Ys Fan Site

Rating:	6.1 Fair
Popularity:	5
Difficulty:	Easy
Year:	2004
Players:	2-4 players
Playing time:	90 minutes
Age:	12+

Official Site: Ys - Official Ystari Site

Created by: Cyril Demaegd, Arnaud Demaegd

Published by: HUCH! & friends, Quined White Goblin Games, Rio Grande Games

Description:

In remote times, King Gradlon had the magnificent city of Ys erected for his daughter Dahut.

Gargantuan sea-walls protected the city from the violent waves. Dahut decided to make Ys the most powerful place in Brittany; thus, she dispatched dragons to seize merchant ships loaded with jewels which sailed on the open sea…

Each turn, ships filled with gems land in the city's ports. The players, embodying merchant-princes of Ys, set their team to work, two at a time, in the 4 neighborhoods of the city; deciding which area of each neighborhood to focus on.

Controlling the port to claim special black jewels, the commercial area to gain a financial advantage or the palace to influence characters of influence. However it is the player who dominates the neighborhood as a whole who has the first choice of the precious stones carried in the hold of the ship docked there.

Don't overlook the gem market as other players may send their brokers to influence the value of the different types of jewels, making your collection less valuable.

Each player has a team of 11 brokers of varying skill levels. These brokers are placed on the players turn, one face up and one face down. Bluff your opponents on where your intentions lie, misdirection is the key to victory.

At the end of the game, the winner is the player who has accumulated the most gold (represented by victory points).

Ys is for 2 to 4 players. The following rules explain in details the 4-player version of the game. The changes needed to play 2-player games, 3-player games and 2 variants can be found at the end of this booklet.

The King's Favor variant, which adds a drop of tactics is for experienced players who can play it at once. The Ys Express variant, for those who are in a hurry, can be played in a shorter time.

Finally, Ys can also be played by 5 or 6 players. This is why some squares of the board are there.

Prices:

Retail Price:	$41
Amazon:	$37

Expansions:

Ys+

Awards:

Tric Trac Nominee 2005
Japan Boardgame Prize Best Advanced Game Nominee 2005
International Gamers Awards - General Strategy; Multi-player Nominee 2005

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Ys Game Rules

In remote times, King Gradion had the magnificent city of Ys erected for his daughter Dahut. Gargantuan sea-walls protected the city from the violent waves. Dahut decided to make Ys the most powerful place in Brittany; thus, she dispatched dragons to seize merchant ships loaded with jewels which sailed on the open sea...

Components

1 board
4 screens
56 cylinders / brokers
24 Character cards
5 markers
24 Ship cards
145 gems (cubes)
6 Order cards
1 board of 56 stickers
Rulebook

The Board

1 The city of Ys.
2 Neighborhood.
3 Port area.
4 Commercial area.
5 Palace area.
6 Port.
7 'Character cards places.
8 Neighborhood number.
9 Marketplace.
10 Gems quotation scale.
11 Starting point for the quotations.
12 Throne room.
13 Turn counter.
14 Score track.
15 Starting point for the score.

Object of the Game

The players embody merchant-princes of Ys. By skillfully using their network of brokers, they speculate on the purchase of precious stones, thus amassing gold (represented by victory points). â€¦

Ys Character Cards

Character cards allow you to get help from the most powerful people in the city. They have the power to change the rules of the game! Players who win 'Character' cards add them to their hand face down.

Character cards can be played from the next turn on. Each player can play up to two cards in a turn. The King card, the Prince card and the four blue-edged cards (which allow you to win a white gem) are different, though : their powers must be applied immediately, and they are not counted in the two cards per turn limit. â€¦

Ys Variant Rules

The King's Favor

This version for three or four players (which we highly recommend) adds a fifth phase after the counting phase. Each player must have three more '2' brokers. These are placed next to the board at the beginning of the game.

Phase 5 - The King's Favor

Right after the counting phase, players get the three brokers placed in front of their screen back. Each player places one of them face down in the throne room (12).

You will not be able to use this broker (sent to flatter the King) until the end of the game. The two remaining brokers are put back behind the screen. Finally, each player takes one of their '2' brokers standing next to the board and puts it behind their screen. â€¦

Ys Two or Three Player Rules

3-player Game

The 4-player rules are still valid, but:

Players must decide at the beginning of the game if they are going to use 4 or 3 neighborhoods (in which case neighborhood #4 will not be used). Using 3 neighborhoods will make the game more strained!

There are only three gems to win in each port (i.e. the three gems on each 'Ship' card; the large stone now only counts as one gem). The player holding a majority in a neighborhood now wins two gems; the second player wins one gem; the third player wins nothing. â€¦

Overview

Basic Game Rules

Character Cards

Variants

2/3 Players

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