Knowledge
Rules Library
Search curated, original rule summaries — each with a category, common mistakes, related rules, sources, and a verification status. This is a reference, not a substitute for the official rulebook, and it never invents rules.
14 rules
Turn structure (continuous play)
Nucleum has no fixed rounds. Players alternate taking single turns; on your turn you either play an action tile or Recharge.
Recharge
Recharge reclaims your played action tiles, grants income, and can let you place a milestone marker — which may trigger King's Day scoring.
The five core actions
Action tiles offer combinations of five core actions: Urbanize, Industrialize, Develop, Contract, and Energize.
Rails and network connectivity
Your network is the set of cities and connections you can reach. Rails extend it, and most actions require the target to be in your network.
Urban buildings
Each player has 12 urban building tiles in three types (residences, factories, laboratories) across four levels (I–IV). Higher levels cost more coins.
Powering buildings (coal & uranium)
The Energize action powers your buildings using coal and uranium, granting immediate rewards and end-game victory points.
Resources: coins, coal, uranium
Coins (Thalers) pay for building; coal and uranium are the energy sources that power buildings via Energize.
Contracts
The Contract action collects contract tiles that reward you for meeting specific conditions.
Experiments (asymmetric player boards)
Each player plays one experiment board that gives asymmetric starting tiles and abilities. Base game has A–D; Court of Progress adds E and F.
King's Day (intermediate scoring)
King's Day is an intermediate scoring moment. Reported convention: the two highest 'stars' award their owners 6 and 2 VP.
Milestones & end-game goals
Milestone / end-game goal tiles are set up randomly and reward players who meet their conditions by game end.
Income
Recharging grants income based on your income markers, which you improve during the game.
End of game & final scoring
Players score for their network, powered buildings, contracts, and met milestones/end-game goals; most victory points wins.
Court action (Court of Progress)
Court of Progress adds a Court action: send workers to political parties, rise to Party leader, and score Party Agendas.