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Due to the number of trays included, there are a lot of small pieces! Make sure you don’t lose anything.

The basic insert assembly is pretty simple; insert pieces A through M into the base, in alphabetical order. I recommend you do this outside of your game box, then put the completed insert into the box, to avoid gluing anything to the box.

Match up the base of each tray to the walls with the same name. For card trays, one side has a gap; there are letters on that edge which match two smaller pieces.

C: Crisis Deck

D: Destruction Deck

S: Setup Cards

T: Technology Deck

M: Mission Deck

P: Invasion Plans

E: Enemy Deck

A: All Enemy Cards

I recommend you glue them together with white glue; the single letters should be on the inside and hidden, but the words should face out and be showing after the tray is assembled.

Foam

A number of cut foam pieces are included in your set. Use normal white glue to attach them.

The very large one is mandatory to keep things in place, and should be centered and glued to the underside of the Recruitment Pool.

Five rectangular pieces can line the sides and bottom of the miniature storage compartment. These are recommended, especially if you have painted minis. The thinner long pieces is the bottom, while the thicker long pieces are the sides.

The four long, thin rectangular pieces without cutouts are for the EXALT tray. These are optional, if you worry about those tokens getting their corners dinged.

Finally, the pieces with cutouts are for the reserves, from tallest to shortest: Invasion Force, Interceptors, then Scientists and Satellites. These are slightly shorter than the tray itself, because you’ll have the Reserve card on the bottom of the tray (other than the Invasion Force). Align them with the top of the tray, so that the cutout in the foam matches the cutout in the wood. These are definitely optional, just for extra protection. You won’t be able to insert or remove your Reserve card after gluing the foam on, so you’ll need to have your Reserve card already in the bottom of the tray when you glue the foam on. Be careful not to get any glue on it.

Magnets

The lid is held on with a pair of small magnets on each of the four sides. Instructions on attaching those are here: https://brightbearlaser.com/instructions/magnetic-lids/

Usage

Enemy Deck vs. All Enemy Cards: During a game, the Enemy tray will hold only the aliens you’re currently using, while the All Enemy Cards tray will hold all the aliens not in use. You may want to split your deck for storage.

Budget and Spent tiles: These are stored with the Setup Cards, and are intended as an aid for the Commander; place credits on the budget, then move them over to Spent as you allocate them. Of course, it is up to the Commander’s discretion how they do their job.

If possible, the box should be set on a chair between the Commander and the Squad Leader, with the Recruitment Pool on top. This will allow them both to grab units as necessary.