Spectrum Board Game – Where Colors Rule

Note: This is a post from early development of Spectrum – A Game of Colors.  The rules and board have evolved but this post shows some of the original and removed mechanics and player actions.  Dec 2022

Spectrum is the new board abstract strategy game by Bombard Games.  Battle your opponents to win control of the 12 colors on the board.  Block, capture, and jump your way to Master of the Spectrum.

Spectrum Rules (2-6 players)

The goal of Spectrum is to capture a set number of colors in the center of the board by having a pawn reach the last space which captures the color.  The last space is designated by a colored star.  There are 12 colors to capture: 6 Primary Colors & 6 Intermediate Colors

 

 

 

The Board

There are 6 primary colors – Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue & Purple

Between primary colors is an intermediate color. 

Each primary color is surrounded by two intermediate colors. Each intermediate color is between two primary colors.

Players may only move into intermediate colors from a primary color. A pawn never starts on an intermediate color.

 

Setup

Each player chooses a color and takes the 12 pawns of that color.  The color of the pawns is used to distinguish one player’s pawns from another.

The color of the pawns has no bearing on gameplay.

The amount of colors needed to win depends on the number of players in the game.

 

The Dice

There are 4 color cubes:  Each side of a cube is one of the 6 primary colors.

Each player starts by rolling 2 cubes.

As players capture colors in the center, they unlock additional cubes:

After the 4th center color is captured, the 3rd cube is added into play for all players

After the 8th center color is captured, the 4th cube is added into play for all players

 

Capturing A Color

Moving to the center spot with the colored star captures the color for the player.  Once a color is captured, the color is essentially closed.

Playing the Game

Players choose who will go first and establish an order of play.

A player’s turn consists of a roll and movement of a pawn or pawns on the board.

The roll determines which colors pawns are allowed to move on during that turn.

All pawns start off the board, and must enter at the start of one of the primary colors.

The start is marked by a solid black star/

The Rolls

Every player begins the game rolling 2 cubes.  Later in the game players will be rolling 3 or 4 cubes. 

The colors shown on the cubes indicate which colors a player may start/move pawn on that turn.