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Escape hatch

Can’t leave a good base alone, the Steampunks will add new abilities to bases to help your strategies. - AEG

Jules Verne once said, “Hey, Steampunks. Nice threads.” Ever since that fateful day, these retronauts have been classing up the joint everywhere they go. Any base in the game will look smarter and be just a bit friendlier for full-on Steampunk domination.

- Awesome Level 9000 rulebook

The Steampunks are one of the 4 factions from the Awesome Level 9000 set.

Steampunks pilot powerful machines to win the game.

Other factions from the same set: Bear Cavalry, Ghosts, Killer Plants.

Cards[]

Steampunks

The Steampunks have the usual 10 minions and 10 actions. The total minion base power (not counting any abilities) is the usual 30 or an average of 3 per minion. Also note that some abilities (Steam Man, Rotary Slug Thrower) boost minion power beyond its base value.

Among their actions, there are:

  • 0 play-on-minion actions,
  • 7 play-on-base actions: Aggromotive, Difference Engine, Escape Hatch, Ornate Dome, Rotary Slug Thrower, Zeppelin (2x).
  • 3 standard actions (none of them affect minions): Change of Venue, Scrap Diving (2x).
  • 1 action that directly increase a minion's power: Rotary Slug Thrower.

Minions[]

1x Steam Queen - power 5 - Ongoing: Your actions are not affected by other players’ cards. FAQ

2x Mechanic - power 4 - Choose an action in your discard pile that can be played on a base and play it as an extra action. FAQ

3x Steam Man - power 3 - Ongoing: Has +1 power if this base has one of your actions played on it. FAQ

4x Captain Ahab - power 2 - Talent: Move this minion to a base that has one of your actions played on it. FAQ

Actions[]

1x Aggromotive - Play on a base. Ongoing: If you have a minion here, you have +5 power here. FAQ

1x Change of Venue - Place one of your actions that is on a base or minion into your hand. Play it again as an extra action. FAQ

1x Difference Engine - Play on a base. Ongoing: If you have a minion here, draw an extra card at the end of your turn. FAQ

1x Escape Hatch - Play on a base. Ongoing: When your minions here are destroyed, place them into your hand instead of the discard pile. FAQ

1x Ornate Dome - Play on a base. Destroy all other players’ actions played here. Ongoing: Other players cannot play actions on this base. FAQ

1x Rotary Slug Thrower - Play on a base. Ongoing: Your minions here each have +2 power. FAQ

2x Scrap Diving - Place an action from your discard pile into your hand. FAQ

2x Zeppelin - Play on a base. Talent: Move one of your minions from another base to here, or from here to another base. FAQ

Steampunk

Bases[]

Clarifications[]

Here are the official clarifications as they appear in The Bigger Geekier Box rulebook:

Aggromotive: The +5 power is not added to any minion, but just adds to your total there, during every player’s turn.

Escape Hatch: Minions placed into your hand do not count as being destroyed (c.f. Field of Honor).

Ornate Dome: This does not affect actions on minions, nor prevent such actions from being played. This does not block actions that target a base but are not played on it (e.g., Rampage, Disenchant).

Steam Man: This triggers if you have more than one action on its base.

Mechanics[]

What happens with an engine when no one's there to operate it? Steampunks know the answer intimately well. Steampunks have tons of play-on-base actions. Pretty much all their other cards interact with play-on-base actions in some way. Conversely, pretty much all their play-on-base actions interact with minions in some way. Quite a symbiotic relationship going on here.

Strategy[]

Steampunks have a lot of power and mobility when they put their minions and play-on-base actions together, and lack it all when they separate. It is important to realize just how intertwined their minions and actions are. 6/10 of their actions directly rely on your minions, and 9/10 of their minions' abilities directly rely on play-on-base actions (Steam Queen also protects play-on-minion actions). This symbiosis tends to get ever stronger the more minions and play-on-base actions you have in play. As a consequence, the beginning of the game tends to be slow for Steampunks, and also just after bases they won score. Keep steaming on by recycling your play-on-base actions with Mechanic and Scrap Diving.

Usually, factions with abilities that draw extra cards also have abilities that play extra cards. It is curious that Difference Engine draws you extra cards, but none of Steampunks' minions or actions have abilities that play extra cards from your hand. If their base Workshop is in play, however, they get both. In any case, drawing extra cards helps you find the best cards in your deck, even if you have to discard down to 10. Note that the extra card comes after Phase 4 of your turn, so you would end with 11 cards not 10.

Opponents may try to disrupt the plan. You should look out for this, but Steampunks thought ahead for you. Steam Queen, Escape Hatch, and Ornate Dome help you stay in control of the situation. Combine these three with Difference Engine to create a nigh-impenetrable fortress. The longer you keep the base these are on from breaking, the longer you will profit from it.

Synergy[]

Factions with play-on-base actions are great for Steampunks, and ones that play into their utilities.

Pirates - Abet Steampunks with the original kings of mobility. Steampunks have no minion destruction of their own, if you needed that.

Tricksters - Amazingly, Tricksters have almost as many play-on-base actions as Steampunks.

Bear Cavalry - Bears have a couple play-on-base actions that greatly buff your minions, as well as a couple extra minion plays to balance Difference Engine.

Ancient Incas - Sapa Inca can fetch Aggromotive and Rotary Slug Thrower.

Star Roamers - Plug into these guys' insane protective movement chains and extra minion plays. If you're smart, your power will end up exactly where you need it.

External Strategy Guides[]

FAQ[]

Questions on Steam Queen[]

Q: It protects "my actions". Does it also protect actions I own that I don't control? For example, if another player played one of my play-on-minion or play-on-base actions with Mass Enchantment. I don't control it but I "own" it, so it's "my" action, right?

A: No. "Your actions" are actions you control, whether or not you own them. An action you own but don't control isn't yours.

Rule: "Your action" means "an action that you control".

Q: Does Steam Queen only protect actions on her base and actions on minions on her base?

A: Not only. Any of your actions in play are protected.

Rule: "Your action" means "an action that you control".

Rule: If there are no limits, there are no limits.

Q: Does Steam Queen prevent actions on a base from being Terraformed away?

A: No. Terraforming does none of the things that are included in the definition of "affect" to actions played on the targeted base.

Rule: Definition of "affect". Discarding an action isn't affecting it.

Q: If you play Steam Queen, then play the Incorporeal action card on it, is it safe to say that this combo is invulnerable to anything?

A: This combo is certainly protected from a lot that can come from other players' cards, but it's not protected against your actions, nor against their base scoring (which would remove it from play), nor against bases' abilities. (e.g. Ninja Dojo, Mushroom Kingdom, The Deep, No-Moon™)

Rule: A base isn't any player's card.

Q: I have Steam Queen, and an opponent has a minion that cannot be affected by my actions (e.g. Wildlife Preserve, Incorporeal, or just cannot be destroyed with General Ivan). Can I play an action to affect those minions and have Steam Queen prevent their card from blocking their effect?

A: No. Your action affects those minions so their card blocks it. Preventing an action from affecting cards doesn't count as affecting the action, so Steam Queen doesn't protect against this.

Rule: Definition of "affect". Preventing an effect doesn't count.

Q: I have Steam Queen, and an opponent has Secret Agent. Can I play an action and have Steam Queen protect me from discarding a card? Secret Agent is adding an effect to my action after all.

A: No. Secret Agent doesn't do anything to your action. It doesn't add an effect, it just triggers from you playing an action. Forcing you to discard a card isn't something it does to your action, and it certainly isn't included in the definition of "affect".

Rule: Definition of "affect".

Q: Can Steam Queen protect your actions against Wil Wheaton and Force of Wil?

A: Based on the definition of "affect", no. Wil Wheaton and Force of Wil makes you discard the action without resolving the effect, but discarding the action isn't included the definition of "affect". Not resolving the effect is merely a result of forcing you to discard the card and not the same as a cancellation.
However, Bryan Stout, lead playtester and proofreader for Smash Up, has ruled contrary to this on BGG. This goes surprisingly against the definition of "affect", which only considers the "cancel" keyword.[1]. To be determined. TBD

Rule: TBD

Q: I have Steam Queen in play, so now my actions are protected from being copied by my opponent's Disco Dancers, right?

A: No, what the Disco Dancers do is copy the effect of an action, which itself doesn't count as affecting either the minion or the action, so Steam Queen doesn't protect against it.

Rule: Definition of "affect".


Questions on Mechanic[]

Q: What kind of action cards can Mechanic get from the discard pile?

A: Only action cards with the words "play on a base" as part of its ability. Action cards with abilities that let you "choose a base", or more generally actions that do something to a base without having to be played on it, don't count.

Rule: Only "play on a base" actions are played on a base.

Q: Do I have to play the extra action on Mechanic's base?

A: No, you can play it on any base.

Rule: If there are no limits, there are no limits.

Q: Do I have to play the extra action? And do I have to play it immediately or can I save it for later?

A: Playing an extra card is always optional, so you don't have to play it. However, if you want to play it, it has to be done immediately and it cannot be saved for later.

Rule: Extra cards are always optional.

Rule: Extra cards that refer to a specific card must be played immediately or not at all.

Q: Can a Mechanic be used to pull Rampage from the discard pile?

A: No. Rampage isn't an action that is played on a base.

Rule: Only "play on a base" actions are played on a base.

Q: I play Mechanic on a base with Flame Trap. I resolve Mechanic's ability, pull Ornate Dome from the discard pile and play it on Mechanic's base to destroy Flame Trap. Is my Mechanic still destroyed by Flame Trap?

A: No. Ornate Dome destroys Flame Trap when it's played and in order for Flame Trap to destroy Mechanic, both Mechanic and Flame Trap must be on the same base, according to Flame Trap's clarification.

Rule: Check Flame Trap's clarification.


Questions on Steam Man[]

Q: I have a Steam Man on a base where I have no actions. I play an action on Steam Man or on another minion on the same base. Does Steam Man get +1 power?

A: No, Steam Man only gets +1 power if you have an action attached to the base. Actions attached to minions don't count.

Rule: Only "play on a base" actions are played on a base.

Q: Does Steam Man's ability turn off when I control two or more actions attached to that base? Or does it get +1 power per action I control attached to that base?

A: As long as you have at least one action attached to the base that Steam Man is on, it gets +1 power. Controlling more than one action on that base will neither turn off the ability, nor give additional power boosts.[2]

Rule: Do exactly what the card official answer says.

Q: An opponent uses Mass Enchantment and plays one of my "play on a base" action from the top of my deck. I play a Steam Man on that action's base. Since it's originally "my" action, Steam Man gets +1 power, right?

A: No. Because your opponent played the action, they control it. So, it's considered their action, not yours.

Rule: "Your action" means "an action that you control".


Questions on Captain Ahab[]

Q: Can I move Captain Ahab to a base where I only have my actions attached to minions there?

A: No, Captain Ahab can only be moved to bases with your actions attached to the base. Actions attached to minions don't count.

Rule: Only "play on a base" actions are played on a base.

Q: I can move it to a base where there is "one of my actions". Can I move it to a base where there is only an action I own that I don't control? For example, if another player played one of my play-on-base actions with Mass Enchantment. I don't control it but I "own" it, so it's "my" action, right?

A: No. "Your actions" are actions you control, whether or not you own them. An action you own but don't control isn't yours.

Rule: "Your action" means "an action that you control".

Q: I play Captain Ahab on a base with my Difference Engine. So, I have a minion there. Using Captain Ahab's talent, I move it somewhere else. Do I still draw a card at the end of my turn?

A: No. You had a minion there, but not anymore. Currently having a minion is a condition for drawing the card, so you must have a minion there at the end of your turn to draw a card.

Rule: "The end of your turn" means "the End Turn (phase 5) of the current turn" for deadlines if you're the current player, "the End Turn (phase 5) of your upcoming turn" for deadlines if you're not the current player, or "the End Turn (phase 5) of each of your turns" for effects that happen at that time.


Questions on Aggromotive[]

Q: How does Aggromotive work, exactly?

A: If you control one minion or more on the base where Aggromotive is, it gives you +5 power there for purposes of base breaking and scoring. If you control no minions on the base with Aggromotive, the +5 power is gone until you can get another minion to drive it.

Rule: Do exactly what the card says.

Q: Does Aggromotive apply to my opponents as well? It says "you have", so if they have a minion there, they also get +5 power, right?

A: No. If you've play Aggromotive, then Aggromotive only applies to you. If you have a minion, you alone get +5 power.

Rule: A play-on-base action doesn't give an ability to the base that any player can use.

Rule: "You" on a minion, action or titan means the controller of the card.

Q: It works "if I have a minion" there. Does it also work if there is just a minion there that I own but don't control? I don't control it but I "own" it, so I "have" it, right?

A: No. "If you have a minion" means "if you control at least one minion (whether or not you own it)". Minions you just own but don't control don't count.

Rule: "Having" cards at a base means you control them.

Q: I play Aggromotive on a base where I have a minion. When do I get the +5 power?

A: Immediately. Aggromotive's ability is active as soon as it is in play.

Rule: An Ongoing ability lasts for as long as the card is in play, and/or it triggers at some later time while in play.

Q: Do I need to have only one minion to get the +5 power? What happens if I have two or more?

A: You get the +5 power as long as you have one or more minion on Aggromotive's base. Even if you have two or more, it's still just +5 power in total, not +5 per minion.

Rule: Do exactly what the card says.

Q: What is the +5 power added to? Does it increase one of my minions power?

A: It is added to your total power on the base. It doesn't increase any of your minions' power. You just calculate your total power on the base normally, then add +5 power from Aggromotive.

Rule: Do exactly what the card says.

Q: With the release of Big in Japan, we can now have power without needing a minion, so if I have Aggromotive with no minions there, I still have +5 power there, right?

A: No. Big in Japan's new rule is only about the eligibility of getting VPs when a base scores. It doesn't change how Aggromotive works at all: You still have to have a minion on its base to have +5 power there (exactly as written); if you don't have any minions on that base (and no, having an action with power there isn't enough!), then Aggromotive doesn't give you +5 power on that base.

Rule: Do exactly what the card says.

Q: How does this interact with the Disco Dancers' mechanic and Funky Town's ability?

A: It doesn't interact with them at all, because it says "Play on a base", which means that it is not a standard action.

Rule: Definition of "standard".


Questions on Change of Venue[]

Q: After I place the action in my hand, do I have to play it again?

A: No. While it doesn't say "you may", playing a card is always optional.

Rule: Extra cards are always optional.

Q: After I place the action in my hand, do I have to play the action immediately if I choose to or can I play it later on my turn?

A: You have to play it immediately or not at all. It cannot be saved for later in the phase.

Rule: Extra cards that refer to a specific card must be played immediately or not at all.

Q: I used Mass Enchantment to play another player's play-on-a-card action. What happens if I use Change of Venue on it?

A: It is placed in its owner's hand. Then, you won't be able to play it because it didn't end in your hand.

Rule: When a card that others can see goes to the hand, deck or discard pile, it goes to the one belonging to the card’s owner.

Q: If another player played one of my play-on-a-card actions with Mass Enchantment, can I target it with Change of Venue? It says "one of my actions" after all.

A: No. "Your actions" are actions you control, whether or not you own them. An action you own but don't control isn't yours.

Rule: "Your action" means "an action that you control".

Q: What happens if I use Change of Venue on a treasure action?

A: When a treasure leaves play, it goes to the treasure discard pile, so that's where it goes. Then, you won't be able to play it because it didn't end in your hand.

Rule: Monsters and treasures go to their own discard pile when they leave play.

Q: After playing this card, I (somehow) have more than 10 cards in hand, do I immediately discard down to 10?

A: You don't discard any card until your next Draw 2 Cards phase (so not any Draw 2 Cards phase!). At that point, you will indeed need to draw two cards and discard down to 10 if you have more than 10. That's the only moment where you must discard down to 10. At any other time, you keep your hand of cards.

Rule: You wait until your Draw 2 Cards phase to discard down to 10; if your hand is bigger than 10 at other times of the game, that’s okay.

Q: My Overgrowth was activated at the start of my turn, so its base's breakpoint is now 0. I play Change of Venue and use it on Overgrowth to play it on another base. What happens to both bases' breakpoints?

A: When a card leaves play and is then replayed, it has no "memory" of having been played, so it's like you're playing a new Overgrowth and it won't change the base's breakpoint until the start of your next turn.[3] As for Overgrowth's former base, Overgrowth triggered, so even if Overgrowth left play, its breakpoint is still 0.[4]

Rule: When a card leaves play there is no memory of its previous status, so that even if it is replayed in the same turn it is treated as a new card, not the same card.

Rule: Unless otherwise stated (on the card or in the rules), the effects of an ability expire at the end of the turn.

Rule: An effect “until Y” lasts until Y even if the card that caused it leaves play or moves away, or even if any precondition stops being true.

Q: How does this interact with the Disco Dancers' mechanic and Funky Town's ability?

A: It doesn't interact with them at all, because it doesn't affect any minions in play and so its effect can't be copied. Yes, removing an action attached to a card (minion or base) doesn't affect it. Playing it on a card does affect it, but it's the play-on-card action that affects it, not Change of Venue.

Rule: Do exactly what the card says.


Questions on Difference Engine[]

Q: An opponent plays this card on a base, so if I have a minion there, I draw an extra card at the end of my turn, right?

A: No. Your opponent played the action, so they control it, and therefore the action only addresses them and the ability must be interpreted from their point of view. So "you" means "they" (i.e. your opponent) and "your turn" means "their turn".

Rule: A play-on-base action doesn't give an ability to the base that any player can use.

Rule: "You" on a minion, action or titan means the controller of the card.

Q: When is the card drawn?

A: The card says "at the end of your turn", which means during the End Turn phase of each of your turns.

Rule: "The end of your turn" means "the End Turn (phase 5) of the current turn" for deadlines if you're the current player, "the End Turn (phase 5) of your upcoming turn" for deadlines if you're not the current player, or "the End Turn (phase 5) of each of your turns" for effects that happen at that time.

Q: It says "if I have a minion". Is it enough if there is only a minion I own that I don't control? I don't control it but I "own" it, so I "have" it, right?

A: No. "If you have a minion" means "if you control at least one minion (whether or not you own it)". Minions you just own but don't control don't count.

Rule: "Having" cards at a base means you control them.

Q: If I already have 10 cards in hand when I draw the extra card, do I discard down to 10?

A: No. You only discard down to 10 during the Draw 2 Cards phase (phase 4) of your turn. With Difference Engine, the card is drawn after this phase is passed, so you don't discard down to 10.

Rule: You wait until your Draw 2 Cards phase to discard down to 10; if your hand is bigger than 10 at other times of the game, that’s okay.

Rule: "The end of your turn" means "the End Turn (phase 5) of the current turn" for deadlines if you're the current player, "the End Turn (phase 5) of your upcoming turn" for deadlines if you're not the current player, or "the End Turn (phase 5) of each of your turns" for effects that happen at that time.

Q: I play Captain Ahab on a base with my Difference Engine. So, I have a minion there. Using Captain Ahab's talent, I move it somewhere else. Do I still draw a card at the end of my turn?

A: No. You had a minion there, but not anymore. Currently having a minion is a condition for drawing the card, so you must have a minion there at the end of your turn to draw a card.

Rule: "The end of your turn" means "the End Turn (phase 5) of the current turn" for deadlines if you're the current player, "the End Turn (phase 5) of your upcoming turn" for deadlines if you're not the current player, or "the End Turn (phase 5) of each of your turns" for effects that happen at that time.

Q: I use Rules Lawyer to transfer an opponent's Difference Engine to a base where I have a minion. Do I now control Difference Engine and can I now draw a card at the end of my turn?

A: No. You transferred it, but it doesn't give you control over it. Difference Engine is still under the control of whoever played it.

Rule: When you transfer an action, it doesn't change controller.

Q: How does this interact with the Disco Dancers' mechanic and Funky Town's ability?

A: It doesn't interact with them at all, because it says "Play on a base", which means that it is not a standard action.

Rule: Definition of "standard".


Questions on Escape Hatch[]

Q: If several of my minions are destroyed on a base with Escape Hatch, are they all placed in my hand?

A: Yes.

Rule: For cards in play that say "If X/After X/When X/If X would happen/Before X, do Y", if X is done (or is about to be done), then you must do Y; not being able to do Y doesn't undo X.

Rule: When an ability is triggered, it's resolved once per trigger.

Q: After the base with my Escape Hatch scores, do I also place my minions there in my hand thanks to Escape Hatch?

A: No. After a base scores, cards there are "discarded", not "destroyed", so Escape Hatch doesn't work.

Rule: After scoring, all cards still on that base go to their owners’ discard piles. This does not destroy them.

Q: An opponent plays this card on a base, so when one of my minions there is destroyed, it's placed into my hand, right?

A: No. Your opponent played the action, so they control it, and therefore the action only addresses them and the ability must be interpreted from their point of view. So "your minions" means "their minions".

Rule: A play-on-base action doesn't give an ability to the base that any player can use.

Rule: "You" on a minion, action or titan means the controller of the card.

Q: It allows me to retrieve "my minions". Does it also work on minions I own that I don't control? I don't control them but I "own" them, so they are "my" minions, right?

A: No. "Your minions" are minions you control, whether or not you own them. A minion you own but don't control isn't yours.

Rule: "Your minion" means "a minion that you control".

Q: I already have ten cards in my hand. What happens if one of my minions on Escape Hatch's base are destroyed? Since they have to be placed in my hand and I already reached my limit number of cards, are they immediately discarded instead? Or are they placed in my hand and then I immediately discard down to 10?

A: You don't discard any card until your next Draw 2 Cards phase (so not any Draw 2 Cards phase!). At that point, you will indeed need to draw two cards and discard down to 10 if you have more than 10. That's the only moment where you must discard down to 10. At any other time, you keep your hand of cards.

Rule: You wait until your Draw 2 Cards phase to discard down to 10; if your hand is bigger than 10 at other times of the game, that’s okay.

Q: I have a Gremlin and Escape Hatch on the same base. If the Gremlin is destroyed, what happens?

A: Escape Hatch doesn't prevent the destruction, it just changes where the minion ends after it is destroyed. So, since Gremlin is effectively destroyed, you draw a card and each other player discards a random card.

A: UPDATE. According to The Bigger Geekier Box rulebook, despite its wording, Escape Hatch prevents the destruction, so, since Gremlin isn't destroyed, you don't draw a card and each other player doesn't discard a random card.

Rule: Check Escape Hatch's clarification.

Q: I have Escape Hatch on Tar Pits. What happens when one of my minions there is destroyed?

A: Since your minion is destroyed, both Escape Hatch and Tar Pits are triggered. In that case, the rules ask for the current player to decide in which order they are activated. If Escape Hatch is triggered first, the minion ends in your hand and Tar Pits doesn't have a minion to place anymore. If Tar Pits is triggered first, the minion ends under your deck and Escape Hatch doesn't have a minion to place anymore.

A: UPDATE. The Bigger Geekier Box clarifies how Escape Hatch works. Despite its wording, the minion is actually not destroyed when Escape Hatch's ability occurs. So Escape Hatch saves it from destruction by placing it into your hand and Tar Pits is not triggered because the minion was not actually destroyed.

Rule: For cards in play that say "If X/After X/When X/If X would happen/Before X, do Y", if X is done (or is about to be done), then you must do Y; not being able to do Y doesn't undo X.

Rule: When a card says "After X, do Y", you need "X" to happen and be resolved completely before you do the effect stated as "Y".

Rule: Check Escape Hatch's clarification.

Q: What happens when you destroy a minion on a base with both Entangled and Escape Hatch (which belongs to the minion's player)?

A: The minion is placed in its owner's hand. Entangled only prevents actions from being moved or returned. Escape Hatch does none of that, instead it "places" the destroyed minion into its owner's hand.

Rule: Specific words are not synonymous no matter how similar they seem.

Q: How does this interact with the Disco Dancers' mechanic and Funky Town's ability?

A: It doesn't interact with them at all, because it says "Play on a base", which means that it is not a standard action.

Rule: Definition of "standard".


Questions on Ornate Dome[]

Q: Which actions does Ornate Dome destroy?

A: Only actions that are played on its base are destroyed, not actions played on minions there.

Rule: “Here” refers to the base that the card currently occupies, or to the base itself if a base says “here”.

Q: Which actions does Ornate Dome prevent from playing there?

A: Only actions that can be played on a base, not actions that can be played on a minion.

Rule: Only "play on a base" actions are played on a base.

Q: An opponent plays this card on a base. Since they're another player from my point of view, they can't play actions on the base either, right?

A: No. Your opponent played the action, so they control it, and therefore the action only addresses them and the ability must be interpreted from their point of view. So "other players" means "their opponents".

Rule: A play-on-base action doesn't give an ability to the base that any player can use.

Rule: "You" on a minion, action or titan means the controller of the card.

Q: If Ornate Dome is played on a base with a minion with Make Contact, does Ornate Dome destroy Make Contact?

A: No. Make Contact is played on a minion, not on a base, so Ornate Dome doesn't destroy it.

Rule: “Here” refers to the base that the card currently occupies, or to the base itself if a base says “here”.

Rule: Only "play on a base" actions are played on a base.

Q: Can Ornate Dome prevent Terraforming?

A: No. Terraforming targets a base, but it is not played on it, so Ornate Dome can't prevent it.

Rule: Only "play on a base" actions are played on a base.

Q: Can Ornate Dome prevent Seeing Stars from targeting minions on its base?

A: No. Seeing Stars isn't played on a base, so Ornate Dome can't prevent it.

Rule: Only "play on a base" actions are played on a base.

Q: Can Ornate Dome be destroyed with Disenchant?

A: Yes. Disenchant isn't played on a base, so Ornate Dome can't prevent it.

Rule: Only "play on a base" actions are played on a base.

Q: I play Mechanic on a base with Flame Trap. I resolve Mechanic's ability, pull Ornate Dome from the discard pile and play it on Mechanic's base to destroy Flame Trap. Is my Mechanic still destroyed by Flame Trap?

A: No. Ornate Dome destroys Flame Trap when it's played and in order for Flame Trap to destroy Mechanic, both Mechanic and Flame Trap must be on the same base, according to Flame Trap's clarification.

Rule: Check Flame Trap's clarification.

Q: How does this interact with the Disco Dancers' mechanic and Funky Town's ability?

A: It doesn't interact with them at all, because it says "Play on a base", which means that it is not a standard action.

Rule: Definition of "standard".


Questions on Rotary Slug Thrower[]

Q: Does every player benefit from this card or only the one who played it?

A: Only the minions controlled by the player who played Rotary Slug Thrower get the bonus.

Rule: A play-on-base action doesn't give an ability to the base that any player can use.

Rule: "You" on a minion, action or titan means the controller of the card.

Rule: "Your minion" means "a minion that you control".

Q: It gives +2 power to "my minions". Does it also give +2 power to minions I own that I don't control? I don't control them but I "own" them, so they are "my" minions, right?

A: No. "Your minions" are minions you control, whether or not you own them. A minion you own but don't control isn't yours.

Rule: "Your minion" means "a minion that you control".

Q: How does this interact with the Disco Dancers' mechanic and Funky Town's ability?

A: It doesn't interact with them at all, because it says "Play on a base", which means that it is not a standard action.

Rule: Definition of "standard".


Questions on Scrap Diving[]

Q: It doesn't say to reveal the card you place in your hand, so I don't have to reveal it if I don't want to, right?

A: No. Discard piles are "public knowledge", so you can check which cards are in any player's discard pile at any time. If you take a card out of the discard pile, players are supposed to know what card was taken out. So, you should reveal it. Otherwise, how are you supposed to prove that you didn't put a minion instead of an action?

Rule: If you take a card out of the discard pile, show it to everyone.

Q: After playing this card, I (somehow) have more than 10 cards in hand, do I immediately discard down to 10?

A: You don't discard any card until your next Draw 2 Cards phase (so not any Draw 2 Cards phase!). At that point, you will indeed need to draw two cards and discard down to 10 if you have more than 10. That's the only moment where you must discard down to 10. At any other time, you keep your hand of cards.

Rule: You wait until your Draw 2 Cards phase to discard down to 10; if your hand is bigger than 10 at other times of the game, that’s okay.

Q: How does this interact with the Disco Dancers' mechanic and Funky Town's ability?

A: It doesn't interact with them at all, because it doesn't affect any minions in play and so its effect can't be copied.

Rule: Do exactly what the card says.


Questions on Zeppelin[]

Q: An opponent plays this card on a base, so now I can use this talent when it's my turn, right?

A: No. Your opponent played the action, so they control it, and therefore the talent can only be used by them.

Rule: A play-on-base action doesn't give an ability to the base that any player can use.

Rule: A card's talent can only be used by that card's controller.

Q: When you play a card that says "Play on a base" BUT DOES NOT include the word Ongoing, does the card still stay on the base or do only cards with "Play on a base. Ongoing: etc...." stay on the base?

A: Actions that are played on a base (with an Ongoing ability or not) remain on the base until something explicitly tells you to destroy or return it, or until its base scores.

Rule: Non-standard actions remain in play as long as the card they are connected to remains in play.

Q: It tells me to move "one of my minions". Can I move a minion I own that I don't control? I don't control it but I "own" it, so it is "my" minion, right?

A: No. "Your minions" are minions you control, whether or not you own them. A minion you own but don't control isn't yours.

Rule: "Your minion" means "a minion that you control".

Q: I have Zeppelin in play and I haven't used its talent yet. When a base scores, can I use Zeppelin's talent and move a minion?

A: No. Unless stated otherwise, talents can only be used during the Play Cards phase (phase 2) of your turn.

Rule: A talent can only be used during your Play Cards phase.

Q: How does this interact with the Disco Dancers' mechanic and Funky Town's ability?

A: It doesn't interact with them at all, because it says "Play on a base", which means that it is not a standard action.

Rule: Definition of "standard".

Trivia[]

  • The artist is Conceptopolis, who also designed the art of the Aliens.
  • Their divider (available in The Big Geeky Box and The Bigger Geekier Box) features Steam Queen.
  • Zeppelin is the first non-standard action to receive a Talent ability instead of an Ongoing one.
  • Aggromotive is the first card that adds power directly to its controller's total power rather than increasing one of its minions' power.
  • Difference Engine is the first card that allows its controller to draw an extra card during their End Turn phase.
  • The minion "Mechanic" might refer to the character Fio in the movie "Porco Rosso".

In other languages[]

Language Name Translation (if different)
Chinese 蒸汽朋克
French Steampunks
German Steampunks
Greek Ατμομηχανές Diesel locomotives
Italian Steampunks
Polish Steampunkowcy
Portuguese Steampunks
Russian Стимпанки
Spanish Steampunks


Awesome Level 9000
Factions: Bear Cavalry  •  Ghosts  •  Killer Plants  •  Steampunks
Mechanics: Titans (optional, since the TITANS Event Kit)
Sets
Main: Core Set  •  Awesome Level 9000  •  The Obligatory Cthulhu Set  •  Science Fiction Double Feature  •  Monster Smash  •  Pretty Pretty Smash Up  •  Smash Up: Munchkin  •  It’s Your Fault!  •  Cease and Desist  •  What Were We Thinking?  •  Big in Japan  •  That ’70s Expansion  •  Oops, You Did It Again  •  World Tour: International Incident  •  World Tour: Culture Shock  •  Smash Up: Marvel  •  Smash Up: Disney Edition  •  10th Anniversary  •  Excellent Movies, Dudes!
Big Boxes: The Big Geeky Box  •  The Bigger Geekier Box
Event Kits: All Stars Event Kit  •  TITANS Event Kit
Booster Packs: Smash Up All Stars  •  Smash Up Sheep Promo  •  Smash Up Penguins  •  Smash Up TITANS  •  Dead Reckoning Promo  •  Smash Up Goblins  •  Smash Up Knights of the Round Table  •  Smash Up Teens
Cancelled: World Tour Event Kit

References[]

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