Rules v 6.0

Premise: Ra, the almighty Sun God, has proposed a contest: decide which is better, plants or animals. You, as either Bastet (on behalf of the animals) or Osiris (on behalf of the plants) must establish populations of your subject species (both in the past and in the present), evolve those species, control territory, and be the first to gain control of 1 of Ra’s cities in both the past and the present.

Time Travel: In a given turn players can choose to act in the past or present. Playing in the past will create a ripple effect on the board creating more of the species in the present based on that species reproduction pattern (pictured on each species card). This reproduction will occur only once on the following turn after a player initially plays a species card in the past. If the reproduction pattern causes you to place pieces in the present where you have pieces already, then the reproduction takes priority and you must place the resulting species from reproduction.

Figure 1. Reproduction Effect: The player’s piece in the past is transferred to the present and the past piece overrides any piece already in the present. After placing a piece in the same spot in the present, the rest of the reproduction pattern can sprout in any direction with the piece already placed being any of the spots on the pattern the player desires.

The reproduction patterns also work as a death pattern for when a species is defeated in the past – all game pieces of the species killed within the pattern are defeated.

Figure 2. Death Effect: The death of the player’s piece in the past is transferred to the present. After killing the piece in the same spot in the present (if existing), the rest of the death (same as reproduction) pattern can sprout in any direction with the piece already killed being any of the spots on the pattern the player desires.

Movement: Pieces can be moved based on the “move” number on a species’ card. This number acts as a maximum movement number – the player may choose to move a piece less than its movement ability. For example: a hawk (with movement of 2) can move up to 2 spaces. At no time may two pieces be on the same space unless they are battling.

Battle: There will often be cases wherein you and your opponent will be competing for the same space on the board. In these cases, your disagreement will be settled via a dice roll. Both players will roll a dice to battle. Players will add the resulting dice roll to the species strength number and the player with the highest combined number wins. In the case of a tie, the defending player wins the battle.

For example, say a battle occurs between a Hawk and a Palm Tree. After both players roll their dies, the Hawk rolls a 4 and the Palm Tree rolls a 2. Players would then add the rolled dice numbers to their species strength to determine who won. In this case the Hawk wins (rolled 4 + strength 2 > rolled 2 + strength 3). Keep in mind certain evolutionary traits enhance the strength and movement abilities of species.

Card types: In each player’s deck there are two types of cards, species and evolution.

• Species: These cards are one of the three species available to the player. Playing one of these cards allows the player to put another piece on the board for that species in the past or present.
• Evolution: From time to time, you will draw evolution cards, which can add new abilities to your base species. Each evolution card may only be played once, and on one species. It is important to note that evolution cards are not permanent; players may have the option to steal your evolution abilities.

Game Pieces:

Species: Species are represented on the board by pushpins. Animals are represented by the solid colored pushpins; plants by the transparent pushpins. Each species is color-coded representing its relative strength – from white (weakest) to red (strongest).

Mat: Each player has a placemat that acts as a quick reference to the rules of the game. To the left of each species is a graphic representing each species’ strength value. As evolution cards alter a species’ strength, the player must update the graphic to indicate the current strength of species.

Figure 3. Strength tacks: Use thumb tacks to represent what the strength of your species are to the left of their card picture on the avatar mat. Species start on the graphic at the initial strength noted on the card and can become stronger (and change the slider) based on evolution cards placed.

Cards: Each player has a deck containing the species and evolution cards.

How to play:

Initial setup: After shuffling the deck, each player draws five cards and is given one of each of their three species. Players roll to see who goes first, and take turns alternating placing pieces on the green spots on the board only until each player has three. Initially pieces may only be placed in the present.

Turn breakdown (go through these steps in order, skipping 1 and 2 where appropriate):
1. Draw cards until there are 5 in your hand.
2. Place an evolution card on a species if so desired or possible. Player may only play one evolution card per turn. You may only have two evolution cards per species.
3. Place one species on the board (past or present)

4. Move one species on the board (past or present)

5. If an opposing species exists on a piece you are moving to, you will roll the dice to settle the conflict. Your roll must be equal to or greater than the health score of the enemy you are attacking.

End Condition: When one player controls one of Ra’s key cities in the present and one in the past and holds these cities for two turns, the player wins.