Two players compete to construct the greatest constellation on a circular web.
The player with the highest total score at the end of the game wins.
Constello is played on a circular grid with 27 nodes arranged in 3 concentric rings of 9 spokes each:
Valid connections are drawn on the board:
The game is played in simultaneous turns. Each turn follows the same sequence:
Both players queue up their actions privately on their own client by tapping a node and choosing an action. Nothing is revealed until you press Confirm Moves.
Once both players have confirmed, moves are revealed and resolved together. Conflicts at the same node are evaluated against the Conflict Matrix below.
| You Play | Opponent Plays | Outcome | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| PLACE (on Empty) | PLAYS ELSEWHERE | CLAIM NODE | You place your stone on the empty node and claim it. |
| CAPTURE (vs Enemy) | PLAYS ELSEWHERE | CLAIM NODE | Remove enemy stone to Box. Place your stone to claim node. Pay 1 stone to Opponent (Reciprocity). Place Red Marker (Locked) for 1 turn. |
| CAPTURE (vs Empty) | PLAYS ELSEWHERE | PARTIAL SUCCESS | You claim the empty node with one stone. Second stone paid to Box (Inefficiency Penalty). No Reciprocity. |
| SECURE (Your Node) | PLAYS ELSEWHERE | SECURE FAILED | Pay 1 stone to the Box. Resources wasted (Paranoia Rule). |
Consult the Conflict Matrix:
| You Play | Opponent Plays | Outcome | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| PLACE | PLACE | COLLISION | Both pay 1 to Box. Node remains empty and is LOCKED (Red Marker). |
| CAPTURE | CAPTURE | COLLISION | Both pay 2 to Box. No change to the board. |
| CAPTURE | PLACE | INTERCEPT | Capture Wins. Attacker pays 2 stones (1 to Board, 1 to Opponent). Attacker claims node + Gold Marker. |
| CAPTURE | SECURE | PERFECT BLOCK | Secure Wins. Attacker pays 1 to Box (Refund 1 to attacker's supply). Defender pays 0. Defender places Gold Marker. |
Note: Some action combinations (e.g., PLACE vs SECURE) cannot conflict because they target mutually exclusive node states.
Aggression fuels the enemy. Every successful Capture gives the opponent 1 stone.
Strategy: If you attack too often, you will run out of stones while your opponent gets rich.
A Ring 3 (Outer) stone relies on the Ring 2 (Middle) anchor beneath it.
Gold Markers create permanent stability, but they are limited.
High-risk reads are rewarded with permanent stability.
The game ends as soon as either:
Score = Magnitude + Rays
First, identify your Single Largest Connected Group of stones. (Stones not connected to this main group score 0).
Definition: A Complete Ray consists of 3 friendly stones on the same spoke, one in each ring (1-2-3).
If totals are tied, the winner is determined in this order:
Q: I Place a stone on Ring 3, but in the same turn, my opponent Captures the Ring 2 anchor beneath it. What happens?
A: Your stone is Severed immediately. Actions are simultaneous. By the time the resolution phase ends, the Ring 2 node is occupied by an enemy. Since a Ring 3 stone cannot exist above a hostile anchor, it falls into the Box before the next turn begins.
Q: Can I Place a stone on Ring 3 if the Ring 2 anchor is Empty?
A: Yes. Ring 3 requires the anchor to be Friendly or Empty at the moment you place. An empty anchor is safe — your stone will remain on Ring 3 as long as that node stays empty or you later claim it yourself. The only threat is your opponent placing or capturing that Ring 2 node, which will Sever your stone immediately.
Q: If a stone is Severed, does the opponent get a point for capturing it?
A: No. Severed stones are sent directly to the Box due to structural failure. They are not considered "Captured," so no Reciprocity is paid.
Q: Can I SECURE a stone on Ring 3?
A: Technically yes, but it is not a good idea. The primary threat to a Ring 3 stone is not a direct attack, but the Severing of its Ring 2 anchor. The Gold Marker cannot save a stone that has no connection to the web. Better Move: Secure the Ring 2 anchor instead.
Q: What happens if I play CAPTURE 3-0 and my opponent plays PLACE 3-0 (Intercept)?
A: The Intercept succeeds, but the stone might not survive. 1. You win the Intercept and pay 2 stones. 2. Immediately check the Ring 2 anchor after resolution. If the anchor is enemy-controlled, your new stone is Severed immediately. You paid 2 stones to remove the opposing play, even if your replacement falls off the board instantly.
Q: I have two separate groups of stones. Group A has 5 stones, and Group B has 5 stones. Is my Magnitude 10?
A: No. Your Magnitude is 5. You must choose one single connected group to score. All stones in other groups are worth 0 points. Strategy Tip: Use the "Place" action to build a bridge between your groups before the game ends!
Q: Does a "Ray" count if it is part of a smaller, disconnected group?
A: No. Points for Rays are only awarded if they exist entirely within your Single Largest Connected Group. A perfect Ray sitting on an island by itself scores 0 points.
Q: Do Gold Markers (Secured stones) score extra points?
A: No. A Gold Marker simply ensures the stone stays on the board to contribute to your Magnitude. It is worth 1 point, just like a regular stone.
Q: Do CAPTURES score extra points?
A: No. Captured stones are simply removed from the game.
Q: I played CAPTURE (2,0) and my opponent played CAPTURE (2,0) as well. We collided. Do we get Reciprocity?
A: No. This is a Collision. Both players pay 2 stones to the Box. No one claims the spot. No stones are added to opponent supplies. It is a pure resource drain.
Q: I played CAPTURE (2,0) against an Empty Node. Why do I pay 2 stones?
A: This is the Inefficiency Penalty. A PLACE action normally costs 1. By using a heavy CAPTURE action on an empty square, you secure the spot, but you wasted energy swinging a hammer at thin air. You pay 2 stones (1 placed on the node, 1 to the Box).
Q: Can I Capture a stone on Ring 3?
A: Yes, but it is usually a sacrifice move. If you Capture a Ring 3 node and the Ring 2 anchor beneath it is enemy-controlled after resolution, your new stone is unsupported. It is immediately Severed and sent to the Box. Why do this? To destroy an enemy Ray worth 5 points. You pay 2 stones to delete their stone, even though you may not keep the spot.
Q: My supply is empty (0 stones), but my opponent has 5 stones left. Is the game over?
A: No. The game ends when both players are at 0 (or pass). You must Pass your turns while your opponent plays out their remaining 5 stones alone. This is their "Victory Lap" to fix their connections or build Rays without resistance.
Q: If we tie on Score, Magnitude, Prediction AND Efficiency (Stones left), who wins?
A: The game is recorded as a true draw. This implies both players built identical structures with identical efficiency.