How to Play Nucleum: Action Tiles, Networks & Power
Nucleum is a heavy eurogame built around dual-use action tiles. A tile can fuel your personal action row or become permanent railway infrastructure on the shared map.
Scope: Board & Dice base game; expansions excluded.
Choose one of three turn structures
On a turn, you normally play an Action tile to your board, place an Action tile as a railway on the map, or Recharge.
Play an Action tile
Place the tile into your action row and resolve one or both printed actions where the placement and chaining rules allow it.
Build the railway network
Instead of using a tile privately, place it as a rail connection between map locations. Network position is essential for connecting mines, cities and powered buildings.
Develop urban buildings
Build and upgrade structures in cities to create income, scoring opportunities and demand for power.
Produce and transmit power
Coal, uranium and other energy systems feed power plants. Electricity travels through eligible connected railway networks to power urban buildings and fulfill contracts.
Complete contracts
Contracts reward specific development, power or network achievements. Complete them when their requirements are satisfied to gain the printed benefits.
Technology and experiments
Your asymmetric experiment board and technology development unlock stronger actions and special rules over the course of the game.
Recharge
Recharge returns used Action tiles, produces income and resets parts of your engine. Delaying it gives tempo now but postpones income and tile recovery.
Endgame
The game ends after the milestone/end-condition structure is completed. Final scoring adds networks, buildings, contracts, technologies and other printed categories.