Nova Luna

2019

Experience Nova Luna, an abstract tile-laying game of strategy. Plan your future with each turn, complete tasks with correctly placed tiles, and beat opponents by placing all your markers first.

60
minutes

1 - 4
player(s)

Medium Light

About the game

Nova Luna is a vibrant and captivating tile placement game that takes you on an adventure through the lunar cycle. The game is set in the beautiful night sky, where you’re entrusted to create celestial patterns in line with the moon’s phases. It’s a world where time is of the essence and the moon guides your actions.

At its core, Nova Luna is a strategy game that requires careful planning, tactical decision-making, and a keen sense of timing. The game revolves around a unique time wheel mechanic which dictates the flow of the game. Each action you take costs a certain amount of time, and the player whose marker is furthest behind gets the next turn, creating a dynamic and fluid gameplay experience that keeps all players constantly engaged.

Game components Unboxing the fun!

Nova Luna is a popular tile-laying game with abstract strategy. The game revolves around the lunar cycle, hence its name (‘Nova Luna’ translates to ‘New Moon’). Here is a detailed list of components included in the game and their respective uses:

1. Game Board: The game board is a circular track with 28 spaces which represents the lunar cycle. Players place their markers on the board to track their progress throughout the game. The board also determines the order of play.

2. 80 Tiles: The game contains 80 tiles, each with a unique combination of colors and tasks. They are divided into four colors: red, blue, yellow, and green. Each tile has one or more colored task dots and a number. The number indicates the tile’s cost and the colored dots indicate the tasks that need to be fulfilled.

3. 4 Player Markers: These are used to track each player’s position on the game board. The position of the marker decides the player’s turn order. The player whose marker is last on the track gets to play next.

4. 4 Time Markers: Each player receives a time marker that is used to count the time spent to carry out tasks. Every time a player chooses a tile, they move their time marker forward on the game board according to the value of the tile.

5. 60 Task Markers: These little wooden markers are used to track the completion of tasks. Players place them on their tiles once they have met the color requirements of the tasks indicated by the colored dots.

6. Moon Marker: The Moon Marker is placed on the game board to show the starting position. This marker does not move throughout the game.

Each component of Nova Luna has its unique role in the gameplay. From plotting strategies based on tile selection to tracking time and tasks, each element contributes to the immersive and strategic experience of the game. The player who best optimizes their tile selection and task completion, while managing their time efficiently, is declared the winner.

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

‘Nova Luna’ is a tile placement game that requires strategic thinking and planning. The following steps will guide you through the game setup:

Step 1: Player Roles

Each player in ‘Nova Luna’ plays the role of an astronomer. The goal of the astronomer is to observe the moon’s phases and align them properly to complete tasks. Each player’s actions and decisions can greatly affect the game.

Step 2: Setting Up the Game Board

Place the moon wheel in the center of the table. The moon wheel is the game board in ‘Nova Luna’. You’ll see several colored tiles around the edge of this wheel. Shuffle these tiles face down, then place them face up in a circle around the moon wheel.

Step 3: Determining Player Order

Randomly determine the first player. That player places their marker on the moon space of the moon wheel. Following in clockwise order, each player places their marker on top of the previous player’s marker. The player on the top of the stack is the first player.

Step 4: Initial Resources

Each player receives a set of discs in their chosen color. The number of discs varies depending on the number of players: 20 discs in a 2-player game, 15 discs in a 3-player game, and 13 discs in a 4-player game. These discs will be used to complete tasks on the tiles.

Step 5: Preparing the Task Tiles

Shuffle the task tiles face down and place them in a stack. Draw the top 4 tiles and place them in a row next to the moon wheel. These are the available tasks for the first round.

Step 6: Random Elements

The tasks that are drawn from the stack and the order of player turns introduce random elements to ‘Nova Luna’. Players must adapt their strategies based on the available tasks and the actions of other players.

After completing these steps, you’re ready to begin playing ‘Nova Luna’. Remember, the key to victory is to complete your tasks as efficiently as possible. Good luck!

Game flow Round and round we go

Nova Luna is a strategic board game in which players take turns selecting moon tiles from the moon wheel to complete a variety of patterns. The game does not have distinct rounds or phases, but instead continues in a round-robin fashion until a player reaches a certain score. The overall structure of the game is as follows:

Setup:

Place the moon wheel in the center of the table.
Place the moon tiles on the moon wheel in a random order.
Each player takes a player marker in their chosen color.
Players decide who will go first. The first player places their marker on the zero space of the moon wheel, and subsequent players place their markers on the next available space in clockwise order.

Gameplay:

The player whose marker is furthest behind on the moon wheel takes their turn. In case of a tie, the player who is on top goes first.
On their turn, a player may take one of the next three tiles in the moon wheel. They place this tile in their tableau and advance their marker a number of spaces equal to the number on the tile.
Each tile has one or more tasks on it. To complete a task, a player must have the correct configuration of tiles in their tableau. When a task is completed, the player places one of their task tokens on it.
Players continue taking turns in this fashion until one player has placed all of their task tokens. This player is the winner.

Important Notes:

Players cannot move their marker backwards on the moon wheel.
If a player cannot or does not want to place a tile, they must pass their turn.
If the moon wheel is emptied of tiles, refill it with tiles from the bag.
Each player’s tableau is open and visible to all other players.

Players'turn One turn to rule them all

In Nova Luna, each player’s turn follows a simple yet strategic structure. Here’s a breakdown:

1. Selecting a Tile:

At the start of your turn, you will choose a tile from the moon wheel. The moon wheel is a circular display of 12 tiles. You can only select among the next three tiles in clockwise order from the moon marker.

2. Moving the Moon Marker:

Once you’ve selected a tile, move the moon marker to the spot where the tile was located. The number indicated on your chosen tile will determine the number of steps the moon marker moves forward in a clockwise direction.

3. Placing the Tile:

The tile you picked from the moon wheel must then be placed onto your personal grid. The tile can be placed anywhere on your grid as long as it is adjacent (either orthogonally or diagonally) to at least one existing tile. The initial tile can be placed anywhere.

4. Fulfilling Tasks:

Each tile has one to three tasks on it, depicted by colored dots and white squares. A task is fulfilled when the required number of tiles of the corresponding colors are adjacent to the tile with the task. The tiles can be in any arrangement and can be used to fulfill multiple tasks. Each fulfilled task is marked with a disc from your personal supply. Note that fulfilling tasks is not mandatory and may be done later in the game.

5. Strategic Choices:

Tile Selection: When selecting a tile, consider not just the task it carries, but also its time value – the number of steps the moon marker will move. Higher numbered tiles may contain more rewarding tasks but will also allow your opponents more turns before your next.
Tile Placement: Strategically placing your tiles is key to efficiently fulfilling tasks. Tiles placed in the right configuration can help fulfill multiple tasks simultaneously.
Task Fulfillment: In order to win, you need to fulfill as many tasks as possible. However, it is important to balance your focus between completing current tasks and planning for future ones.

The game continues in this manner until a player has placed all their discs, marking fulfilled tasks. That player is then declared the winner.

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

Nova Luna is a strategy-based board game which ends when a player has placed all of their colored discs, or tokens, onto the game board. The victory condition is straightforward: the first player to place all of their tokens is declared the winner.

The game does not have a set number of rounds, but continues until the victory condition is met. However, placement of tokens is dependent on fulfilling the conditions of various tiles on the game board.

Victory Conditions:

The primary and ultimate victory condition in Nova Luna is to be the first player to place all of their tokens onto the game board.
Each player starts with 20 tokens. The game ends as soon as a player has placed all of their tokens onto tiles.
The player achieves this by selecting tiles with tasks and then completing these tasks. Once a task on a tile is completed, the player places a token on it.

Actions Required for Scoring:

Each player’s turn consists of selecting a tile from the moon wheel and placing it in their personal display. These tiles have colored tasks on them.
After placing a tile, the player needs to check whether they have fulfilled any tasks. Tasks are fulfilled by having a specific sequence of colored tiles in the personal display.
If a player fulfills one or more tasks on a tile, they place a token on each fulfilled task.
Players may fulfill tasks on multiple tiles with a single tile placement, and may even fulfill multiple tasks on the same tile.

It’s important to note that a player does not need to fulfill all tasks on a tile before placing it on their board. Unfulfilled tasks may be completed later in the game. Strategic placement of tiles and timely completion of tasks are the keys to winning Nova Luna.

Scoring Did you outsmart your rivals?

In the board game ‘Nova Luna’, players are vying to score points by successfully completing tasks. The game doesn’t have a traditional scoring system, instead, the winner is the first player to place all of their markers. Here is a detailed explanation:

Scoring Points:

Every time a player selects a new tile from the moon wheel, it will come with a set of tasks. These tasks are represented by colored dots on the tile. Each time a player is able to place a tile adjacent to previously laid tiles such that the colors match as per the tasks, they are allowed to place one of their markers on the task.

The key to winning is efficient placement and selection of tiles such that the tasks can be completed as quickly as possible. There are no points to be tallied at the end, instead the player who manages to place all of their markers first is declared the winner.

Tie-breaking Rules:

In the unlikely event of a tie, where two or more players manage to place all of their markers at the same time, the tie-breaking rule comes into play. The player amongst those tied who is furthest behind on the moon track is declared the winner. This is because they have managed to achieve the victory condition in fewer turns, as the position on the moon track represents the turn order.

Step 1: Select a tile from the moon wheel and perform tasks.
Step 2: Place that tile adjacent to existing tiles such that task conditions are met.
Step 3: Place one of your markers on each completed task.
Step 4: The first player to place all of their markers is the winner.

If a tie occurs, the player furthest behind on the moon track wins.

Particular Cases and Exceptions Wait… is that legal?

In the game of ‘Nova Luna’, there are certain special rules, exceptions, and clarifications that the player needs to be aware of. These can greatly impact gameplay and can potentially influence the outcome of the game.

Tile Placement:

One important rule clarification pertains to the tile placement. Each new tile must be placed next to an existing one. However, it is not necessary for the new tile to match colors with all adjacent tiles.

Task Completion:

Tasks are completed by having the correct number and color of discs around the tile. Importantly, a single disc can contribute to the completion of multiple tasks. Once a task is completed, it cannot be uncompleted, even if discs are later moved.

Disc Movement:

It is important to note that discs cannot be moved after they are placed. The only exception to this rule is if a game effect specifically allows for movement.

Tile Availability:

The availability of tiles is dependent on the number of players. In a two-player game, any tile in the first three spaces of the moon track is available. In a three-player game, it is the first four spaces, and in a four-player game, it is the first five spaces.

End Game:

The end of the game is triggered when a player places their last time marker. However, the game does not immediately end. Each player, including the one who triggered the end game, gets one final turn. The player with the fewest time markers left on their player board is the winner. In case of a tie, the player who triggered the end game wins.

Special Scenarios:

There are no explicit rules for special scenarios. However, if a situation arises that is not covered by the rules, it is recommended to come to an agreement among all players about how to proceed.