Winter Kingdom features seven double-sided hexagonal map tiles that are randomly arranged into the playing area. After that three scoring conditions one economy card (showing how players earn money) and one twist card are dealt giving the unique features of the game. Each player is dealt five ability cards and one terrain card.On your turn you must place three houses in the terrain depicted on your terrain card. If possible you must place the houses next to previously placed houses. (If not possible they may be placed anywhere that matches the terrain on the card.) You also start the game with a limited number of forts which can replace any house and which count as two pieces.After placing houses you may use your gold to make one purchase either paying the cost to put one ability card into play or paying an additional cost on a previously placed ability to upgrade it. Once purchased the ability may be used once per turn for the rest of the game. You start the game with a little gold to buy abilities and can earn more gold based on the economy card in play for that game.The game ends once one player is out of both houses and forts. Players score based on the criteria of the scoring cards for that game; in addition whoever has the most houses next to each castle scores 3 additional points. The player with the most points wins.
The Cost is a challenging economic board game that places players in the role of a company whose interest is in the asbestos industry around the world. Players compete to make their fortune by concentrating or diversifying in the various aspects of the industry such as mining refining and shipping. Whoever ends the game with the most money wins.The game is played over four rounds but it might end early due to health and safety regulations that shut down the industry by eliminating all areas in which they can act. In each round players begin their turns by selecting a country in which to execute their actions. This selection triggers an event within it in addition to having an effect on its economy.Players then use a unique system to draft three actions at once for the round. These actions can be a mix of building mines building refineries gaining government subsidies establishing railroads and establishing ports. Once all players have executed their actions they may convert their money (i.e. victory points) into specific country resources with each country having its own conversion rate.A player's industry then goes into motion with mines producing raw asbestos refineries refining that asbestos and railroads and ports transporting these goods around the world. Players may also have a chance to invest in their own companies to gain an edge. When players mine or refine asbestos they must choose to either maximize profits for short-term gains or sacrifice their hard-won money to minimize deaths thus sustaining the industry.—description from the publisher
Hashi uses the concept behind the Hashiwokakero logic puzzles (a.k.a. Hashi or Bridges) of connecting islands with bridges but is a competitive game in which you try to complete as many islands as possible.To set up all players decide on which side of the board to use; each side shows 18 islands: 4 with a red flag and 3 with a blue flag with all others having no flags. Write a 3 or 4 on a non-flagged island then give this board to the player on your left. Remove one of the 18 number cards from the shuffled deck without revealing it.On a turn reveal a card which will show a numeral (1-6) and a number of bridges. Write the numeral on an island that doesn't yet have a numeral writing on a flagged island only if it has at least one bridge connected to it. Then draw the number of bridges on the card from numbered islands to orthogonally adjacent islands noting that:You can skip one or both parts of this card if you wish to or are forced to. If the number of bridges touching an island equals the numeral on that island circle that numeral. If you're the first player to circle all the red-flagged islands all the blue-flagged islands or six connected islands of any type you score a bonus and all other players cross off this bonus; they score only a bonus of lower value if they complete one of these goals on a later turn.After 17 cards have been revealed and played players then score 2 points for each circled island in addition to any bonus points. The player with the highest score wins!To play Hashi solo you play the same way but you score bonuses only if you complete goals within a certain number of turns.
Universe Between the 13th and the 17th century more than 900 monumental statues Moaï were erected on the Polynesian island of Rapa Nui also called Easter Island. Become a powerful tribal chief of Easter Island and gather tribe members to best serve your village and please the Gods. Carve transport and erect Moaï to gather resources and turn these into offerings to honor your ancestors and secure your spiritual and political prowess.Gameplay Each game turn takes place in 3 phases. During the first phase each player sends one of his figurines on the board each in turn until all the figurines have been placed. The sorcerer will decide the order of the next turn and the villagers are placed on the board to become transporters or scupltor. Thanks to the number of sculptors present in the Quarry each player collects Moais of different sizes. Moai or Pukao must be transported through a continuous chain of transporters whether they are from your clan or not. But be careful you offer resource to your opponents when you use their transporter! Once arrived at your destination you can erect the Moai to take the Ahu tile you can play at your tune as well as one or more Resources depending on the size of the Moai. Styling your Moais will allow you to exchange resources to acquire Offering tiles. Atthe end of a round if the number of ahu with no Moai is less than or equal to the number of players the game ends,The winner is the player with the most victory points earned thanks to the Offering and Outstanding Offering tiles.—description from the publisher
