Zenith

How to Play Zenith

Set up the five planet tracks, Diplomacy board, technology boards, Agent deck and shared supplies as shown in PlayPunk’s English rules download. The exact costs, hand size, effect timing and team restrictions belong to that rulebook and the player aid.

Three choices on a turn

Play an Agent card to take one of the game’s three core actions: recruit an Agent to push influence and apply the card’s effect; develop a technology for longer-term benefits; or become the Leader to claim that role and its advantages. Card cost, planet color and faction matter, so inspect the card before choosing which role it will serve.

Five contested planets

Mercury, Venus, Terra, Mars and Jupiter form the tug-of-war. Pushing a disc to your control side earns influence for that planet. The opponent can pull other tracks back; do not count progress in the middle of a track as a secured disc.

Win immediately by one of three paths

• Absolute: earn three influence discs from the same planet.
• Democratic: earn four discs from strictly different planets.
• Popular: earn five discs in any mix of planets.

The game ends as soon as one side meets a condition. A player with two discs from a single planet is a different threat from one with three different planet colors; check all three victory conditions after every swing.

Zenith Strategy & Practical Tips

These tips follow from the printed victory structure and card choices. Their strength depends on your hand, the technology boards and the current planet positions.

• Track two threats at once. If you focus only on a concentrated three-disc attack, the opponent can spread toward four colors. Count the opponent’s existing discs and the distance of each planet from control before playing a tempting card.
• Make a planet push do double duty. A recruit that advances an immediate win path and triggers a useful Agent ability can be stronger than one that merely moves an uncontested track. Read the effect as part of the action, not as decoration.
• Invest in technology before the payoff is too late. An early upgrade may support several future turns. Near an immediate loss, spend the action that stops the threatened victory instead. The shortest game path can make delayed value irrelevant.
• Use the Leader deliberately. Taking the badge has a cost in tempo. It is worth considering when the extra flexibility helps assemble a response or maintain pressure, rather than as an automatic play whenever available.
• Keep a second win route alive. An opponent who sees only one path can defend it efficiently. An influence spread that threatens both four colors and five total discs forces broader answers.
• Plan around the next turn, not just the current board. A planet near your edge is also a visible emergency for your rival. Consider whether you can finish the push before their best reply.

Two-player versus team play

In a duel, every hand and resource decision belongs to one player. At four, teammates share the race against the opposing team and must coordinate who advances which plan. Use PlayPunk’s team setup and action restrictions; four-player Zenith is not four independent factions. Announce the priority planet and the opponent’s most urgent win threat before committing a card.

Secret Agents, Variants & Future Expansion

What does Secret Agents add?

PlayPunk’s Secret Agents rules describe ten new Agent cards that are shuffled into the base Agent deck. Five cost zero Credits. The other five cost five Credits and can respond to what the opposing side owns, such as its Leader badge, Credits or Zenithium. The cards carry a small identifying dot. This is a compact expansion to Zenith, not a standalone game.

Should you start with it?

First learn the base game’s three actions and three victory paths. Add Secret Agents once the standard Agent effects feel familiar and you want more tactical variation. The booster rules do not replace the full Zenith rulebook.

Are more expansions planned?

PlayPunk’s studio page mentions a future Zenith expansion planned for 2027 with Corporations and stronger wild cards. Treat that as an announced plan, not a released product or a reason to assume current compatibility details. Check PlayPunk for final contents and availability.

What is in the core box?

The base game contains the planet and Diplomacy boards, technology boards, Agent deck, influence discs, resources, Leader badge and player aids. Exact component counts can vary by edition; consult the box and publisher downloads for your copy.

Zenith FAQ

Can three people play Zenith?

PlayPunk advertises two players or four in teams. The published formats do not include a standard three-player game.

Does it support solo?

The publisher does not list an official solo mode. It is a direct contest between sides.

How do you win?

Be first to claim three influence discs from one planet, four discs from four different planets, or five discs in total.

Is Secret Agents required?

No. It is an optional ten-card booster for the standalone base game.

Learn Zenith in Depth

Use these dedicated guides at the table or while deciding whether to add the booster:

• How to play Zenith: setup, Agent actions, Technology, Leader and teams
• Zenith strategy: threat counting and action timing
• Victory conditions and influence-disc rules
• Secret Agents expansion: ten cards and new effects

Sources & Editorial Note

Core premise and formats: PlayPunk’s Zenith page. Base rules and player aid: PlayPunk downloads. Expansion content and setup: official Secret Agents rules PDF. Announced future expansion: PlayPunk studio page. Timing and victory-condition wording are also reflected in the publisher-distributed listing. Strategy and player-fit observations are editorial inferences, not personal playtest results.