Objective

The objective is to score the most points by the end of the game through strategic placement of tiles, creating connected areas, and meeting specific conditions.

Components

• 1 central market board

• 60 hexagonal tiles

• 4 player boards

• 1 starting tile per player

• 1 score pad

• 1 rulebook
  

Setup

1. Central Market Board: Place the market board in the center of the table.

2. Hexagonal Tiles: Shuffle the hexagonal tiles and place them in a face-down stack.

3. Player Boards: Each player takes a player board and places it in front of them.

4. Starting Tile: Each player receives a starting tile, which they place on their player board.

5. Initial Tile Draw: Draw a number of hexagonal tiles from the stack and place them face-up on the central market board. The number of tiles drawn depends on the number of players:

   • 2 players: 3 tiles

   • 3 players: 4 tiles

   • 4 players: 5 tiles
     

Gameplay

The game is played over a series of rounds, with each player taking turns in clockwise order. On your turn, you perform the following steps:

1. Select a Tile:

   • Choose one of the face-up tiles from the central market board.

   • Pay the cost in stone (if any). The cost is determined by the position of the tile on the market board (e.g., the first tile may be free, while others cost more).

2. Place the Tile:

   • Place the selected tile on your player board. The tile must be adjacent to an existing tile in your city.

   • Tiles can be placed on top of other tiles, but the underlying tiles must support the entire new tile (i.e., no overhangs).

   • When placing a tile on top of another, gain stones for each quarry symbol covered by the new tile.

3. Replenish the Market:

   • Draw a new tile from the stack and place it face-up in the central market board to replace the selected tile.
     

Scoring

Scoring is based on the types of districts and their placement. The types of districts include:

1. Residential (Blue): Score points for connected residential areas.

2. Commercial (Yellow): Score points for each commercial tile in the largest connected area.

3. Military (Red): Score points for each military tile adjacent to the city edge.

4. Parks (Green): Score points for each park tile not adjacent to other park tiles.

5. Temples (Purple): Score points for each temple tile adjacent to a quarry.

The game ends when all tiles have been drawn and placed. Players then tally their scores based on the conditions above.

End of Game

The game ends when there are no more tiles to draw and all players have placed their last tile. Players then calculate their final scores.

Winning the Game

The player with the highest total score at the end of the game wins.

Tips and Strategies

• Maximize Tile Placement: Strategically place tiles to create large connected areas and meet specific conditions for scoring.

• Resource Management: Manage your stones effectively to ensure you can afford valuable tiles from the market.

• Observe Opponents: Pay attention to your opponents' cities and try to anticipate their moves to block their strategies.