Overview

Gaia Project is a strategy game where 1-4 players each control one of 14 unique factions colonizing the Terra Mystica galaxy. Each faction has a home planet type and must terraform other planets to make them habitable. Over 6 rounds, players build mines, upgrade structures, form federations, research technologies, and compete for scoring objectives. The player with the most victory points at the end wins.

Components

• 10 space sector tiles (numbered 01-10; tiles 05-07 are double-sided)
• 1 research board
• 7 double-sided faction boards (14 factions total)
• 1 scoring board
• 6 final scoring tiles, 10 round scoring tiles
• 19 federation tokens
• 10 round boosters
• 36 standard tech tiles (4 each of 9 types), 15 advanced tech tiles
• 20 action tokens, 15 record tokens
• 12 Gaia Planet tokens, 1 Lost Planet token
• 6 space stations (Ivits faction)
• Per player color (7 colors): 8 mines, 4 trading stations, 3 research labs, 2 academies, 1 planetary institute, 25 satellites, 3 Gaiaformers, 7 player tokens
• 14 credit markers, 7 ore markers, 7 knowledge markers
• 30 Q.I.C. (Quantum Intelligence Cubes), 50 power tokens, 1 brainstone
• 1 first player marker, 4 player aids, 1 terraforming reference card
• Automa cards and rulebook (solo mode)

Setup

1. Game Board: Assemble sector tiles in the configuration for your player count (all 10 tiles for 3-4 players; tiles 01-07 for 1-2 players). Tiles 05-07: solid-side up for 3-4 players, outlined-side up for 1-2.
2. Research Board: Place next to game board. Randomly place 9 standard tech tiles (one per tech space), then stack remaining standard tiles of same type on top (9 piles of 4). Place 1 random advanced tech tile on each space between levels 4 and 5. Place 1 random federation token on Terraforming level 5.
3. Scoring Board: Place 1 random round scoring tile on each of 6 round spaces. Place 1 random final scoring tile on each of 2 final scoring spaces.
4. Round Boosters: Randomly select (players + 3) round boosters; return rest to box.
5. General Supply: Place action tokens, Gaia Planet tokens, Lost Planet token, power tokens, Q.I.C., and record tokens near board.
6. Choose Factions: First player chooses a faction board/side; continue clockwise. Take all structures and Gaiaformers of your color. Place structures on faction board spaces.
7. Resources: Each player takes ore, knowledge, and credit markers at starting positions per faction board. Take starting Q.I.C. and power tokens as shown.
8. Research Tokens: Place 1 player token on level 0 of each research area. Advance to level 1 if shown on faction board; gain any one-time bonuses.
9. VP Marker: Place on 10 VP space.
10. Place Starting Mines: (First game: follow diagram. Advanced: draft in clockwise then counterclockwise order.)
11. Round Boosters: Starting with last player, counterclockwise, each chooses a round booster.
12. Neutral Player (1-2 players): Place 2 satellites of unused color on ranking tracks at positions shown on final scoring tiles.

Turn Structure

The game lasts exactly 6 rounds. Each round has 4 phases:

Phase I – Income

Each player gains income from: faction board (revealed spaces), round booster, tech tiles, and current research levels. Resources are ore, knowledge, credits (max 15 each, credits use 2 markers for max 30), power (charged), and Q.I.C.

Phase II – Gaia

Move power tokens from Gaia area to area I of your power cycle. Place Gaia Planet tokens on Transdim Planets that have your Gaiaformers (those planets are now Gaia Planets).

Phase III – Actions

Starting with first player, clockwise, each player takes one action per turn. Continue until all have passed. Available actions:

1. Build a Mine – Pay 2 credits + 1 ore. Planet must be empty, accessible (within navigation range from one of your colonized planets), and habitable (may require terraforming or Q.I.C. for Gaia Planets).
2. Start a Gaia Project – Place an available Gaiaformer on an accessible Transdim Planet. Move power tokens to Gaia area (cost depends on Gaia Project research level: 6/6/4/3/3).
3. Upgrade Existing Structure – Pay ore + credits to upgrade one step:
   • Mine to Trading Station: 6 credits + 2 ore (3 credits + 2 ore if opponent within range 2)
   • Trading Station to Planetary Institute: 6 credits + 4 ore
   • Trading Station to Research Lab: 5 credits + 3 ore (gain a tech tile)
   • Research Lab to Academy: 6 credits + 6 ore (gain a tech tile)
4. Form a Federation – Connect colonized planets with total power value >= 7 using satellites (discard 1 power per satellite). Gain a federation token from supply.
5. Research Progress – Spend 4 knowledge to advance 1 level in any research area. Level 5 requires flipping a federation token.
6. Power/Q.I.C. Action – Spend power or Q.I.C. to take an action on the research board (each usable once per round).
7. Special Action – Use an orange action space on your faction board, tech tile, or round booster (once per round each).
8. Pass – Take a new round booster, return your old one. First player to pass takes first player marker. Resolve any “when passing” effects.

Free Actions (any number, before or after your action):

• Discard 1 power from area II to move 1 power from II to III
• Spend 4 power for 1 Q.I.C.
• Spend 3 power for 1 ore
• Spend 4 power for 1 knowledge
• Spend 1 power for 1 credit
• Spend 1 Q.I.C. for 1 ore
• Spend 1 knowledge for 1 credit
• Spend 1 ore for 1 credit
• Spend 1 ore to gain 1 power (area I)

Phase IV – Clean-Up

Remove all action tokens from action spaces. Flip round boosters faceup. Remove current round’s scoring tile.

Actions

The Power Cycle

Power tokens cycle through 3 areas on your faction board plus a Gaia area:

• Charging power: Move tokens from area I to II, then from II to III (in order; cannot skip).
• Spending power: Move tokens from area III to area I.
• Gaining power: Take tokens from supply, place in area I.
• Discarding power: Return tokens to supply from any area (except Gaia).

Terraforming

Each faction has a home planet type. To colonize other planet types:

• Transdim Planets: Cannot build directly; must Gaia-form first.
• Gaia Planets: Pay 1 Q.I.C. to make habitable.
• Colored planets: Require 1-3 terraforming steps (shown on faction board). Cost per step depends on Terraforming research level: 3/3/2/1/1/1 ore.

Navigation Range

Range from your colonized planets determines where you can build. Base range by Navigation research level: 1/1/2/2/3/4. Spend Q.I.C. for +2 range each.

Structure Power Values

• Mine: 1
• Trading Station / Research Lab: 2
• Planetary Institute / Academy: 3

Passive Action – Charge Power

When any player builds or upgrades, each opponent with a structure within range 2 may spend VP to charge power (charge X power, spend X-1 VP). Must charge full amount or nothing (with exceptions for insufficient VP or power cycle capacity).

Scoring / Victory Conditions

During the Game:

• Round scoring tiles (1 per round, VP for specific actions)
• Federation tokens (VP + resources when gained)
• Research: 3 power charged when advancing from level 2 to 3
• Various tech tile and faction abilities

End-Game Scoring:

• Final Scoring Tiles (2 tiles, ranked): 1st place = 18 VP, 2nd = 12 VP, 3rd = 6 VP, 4th = 0 VP. Ties: add tied ranks’ VP and split evenly.
• Research: 4 VP for each level 3, 4, or 5 reached in any research area.
• Resources: 1 VP per 3 remaining resources (credits, ore, knowledge in any combination).

Winner: Most VP wins. Ties: shared victory.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

Key Federation Rules

• Connected structures must total power value >= 7 (Xenos: >= 6 with Planetary Institute).
• Build satellites by discarding 1 power each. Cannot include more planets/satellites than needed.
• Planets and satellites can belong to only one federation.
• Colonizing adjacent to an existing federation enlarges it (no additional benefit).

Gaia Project Timing

• Gaia Projects started in round 6 are never completed.
• Gaiaformer stays on Gaia Planet until you build a mine there (returns to faction board).
• Only the Gaiaformer’s owner can colonize that planet; no Q.I.C. cost; planet is accessible.

Research Level 5

• Only 1 player can reach level 5 in each area.
• Requires flipping a green federation token to gray.
• Grants powerful one-time bonuses (varies by area).

Advanced Tech Tiles

• Require level 4+ in the corresponding research area.
• Must flip a green federation token to gray.
• Must cover one of your uncovered standard tech tiles.
• Only 6 available per game (not refilled).

Player Count Adjustments

• 1-2 players: Use 7 sector tiles, add neutral player satellites on ranking tracks.
• Advanced setup: variable board, faction drafting, variable turn order.

14 Factions (grouped by home planet type)

| Faction | Home Planet | Key Ability | |———|————-|————-| | Terrans | Terra | Gaia power returns to area II | | Lantids | Terra | Build mines on opponents’ planets | | Xenos | Desert | 3 starting mines; federations need only power 6 | | Gleens | Desert | Q.I.C. becomes ore; bonus VP for Gaia mines | | Taklons | Swamp | Brainstone counts as 3 power when spent | | Ambas | Swamp | Swap planetary institute with a mine | | Hadsch Hallas | Oxide | Spend credits instead of power for free actions | | Ivits | Oxide | One growing federation; place space stations | | Geodens | Volcanic | Gain 3 knowledge per new planet type | | Bal T’aks | Volcanic | Cannot research Navigation until PI built | | Firaks | Titanium | Downgrade research lab to trading station + advance research | | Bescods | Titanium | Advance lowest research for free once per round | | Nevlas | Ice | Spend power tokens in area III as double | | Itars | Ice | Discarded power goes to Gaia area; trade 4 Gaia power for tech tile |

Player Reference

Round Structure:

1. Income – gain resources from all sources
2. Gaia – transform planets, return power from Gaia area
3. Actions – take turns until all pass
4. Clean-Up – remove action tokens, remove round scoring tile

Key Costs: | Action | Cost | |——–|——| | Build Mine | 2 credits + 1 ore | | Mine to Trading Station | 6 credits + 2 ore (3 credits if opponent nearby) | | Trading Station to PI | 6 credits + 4 ore | | Trading Station to Research Lab | 5 credits + 3 ore | | Research Lab to Academy | 6 credits + 6 ore | | Research Progress | 4 knowledge | | Gaia Project (level 1-2) | 6 power to Gaia area | | Gaia Project (level 3) | 4 power to Gaia area | | Gaia Project (level 4-5) | 3 power to Gaia area | | Gaia Planet habitability | 1 Q.I.C. | | Satellite | Discard 1 power | | Federation minimum | Power value 7 |

End-Game VP:

• Final scoring tiles: 18/12/6/0 by rank
• Research levels 3/4/5: 4 VP each
• Resources: 1 VP per 3 remaining