Nemesis

2018

Experience the terror of survival horror in Nemesis. Control unique characters, confront alien organisms, overcome obstacles, and keep your treacherous crewmates in check.

180
minutes

1 - 5
player(s)

12+

Medium Heavy

About the game

Nemesis is an atmospheric, semi-cooperative board game that takes you on an intense, heart-pounding journey into the depths of a haunted spaceship. In this game, you and your fellow crew members wake up from hibernation, only to find that something has gone horribly wrong during your journey through deep space.

The game’s theme and setting are heavily influenced by classic, sci-fi horror films. As you explore the dark, claustrophobic corridors of the spaceship, the tension continuously builds. You can never be sure what’s lurking around the next corner. Could it be a deadly alien creature? A malfunctioning piece of equipment? Or perhaps one of your own crew members, driven mad by fear and paranoia?

Game components Unboxing the fun!

Nemesis is a survival board game full of strategy and suspense. This game includes a numerous amount of pieces, each playing a vital role in the gameplay. Here is a detailed list of the components included:

1. Game Board: The game board is a detailed map of the spaceship on which the game takes place. It has several rooms and corridors where player actions take place.

2. Character Miniatures: These beautifully crafted pieces represent the different characters that players can choose to play as, each with their unique abilities and characteristics. They move around the board as directed by the players.

3. Alien Miniatures: These represent the alien threats that players will encounter and have to overcome. Their movement and actions are dictated by the game rules and cards drawn from the Intruder deck.

4. Character Boards: Each player has a character board that outlines their character’s abilities, health status, and inventory. Players use these boards to track their progress and status throughout the game.

5. Room Tiles: These are placed on the game board to create the spaceship’s layout. They can be rearranged for each game, providing a new and unique gameplay experience every time.

6. Intruder Tokens: These tokens represent the presence of aliens in a room. They add an element of surprise and danger to the gameplay.

7. Event Cards: These cards introduce random events that can either help or hinder the players. They add an element of unpredictability to the game.

8. Item Cards: These cards represent various items and tools that players can find and use on the spaceship. They can give players advantages and aid them in their survival.

9. Noise Tokens: These tokens are placed on the board whenever a player makes noise. They can attract the attention of the aliens and increase the risk of encounter.

10. Dice: Dice are used to determine the outcome of certain actions, such as combat or finding items. They introduce an element of chance to the game.

11. Objective Cards: These cards outline the individual objectives each player must complete to win the game. They guide the players’ actions and decisions throughout the game.

12. Intruder Attack Cards: These cards are drawn when a player is attacked by an intruder. They determine the severity and outcome of the attack.

13. Escape Pods: These are the final destination for players who wish to escape the ship and survive. Getting to them is a significant part of the game’s challenge.

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

Nemesis is a thrilling sci-fi board game where players assume unique roles to survive on a hostile spaceship. The game setting includes a combination of pre-determined and random elements, which adds to the excitement. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to set up the game.

1. Game Board Preparation:

Unfold the game board and place it in the center of the playing area. The board represents the interior of the spaceship.
Place the four escape pod tokens randomly on the escape pod launch bays embedded in the game board.
Shuffle the exploration tokens and randomly place one face-down on each room that isn’t the Hibernatorium.

2. Player Roles and Character Assignment:

Each player should choose a character from the available options: Pilot, Scientist, Scout, Captain, and Soldier.
After selecting their character, each player should take the corresponding character board, miniature, and action cards.
Place the chosen character miniatures in the Hibernatorium on the game board.

3. Initial Resources:

Each player receives five action cards. These cards may be used to perform actions during the game.
Each player should draw two contamination cards and place them in their discard pile.
Each player starts with a skill deck specific to their character, containing five cards.

4. Objective Cards:

Shuffle the objective cards deck and deal two cards to each player.
Each player will choose one card to keep and discard the other. This will be the player’s secret personal objective for the game.

5. Game Elements:

Sort the Intruder tokens by type and place them next to the game board in a common area.
Shuffle the event cards and create a deck, placing it next to the board.
Separate the item cards by type (red, yellow, green), shuffle each type separately and place them in respective decks next to the board.
Put the time track marker on the first space of the time track on the game board.

Note: This setup guide covers the basics for a standard game of Nemesis. However, the game includes additional elements and variations, such as the use of the Intruder egg and larva tokens, which are not covered in this guide.

Game flow Round and round we go

Nemesis is a semi-cooperative Sci-Fi horror game where you and your crewmates must survive on a starship infested with hostile intruders. The game is played in rounds, with each round divided into different phases, during which players take various actions to achieve their objectives.

The game phases are as follows:

Player Phase: Players perform actions during their turns. Each player can take two actions on their turn, such as moving, shooting, or using items. The order of play is determined by the player order tokens.
Event Phase: Once all players have taken their turns, an event card is drawn. These cards can have a variety of effects, from moving intruders around the ship to causing additional intruders to spawn.
Draw Intruder Cards Phase: In this phase, intruder cards are drawn equal to the number of intruder tokens in the bag. These cards determine the type and number of intruders that appear.
Fire Damage Phase: In this phase, each room with a fire marker is damaged. If a room is completely damaged, it is destroyed and becomes impassable for the rest of the game.
Resolve Intruder Attack Phase: If there are any intruders in the same room as a player, they attack. Each type of intruder has a unique attack effect.
Intruder Movement Phase: The intruders on the ship move. The type and direction of their movement is determined by a roll of the intruder movement die.
Bag Development Phase: In this phase, new intruder tokens are added to the intruder bag. The number of tokens added depends on the number of intruders on the board.

Players win the game by either completing their personal objectives and escaping the ship, or by ensuring the ship reaches Earth with the intruder infestation contained. The game ends in a loss if all players are eliminated, or if the ship is destroyed.

Note: In addition to these standard actions, players may also use item cards or room abilities, which can provide additional actions or benefits.

Players'turn One turn to rule them all

In the board game Nemesis, each player takes turns in a clockwise direction, performing actions and making strategic decisions to ensure their survival and the achievement of their individual objectives. Here is a thorough breakdown of what happens during a player’s turn:

1. Drawing Action Cards

At the beginning of each turn, a player draws up to five action cards from their deck. These cards provide a range of potential actions and can be used for movement, combat, and other special abilities. A player’s hand limit is five cards, so if a player has more than five cards at the end of their turn, they must discard down to five.

2. Performing Actions

On their turn, a player can perform up to two actions. These actions can include moving, shooting, melee combat, scavenging for items, using an item, repairing a broken item or room, and using a special ability from an action card. Each action may require the player to discard an action card from their hand.

Moving: To move from one room to another, players must discard one action card. Before moving, they must also draw and resolve a noise card.
Shooting: Players can shoot at aliens in the same room by discarding a shoot action card and spending ammunition from their inventory.
Melee Combat: Players can engage in melee combat with aliens in the same room by discarding a melee action card. However, melee combat is risky and can result in injury.
Scavenging: Players can scavenge in rooms to find items. To scavenge, they must discard an action card and draw an item card from the item deck that corresponds to the room they are in.
Using an Item: Players can use items from their inventory by discarding the appropriate action card. Some items provide benefits like healing wounds, boosting actions, or allowing for additional movement.
Repairing: Players can attempt to repair a broken item or room by discarding a repair action card.
Using a Special Ability: Some action cards provide special abilities that can be used for a variety of purposes. These abilities can provide powerful effects, so using them strategically is crucial.

3. End of Turn

Once a player has performed their two actions (or chosen to pass), their turn ends. If they have any action cards left in their hand, they keep these for their next turn. Then, the next player in clockwise order takes their turn.

The choices made during a player’s turn can greatly affect the gameplay in Nemesis. Strategic use of action cards, careful movement to avoid attracting aliens, wise use of items, and smart combat decisions can all contribute to a player’s survival and ultimate victory.

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

The game of ‘Nemesis’ ends when any of the following conditions are met:

The spaceship reaches Earth: After the 15th round, if the spaceship is not destroyed, it automatically reaches Earth.
The spaceship is destroyed: If the self-destruct sequence is activated and not stopped in time, the spaceship explodes.
All players are in hibernation: All surviving players have entered hibernation pods, regardless of the round.

Once the game ends, players proceed to the final scoring. Here are the steps to follow:

Reveal objectives: Each player reveals their personal objective. These objectives are kept secret throughout the game and revealed only at the end.
Check objectives: If a player has achieved their personal objective, they are considered to be victorious. If multiple players achieve their objectives, they all win. However, if no one achieves their objectives, all players lose.
Verify survival: Players who didn’t enter a hibernation pod or whose escape pod was ejected will not survive. Players who are not on the ship when it reaches Earth or when it is destroyed are also considered dead. Dead players cannot win, even if they completed their objective.

Note: ‘Nemesis’ is a semi-cooperative game. Players work together to keep the ship running and defend against intruders, but everyone has a personal objective. Sometimes, these objectives can conflict with each other or with the overall survival of the ship, leading to tensions and betrayals.

In ‘Nemesis’, the journey is as important as the destination, and the thrill comes from the tough decisions players must make to balance personal survival against group survival.

Scoring Did you outsmart your rivals?

Nemesis is a board game that offers various scoring mechanics. Players gain points throughout the game based on their individual and corporate goals, surviving the game, and sending a signal. Here’s a breakdown:

1. Individual Goals:

Survive and send signal: If a player manages to survive the game and send a signal, they score 5 points.
Survive only: If a player only manages to survive but does not send a signal, they score 3 points.

2. Corporate Goals:

A player scores 4 points if they manage to accomplish their corporate goal.

3. Other Points:

Players can also score additional points based on specific actions or achievements, as detailed in the game rules. For example, they might score extra points for killing alien queens, saving other players, or other heroic actions.

Once all points have been tallied, the winner of the game is the player with the highest score. In the event of a tie, the following rules apply:

Tie-breaking Rules:

The player who has achieved their corporate goal wins the tie.
If both players achieved their corporate goals, the player who sent the signal wins the tie.
If both players have sent the signal, the player with the most remaining items in their inventory wins the tie.
If it is still a tie, the player who first entered hibernation wins.

Remember, in Nemesis, scoring is just one element of the game. The real joy comes from the suspense and cooperative/competitive gameplay.

Particular Cases and Exceptions Wait… is that legal?

Nemesis is a thrilling and complex board game, filled with a multitude of rules and exceptions. Here are some of the rare or special rules that can often be overlooked:

1. Noise Roll Exception:

When you make a noise roll, you roll not just one, but two dice. If you roll a ‘Danger’ symbol on either die, you do not place a noise marker. Instead, you trigger an intruder attack.

2. Intruder Attack Exception:

When an intruder attacks, it does not always inflict damage. Instead, it draws an attack card and carries out the action indicated on the card. If the action cannot be performed, the intruder does not attack.

3. Engine Room Rules:

While most rooms can be used by any character, the Engine Room is only accessible if you have the Engineer character card. This rule is often missed by new players.

4. Player Death Clarification:

If a player dies, they are not out of the game. Instead, they take control of a character from the available pool of unused characters.
The new character starts in the hibernatorium with a full set of action cards.

5. Escape Pod Usage:

Escape pods are a single-use item. Once a player has used an escape pod, it cannot be used again for the rest of the game.
Before using an escape pod, players must first fix the escape pod system.

6. Fire Damage Clarification:

If a room is on fire, any intruder within that room will receive one injury token at the end of each player’s turn.
However, fire does not affect characters. They can move through a room on fire without receiving any damage.

Remember, the best way to understand these complex rules and exceptions is to practice them in game play. Happy gaming!

Tips and tricks Play smarter, not harder!

Nemesis is a thrilling board game that combines strategy, cooperative play, and a touch of horror. To help you survive and thrive, here are some advanced strategies, beginner tips, common mistakes to avoid, and ways to optimize gameplay:

Advanced Strategies:

In the early stages of the game, focus on exploring the ship and gathering useful items. This can provide a crucial advantage in the later stages of the game.
Try to keep your noise level as low as possible. The more noise you make, the higher the chance of attracting aliens.
Use your character’s special abilities wisely. Each character has unique skills that can be very beneficial if used in the right situations.

Beginner Tips:

Understand your character’s abilities and weaknesses. This will help you make better decisions during the game.
Communicate with your teammates. Nemesis is a cooperative game, so working together can greatly increase your chances of survival.
Take the time to understand the layout of the ship. This can help you plan your moves better and avoid dangerous areas.

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

Don’t ignore the noise. Even if you’re in a rush, it’s important to minimize noise as much as possible to avoid attracting aliens.
Avoid getting too separated from your teammates. While it can be beneficial to spread out and explore, being too far away from your team can leave you vulnerable.
Don’t hoard items. Share your resources with your team and use them when they’re needed.

Ways to Optimize Gameplay:

Plan your moves. Think about what you want to achieve and plan your moves accordingly. This can help you avoid unnecessary risks and make the most of your actions.
Stay adaptable. The game is unpredictable, so be ready to change your plans as the situation evolves.
Use the ship’s systems. The ship has various systems that can be utilized to your advantage, such as the surveillance system or the fire control system.