Setup & Overview

Here is a bare-bones rundown of how to get started playing ALIEN - The Card Game quickly. For clarification of any of these steps, visit the fully-detailed Rules of Play.

Setup
ALIEN is played on any large playing surface where two opponents can sit face-to-face. One player chooses to play the Nostromo crew, and takes the deck with that starship on the back. The Alien player takes the deck with the egg on the back.

Crew setup

 * Take the 'Bridge' Location card from the deck and place it face-up, horizontally, at the top of your play area.
 * On top of this, place the six Nostromo crewmembers vertically, face-up, in order of rank.
 * On top of these, place two Trackers, two Shock Tubes, and two Nets.
 * Shuffle the remaining cards and place them face-down on the table. This is your draw deck.
 * From this deck, draw five cards and examine them. This is your hand.

Alien Setup

 * Take one of the two 'C' Corridor Location cards and place it face-up, horizontally, at the bottom of your play area.
 * On top of this, place the Chestburster and Jones cards vertically, face-down.
 * Randomly draw one of the six crewmembers, noting who it is, and place it face-down, off to the side. This crewmember is the Robot.
 * Randomly draw one of the five non-Corridor 'C' Deck Locations and place it face-down, off to the side. This Location is your Lair.
 * Shuffle all remaining cards and place them face-down on the table. This is your draw deck.
 * From this deck, draw five cards and examine them. This is your hand.

Overview
ALIEN is played in a series of rounds, within which are two turns: the Crew's and the Alien's (in that order). Inside each turn are three phases:
 * 1) actions/moves (in order of rank, for crewmembers. Each crewmember's turn is called a 'step', for clarity. The Alien player's units may take their actions/moves in any order).
 * 2) Play locations (both sides) and/or Mystery Markers (Alien only).
 * 3) Discard unwanted cards (playable Locations may not be discarded, but may be kept in hand), and replenish hand back up to five cards.