Overview

High Frontier is a science fiction board game about space exploration where players embody private or government space agencies striving to explore and exploit resources in the solar system. The game is renowned for its realistic rocket physics. Players build rockets from technology cards, launch them into space, prospect asteroid and planetary sites, and build factories. The player with the most Victory Points from factories and ventures wins.

Components

• 1 Map of the Solar System (with movement paths and sites)
• Player mats (rocket diagrams for tracking fuel/mass)
• Technology cards in multiple decks: Thrusters, Robonauts, Refineries (Basic game); plus Generators, Reactors, Radiators (advanced)
• Crew cards (one per space agency)
• Water tokens (currency and fuel)
• Colored disks and cubes (claims, factories, tracking markers)
• Rocket figures
• Die

Setup

1. Each player selects a crew card identifying their space agency.
2. Each player receives 4 water tokens.
3. Set up the technology card decks (Thrusters, Robonauts, Refineries) as auction rows.
4. Place the map centrally with site information visible.

Turn Structure

Each turn consists of two parts:

1. Move your rocket (optional)
2. Take one operation (or move again instead)

Actions

Operations (choose one per turn)

| Operation | Effect | |———–|——–| | Income | Gain 2 water tokens | | Research | Bid on technology cards via auction | | Boost | Pay water to send cards to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) | | Prospecting | Attempt to claim a site with a Robonaut or crew | | Site Refuel | Add water/dirt tanks to your rocket | | Industrialization | Build a factory using Robonauts and Refineries | | E.T. Production | Deploy advanced technology cards produced at factories | | Free Market | Sell cards for 5 water tokens |

Free Actions

• Repositioning cards
• Decommissioning components

Technology Cards

Thrusters display three key numbers:

• Left (thrust): determines landing/takeoff capability and movement range
• Right (efficiency): fuel cost per powered move
• Flame symbol (optional): afterburner capability for extra thrust at fuel cost

Robonauts have ISRU ratings (0-4) indicating the minimum water droplets required at a site for prospecting.

Cards feature letters matching site letters; black-side cards require factories to deploy.

Movement System

• Movement occurs along colored paths on the map.
• Magenta circles require burns (fuel expenditure). Cost depends on thruster efficiency and rocket wet mass.
• Lander burns (near major bodies) represent gravity wells – you cannot stop there.
• Thrust Movement Points (TMP) limit burns per turn.
• Intersection rules: Changing direction costs 2 burns immediately, or wait one turn for free direction change.
• Rocket diagram tracks dry mass (components) and wet mass (fuel).

Prospecting

• Roll a die when prospecting a site.
• Success if result is <= site size.
• Sites of size 6+ automatically succeed.
• Failed attempts place a “busted” marker preventing future attempts at that site.

Factories

• Requires a Robonaut and Refinery on a claimed site.
• Built via the Industrialization operation.
• Factories enable production of advanced (black-side) technology cards.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

Scoring Element	Points
Factory claim disks	1 VP each
Factory cubes	1 VP each
Resource Exploitation Track	10 VP (1 factory), 8 VP (2), 6 VP (3+)
Space Venture cards	3 VP (require 3-4 same-letter claims)
Glory cards	Variable VP (crew missions)

The game ends when the required number of factories are built (varies by player count). Highest VP total wins.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• Water as currency and fuel: Water tokens serve double duty as money (for auctions/operations) and reaction mass (fuel for movement).
• Outpost stacks: Park rocket components at any map location as storage for multi-stage missions.
• Freighters: Simple cargo vessels (1-0 thruster profile) that move one burn per turn independently.
• Black cards (advanced technology): Can only be deployed at factories with matching letters; generate VPs when sold.
• Hazard spaces: Marked with skull symbols; require a die roll or 4 water token payment to navigate safely.
• Variants: The game includes Space Diamonds (beginner), Race for Glory (introductory with playthrough), and solitaire/cooperative variants.

Player Reference

Phase	Actions Available
Movement	Move rocket along paths, spending fuel for burns
Operation	Income, Research, Boost, Prospect, Refuel, Industrialize, E.T. Production, Free Market

Thruster Stats	Meaning
Left number	Thrust value (landing/takeoff)
Right number	Fuel efficiency
Flame symbol	Afterburner available