Teach the Game

A script to teach Galileo Galilei at the table — how you win, the boards, a turn, the end, every way to score and what each piece is for.

How you win

“We are astronomers around 1600, the first to point telescopes at the sky. We observe planets, comets and constellations, write about them and lecture at the university — while the Church’s Inquisition watches every bold discovery. One to two hours. The most famous astronomer, with the most victory points, wins.”

You need three things:

• Discoveries — observe Major Objects and constellations on the Discovery cards with your dice.
• An engine — the cards you collect form your library; writing in it fires their rewards.
• A clean record — keep the Inquisitors in your cellar persuaded, or your Reputation sinks.

The loop: move your telescope to pick two actions, raise your dice, spend them to observe, then write and lecture to turn those discoveries into more actions and points.

The boards

• Discovery display — six face-up cards; the deck beside it is the game’s clock.
• Comet rows — your spotted comets wait above (value 1) and below (value 2) the cards.
• Book of Comets — used comets land on its pages for a reward (Book of Comets).
• University — four objectives on top, four Scale tiles in the middle, the Tribunal’s Reputation track below (University).

• Player board — the starry sky with your telescope and Action tiles, your dice (top left), the library (top right), seven comets, seven constellation tokens and the cellar for Inquisitors.

A turn

Turns go clockwise, one player at a time. Full rules.

1. Move your telescope 1–3 spaces forward round the starry sky (it wraps after the top).
2. Act: take the fixed action printed on that space and the moving action on its Action tile, in either order — plus any free actions you can pay for.
3. Clean up: the used Action tile goes to the bottom of the queue; comets used twice go on the Book of Comets; if you persuaded an Inquisitor you are interrogated; check objectives.

Fixed action	What it does
Observe	Spend dice: one Major Object, or up to two constellations
/ Gain a die or Lecture	New die at 1, or climb a Scale tile
Spot a comet	Put a comet on the board to discount later observations
/ Observe or gain a die	Either of the above
Upgrade	Flip an Action tile to its gold side; take a

How the game ends

When the last Discovery card is laid on the board, finish the round, then everyone plays one more turn. Score the university, then the Inquisition and Reputation (Final scoring). Ties: highest total of dice, then most Quadrants.

Ways to score

Source	How	When
Major Objects	VP printed on the card	When observed
Constellations	VP and rewards on the spot	When observed
Objectives	7 VP first, 3 VP later	When achieved
Rewards	Library, Book of Comets, Scale tiles	During play
University	Times you met each Subject × your row’s multiplier	End
Cellar	–8 / –4 / –2 / +1 per Inquisitor by space	End
Reputation	–10 to +10 by Tribunal space; ±2 VP when pushed past an end	End (and during play)

What each resource is for

Piece	Why you need it	How you get it	How you use it
Dice (red, yellow, blue)	Pay observations	Gain a die; max 4, 3 per colour	Raise them, then spend them
Quadrants	Flexibility	Upgrade, rewards, Book of Comets	Free actions (1–4 each)
Comets	Discounts	Spot a comet	–1, then –2, then a Book page
Constellation tokens	Rewards	Observe a constellation	Mark the spot; take the reward below
Book tokens	Your engine	—	Write: move right, collect rewards
University tokens	End scoring	Lecture	Climb a Scale for a bonus and a multiplier
Inquisitors	The price of fame	Rewards on objects and scales	Persuade them right before you are interrogated

Teaching tips

• Before the first Persuade action, demonstrate the difference between gaining and moving an inquisitor (rehearsal).

• Show one Discovery card first: cost, colours, VP, Inquisitor and the library row.

• Explain the tile queue: the tile you use drops to the bottom and is gone for two turns.

• Stress that new Inquisitors are harmless until you persuade one — then the whole cellar counts.

• First game: basic Character Board side, Action tiles at random (Setup).