Board Game Posts

Common Card Explanations:

Boots

When you play a Boots card, you will also play another Vehicle card from your hand. You gain the displayed number of additional Action Points only and then discard the card.

Do not perform this card's special ability or add it to the Terror zone. Note: You cannot play a 7 card to receive the additional bonus.

Also, you cannot Pick Up All Eggs with your initial 2 actions and use the extra Action Points to take more actions. …

Object of the Game

To capture all opposing headquarters while still controlling your own territory.

If you wish, you may shorten the game even further:

• 4 players: Capture any 2 opposing Headquarters while controlling your own.

• 5 or 6 players: Capture any 3 opposing Headquarters while controlling your own.

Setup

1. After deploying your armies at the beginning of the game, select one of the territories you've claimed and make it your "Headquarters".

   Then, without revealing the territory you've chosen, find its matching RISK card and place it face down in front of you. …

Spirit of Beauty

Consolidate a set of 4 or more Faction tiles with the same number (instead of 4 or more tiles of the same type, as usual); you can build up to 2 Shrines on top of them and you gain 1 VP (as if they were a set of Dragons).

Spirit of Wind

You may flip one face-up tile face down (it doesn't count as Consolidated). Then, move 1 Shrine you already built to any other face-down tile in your Realm (you still need to follow Shrine building rules). …

Players compete over 8 rounds to see who can solve the puzzles first. Each puzzle contains two different areas that must be completed each round.

The Cards

Each card has two sides with different levels of difficulty: An easier side that requires 4 game pieces to solve and a harder side that requires 6 game pieces to solve. The players decide together what difficulty they want to play.

Easier Side

Harder Side

Setup

1. With 4 players, all 32 cards are used. With 3 players, 8 cards are randomly returned to the box. With 2 players, 16 cards are randomly returned to the box. …

It can be rewarding to take the occasional risk. For example, choosing not to take a partially-filled truck that is only attractive for yourself and revealing another tile instead in the hopes that another useful tile will come of it.

Taking animals that you don't have room for in your enclosures at the moment isn't the end of the world - especially if you still have the option of expanding your zoo. However, you should try to have as few animal types as possible in your barn. …

Advanced and expert game

The advanced and expert cards add more interaction, variation and new concepts. After a few games with basic cards you can add the advanced cards, mixing them in with the basic cards.

After a few more games you can add the expert cards.

Five players

With 5 players you must play the Advanced and/or Expert game to have enough Progress Cards.

Positive Events also affect the second strongest (unless tied), negative Events affect the two weakest (including all tied). Other card eff ects work similarly, so for Saint Augustine (most stable) you get the effect if you have the most or second most Stability. Passed first counts for passed first or second. Passed last counts for passed fourth or fifth. …

Components

50 cubes, divided equally into two colors. Each color should have:

• 2 Kings
• 12 Grunts
• 4 Strikers
• 2 Helms
• 2 Freezes
• 2 Skulks
• 2 Healers
• 2 cube guides
• 1 playing board

Object of the Game

Be the first player to defeat your opponent's King by knocking it off the board.

Setup

1. Create the playing board. Unfold the two halves on a flat surface and align the sides with the straight edges so that they touch and form one continuous terrain. Note that the seam divides the board into two equal territories. Each player should sit behind one of the short ends, closest to a castle. …

Florence, Antoinette, Eliot

Florence is orange and therefore scores for herself when fed. The same holds true for Antoinette (who is white) and Eliot (who is black).

Levar Purrton

Multi-colored cats may count as both color of cats.

Zoroaster

A player's costumes score normally in addition to Zoroaster's ability.

Macak

If fully fed, Macak counts as an extra catnip.

Waffle

Waffle may only eat one type of food.

Hemingway

If you tie for the most fed cats, he is only worth 3 VP. …

It is the late 15th century and a new age is dawning. While searching for a new trade route to India, European explorers have discovered a new land. The first reports tell of strange people, exotic creatures, and fabulous wealth. Captains and adventurers flock to these new lands in search of gold.

They are quickly followed by colonists, soldiers, merchants, and missionaries all seeking wealth of one kind or another. Colonies begin to spring up, and soon competition between the great nations of Europe begins. …

Each player receives one set of 12 tiles. At the beginning of each round, each player also receives a new puzzle board. The task to be completed on each puzzle board is determined by rolling the die; immediately afterward, the hourglass is turned over.

All players simultaneously try to place a predetermined set of tiles on the light-colored placement area of their puzzle boards in such a way that the area is completely covered.

Each player who can complete his or her task before the hourglass runs out shouts "Ubongo!" and takes a gem from the bag - the two fastest players also receive a bonus gem from the game round track. …