Setup

Choose the player count, then tick steps off as you go. Ticks are kept on this device.

First game

Shared setup

Choose a setup postcard and place the indicated side of the map board and Operations board.
Place the setup postcard’s Hub city cards and matching rings on the map. Deal the indicated objective and cargo/passenger rivers for the player count.

Solo

For solo mode, use the itinerary and components specified by the rulebook’s Solo variant.

Each player

Give each pilot a colour and pieces; choose pilot and matching home city, take its printed starting Glory and money, and place the aircraft pawn at that city.
In reverse turn order, choose an available aircraft no higher than your pilot’s starting technology level. Set endurance to the pilot maximum.

Operations and cards

Prepare the Objective deck from the selected continents and Diplomacy cards; shuffle Cargo and Passenger cards; lay out the system and crew supplies.