Rules & How to Play
Neutronium: Parallel Wars does not require reading a rulebook before your first game. The Recovered Memories system introduces mechanics progressively — 5 mechanics in Universe 1, building to 47 by Universe 13. This page covers the rules overview, quick setup, and links to detailed mechanic guides.
Quick Setup
Universe 1 setup takes under five minutes. The starting configuration uses 7 hex tiles — the map expands naturally to 18 hexes at Universe 6 as sessions progress.
- Arrange 7 hex tiles face-down. Shuffle the Alpha Core tile among them so no one knows its location.
- Each player takes: 1 Hero miniature, a set of army tokens, a player board with resource tracking, and their race card.
- Each player places their Hero on any edge hex to begin at the galaxy's boundary.
- Shuffle the artifact deck and deal 2 artifact cards to each player. Artifacts begin face-down — do not reveal them yet.
- Starting player is whoever most recently traveled somewhere new. Play proceeds clockwise.
Full 18-hex map setup is introduced at Universe 6 via the Recovered Memories system. You do not need to know the full setup procedure before your first session — it will be explained when you reach it.
Core Rules Summary (Universe 1-3)
Five mechanics are active in Universe 1. Each is introduced at session start with a brief in-game prompt. Here is the complete set:
Roll the custom D6 at the start of your turn. Move your Hero that many segments across the galaxy. Segments connect across hex edges and through wormhole symbols printed on the tiles. Alternatively, spend 1 Navigation Point (unlocked at Universe 4) to choose your direction freely instead of following the dice roll.
When you stop movement on an unoccupied segment, place one of your army tokens there. You now control that segment. Controlled segments generate income and provide build sites for future construction. At Universe 1-2, no combat exists — territory claiming is non-confrontational.
At the start of each round, gain Raw Neutronium (Nn) equal to your controlled segments multiplied by the base income rate. Raw Nn must be enriched at Alpha Core before it can be spent. Enriched Nn is the game's spendable currency — it can fund buildings, rerolls, and ultimately the Mega-Structure.
When you land on a segment containing an artifact token, take the artifact card from the deck. Artifacts may activate immediately or be held for a chosen moment. Three artifact types are critical: Paradox X artifacts (trigger universe collapse when three are gathered), income artifacts (+10 Nn), and movement artifacts (wormhole travel, hex rotation, extra turns).
When 3 Paradox X artifacts have been collected by any combination of players, the universe collapses. The cycle ends. All players advance to the next universe, carrying only their Enriched Nn forward. The player who collected the most Paradox X artifacts wins the cycle — ties broken by Enriched Nn held.
The Recovered Memories System
The full mechanic documentation is at Recovered Memories. The core principle: each universe introduces 2-4 new mechanics via brief in-game prompts at session start. Players never encounter a rule they do not need yet.
By Universe 6, the full strategic depth of the game is visible: the 18-hex map is in play, combat and diplomacy are active, and the exponential Nuclear Port economy is fully operational. By Universe 13, all 47 mechanics are active simultaneously. The sequence is designed so each mechanic builds on those already learned — no mechanic is introduced without the context established by earlier universes.
The practical result: a player on their first session can begin play within two minutes of sitting down. A player on their 20th session is still learning — the game continues to reveal depth through the universe progression.
Mechanic Reference by Universe
| Universe | Key Mechanics Added |
|---|---|
| U1 | Movement, territory claiming, artifact collection, Paradox X, wormhole system |
| U2 | Deposit looting, Foresight reroll (pay 5 Nn), Progress Journal handicap, Cycle End Bonuses |
| U3 | Base building, tribute collection, race territory legacy markers |
| U4 | Navigation Points, hex rotation using NP |
| U5 | Artifact event powers, Alpha Core enrichment, Nuclear Port construction |
| U6 | 18-hex map expansion, Galactic Decrees, territory purchasing, combat variants, full diplomacy |
| U7 | Colony building (up to 3 per Base), territory trading, Fate's Choice Paradox X control |
| U8 | Full combat system, army creation via Recruit artifacts, building destruction |
| U9 | Diplomatic capture (claim territory with buildings intact by occupying long enough) |
| U10 | Stations/Nexuses final building tier, Sector A/B/C income and resource bonuses |
| U11 | Sector D/E/F revealed as Mega-Structure territorial requirements |
| U12 | Mega-Structure victory condition active (400 Nn + 4 Stations + D/E/F control) |
| U13 | All 47 mechanics simultaneously active. No Paradox X collapse — game ends at Mega-Structure completion. |
Early playtest versions of Neutronium: Parallel Wars used a traditional rulebook. Playtest sessions revealed a consistent pattern: games where players pre-read rules ran shorter but had lower engagement scores. Games where rules were discovered in context ran slightly longer at Universe 1-3 but had significantly higher return-session rates. The Recovered Memories system was developed specifically to eliminate the entry barrier without reducing strategic depth at later universes.
Detailed Mechanic Guides
Each of the following pages covers a specific mechanic in full — strategic analysis, race interactions, and universe-by-universe evolution.
- Territory Control
- Nuclear Port Income System
- The Recovered Memories Tutorial System
- The 4 Ancient Races
- Paradox X End Condition
- Combat Resolution
- Colony Building & Upgrade Chain
- Army Movement
- Diplomacy & Trade Agreements
- Technology Progression