During the Programming Phase, you’ll plan your robot’s actions for the round. You’ll do this by placing programming cards in each of the 5 registers on your player mat. Programming cards tell your robot to do things like move, rotate, or collect Energy, all in a 5-step sequence of your choosing.

Programming Your Robot

To program their robots, all players perform the following actions at the same time:

1. Draw cards from your own programming deck (marked as “Draw” on your player mat) until you have 9 cards in your hand. If your deck runs out, shuffle your programming discard pile to replenish your deck, and then keep drawing until you have 9 cards.

2. The 9 cards in your hand represent the moves available to you for this round. Inspect the area around your robot to see which cards will help you safely make your way to the next Checkpoint. Should you Move 3? Should you find a battery to collect Energy? Do you need to Rotate Left or Rotate Right? Be aware of Board Elements and other robots in your way, as these will affect your robot during the Activation Phase.

3. After you have an idea of what you need your robot to do, choose 5 cards to play, and place 1 of them face down on each of the 5 registers on your player mat in the order you want them to resolve. During the Activation Phase, your robot will perform the action on the card you placed in Register 1 first, then the action on the card you placed in Register 2, and so on, until all 5 cards have been resolved.

Note: During the Activation Phase, players take turns activating their robots. This means that all players will activate Register 1, based on priority. After all players have resolved their Register 1 programming and any Board Elements, Robot Weapons, and End of Register effects have been activated, players will proceed to Register 2, and so on. You’ll learn more about this on The Activation Phase.

Once the priority player has revealed their first card, no one may change their program!

4. Place any non-damage programming cards still in your hand into your discard pile. Note that this means that damage cards will remain in your hand from round to round until you program them or find other means to get rid of them (like shutting down or certain upgrades).

HERE’S AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT PROGRAMMING YOUR ROBOT MIGHT LOOK LIKE.

Shani has these programming cards in her hand this round. She studies the board to visualize how she wants to plot out her robot’s movements. She decides she wants her robot to move ahead 2, rotate right to avoid the yellow wall, move ahead 1, rotate left to redirect her robot toward the Checkpoint, and finally power up to collect 1 Energy. She hopes to draw a Move 2 next round!

1. She starts here and wants to move ahead 2 spaces in the direction her robot is facing.

2. Here she wants to rotate right to get around the wall in front of her.

3. Then, she wants to move forward 1 space.

4. Next, she wants to rotate left, so she is facing the Checkpoint.

5. Lastly, she decides to use a Power Up to earn 1 Energy.

So, she places her programming cards in her registers as shown (note that programming cards are placed face down).

Each player should endeavor to place their 5 cards quickly, so everyone can get to the action. Once all players have finished programming, proceed to the Activation Phase.