Astronaut
By Pepys (Castell Brothers)

ASTRONAUT RULES

A GAME FOR 2 TO 4 PLAYERS

The game consists of 28 STAGE cards (4 sets of 7 cards numbered 1-7); 4 substitute Stage cards marked SUB; 2 RESERVE ASTRONAUT cards marked RES. A; 2 ILL, cards; 3 DELAY cards and 5 General Interest cards which have no mark or index.

The object of the game is to collect Stage cards and land on the Moon (Stage 7).

Method of Play.

The cards are shuffled well and 4 cards are dealt to each player. The pack is placed face down on the table and the top card exposed beside the Pack. Players take up their cards and look at them. The player on the left of the dealer begins: he first takes into his hand either the top card from the face-down Pack on the table, or the face-up card by its side. He then plays an ASTRONAUT (No. 1 Stage Card) if he has one by placing it on the table before him. This ends his turn.

If he has no ASTRONAUT he "passes" and must discard one card from his hand, placing it face up alongside the centre pack on the table. The turn passes around to the left, each player remembering to begin his turn by drawing the top card either from the face-down pack or from the discard pack (if any), then either playing one card before him (which ends his turn), or "passing", when he ends his turn by discarding one card.

If he played an Astronaut a player may at his next turn play a Stage 2 card and so on at succeedin g turns. As they are played the Stage cards are placed on the table side by side in a row before the player, in the right numerial order as the game proceeds. Players add to their own cards only, and end each turn with 4 cards in their hands.

SUB Cards: There are 4 of these cards and they can be played as substitutes for any Stage cards except ASTRONAUT (Stage 1) and Landing on the Moon (Stage 7). They cannot later be exchanged for the correct Stage card, and they do not count for scoring at the end.

ILL Cards: There are 2 of these cards, they indicate that the Astronaut has taken ill. If a player has one in his hand or draws one before he has played Stage 2 card he must make it his discard. This completes his turn.

If a player draws one after he has reached (that is, played) Stage 2, or 3 or 4, he must immediately take up from the table the last Stage card he had played and discard it together with the ILL Card. This completes his turn.

If a player has played Stage 5 or 6 and draws an ILL card he must discard it immediately; this completes his turn. He does not discard any Stage cards with it.

Where SUB cards have been played instead of Stage Cards they are treated as if they were Stage Cards.

RES. A. Cards: There are two of these cards and they are "Reserve Astronauts". They can be used in place of Astronaut (Stage 1) Cards. They do not count in scoring and a player does not get a bonus (2 points) if his Reserve Astronaut lands on the Moon, (See SCORING). A player would use one to enable him to start his "journey" if he was finding it difficult to get a Stage 1 card.

If a Player draws a Reserve Astronaut after he has played a Stage 1 card he must discard it at once, and this completes that turn.

A Reserve Astronaut can be changed for an Astronaut proper (Stage 1 card) providing he has not "taken off" (that is, before Stage 5) as follows:—

Suppose a Reserve Astronaut has reached Stage 3 and the Player draws an Astronaut card, he places it above and in line with his Reserve Astronaut Card and that completes his turn. At his next turn instead of drawing a card he moves the Stage 2 card up along­side the Astronaut and discards the Reserve Astronaut. At his next turn he still does not draw a card but moves the Stage 3 card along­side Stage 2 card; he does not discard. At his next turn he plays as usual.

He cannot be handed a Delay or General Interest card, nor may he hand one out until the above change is complete.

If another player should "Land on the Moon" during the change, thus ending the round, the player making the change will score only the cards he has moved up.

DELAY Cards:

There are 3 of these and they may be used to delay others players 2 turns. They must NOT be drawn from the discard (face-up) pile. If a player has one in his hand or draws one he may discard it in the normal way if he wishes. If, however, the player on his left has started his journey but has not yet "taken off" (not played Stage 5) the player with the Delay card may hand it to him. This completes the turn.

The player receiving the Delay card places it on the table beside his Stage cards and this completes his turn. At his next turn he discards the Delay card to the face­up pile. In effect his journey is delayed two turns.

A Player having in his hand or drawing a Delay card may save it to hand to the player on his left at a fater turn, always provided the latter has not played Stage 5.

A second one may not be given to a player who is already being delayed.

GENERAL INTEREST Cards:

There are 5 of these and they have no mark or index on them. They may be used to delay other players by 1 turn, and are played or discarded exactly as DELAY cards (see above) excepting that:

1. One at a turn may be handed to the player on the left provided he has played 1 or more Stage cards up to and including No. 6.

2. The receiving player immediately discards it, and this counts as his turn.

DUPLICATES—A player must not keep in his hand two or more Stage cards with the same number, or one the same as a card he has already played. He must immediately discard the duplicate at his turn. If he has more than one set of duplicates he must discard the lowest-numbered first. NOTE: ILL cards and RES. A. cards (as explained under these headings) also have to be immediately discarded in certain circumstances. It is unlikely that a player would find himself in the position of choosing between discarding an ILL, a RES. A. and a duplicate Stage card, but if this should happen the discards should be made in this order of turns:

1. ILL card.

2. Duplicate Stage card.

2. RES. A. card.

CENTRE PACK USED UP:

When the face-down centre pack is used up take the discard pack, shuffle it and place face down, exposing the top card beside it and continue the game.

END OF THE GAME—A round ends when any player completes his journey by playing a No. 7 Stage card, so "Landing on the Moon1'. Scoring for the round is done (as below) and all cards are collected. As many further rounds are played as may be agreed. After the last round the player with the highest total score is the winner.

SCORING.

Each Stage Card played counts 1 point for the player.
If a Journey has been completed with an Astronaut and not a Reserve Astronaut a bonus of 2 points is taken.
SUB Cards have no score.