UMBRA: A Solo Game of Final Frontiers is a map drawing game that puts you in control of a sci-fi colony as you struggle against starvation, the void, and the many threats that will assail you from above and below. This 48 page zine has everything you need to generate natural formations, alien ruins, enemies, technologies, and forgotten terrors. It has a simple turn-based combat system, rules for building your colony and optional challenges for a harder experience.

Inspired by games like Rimworld and Dwarf Fortress, UMBRA aims to capture the feeling of building and protecting a colony on an unforgiving alien planet.

All you to play is, a pencil, paper (preferably 1" grid), and a deck of playing cards.

The Galactic War rages on as an overwhelming alien force picks its way planet by planet to our core systems. Our only hope rests on the legend of a super weapon called The Reaper's Gambit. Find that weapon, win the war, no matter the cost.

Each round your workers will mine a square of the grid, you draw a card from your deck of playing cards and see what they found. Hearts ♥ and Diamonds ♦ are resources and funding that you'll use for building and hiring units while Clubs ♣ and Spades ♠ are natural formations and alien ruins. From alien probes and deactivated warmachines to toxic waste and boiling rivers, these strange discoveries will become part of your colony's layout and may provide unexpected benefits. Or you may just unleash an alien supersoldier, in which case you'll have to fight.

Combat in UMBRA is designed to allow for forward planning and strategic thinking without weighing you down with book-keeping. Enemies follow a tower-defense style path towards your hold's entrance while you move your units in simple turn-based tactical combat. Utilise security systems, ranged attacks, and special units to face deadly foes or record your colony's epic demise.

FAQs

Q) Do I need stairs to explore downwards?
A) No. Stairs are mostly for flavour. Any Room can be connected to any Room beneath it by drawing some stairs in for free during the turn you build the Room.

Q) What values are Jacks, Queens, and Kings?
A) 11, 12, and 13 respectively.


Released: 22 January 2024