimize Gameplay

Efficient Use of Turns: Make every turn count. It’s not just about what you do on your turn, but also about what you leave for your opponents on their turns. Try to make moves that not only benefit you but also disrupt the plans of your opponents.
Adapt Your Strategy: If your initial strategy isn’t working, don’t be afraid to change it. It’s better to adapt your strategy based on the current situation rather than sticking to a failing plan.
Use Your Resources Wisely: Resources are crucial in ‘Faraway’. Be careful not to waste them on unnecessary actions. Always think about the potential return on investment before spending your resources.