With /join 2-4 players can join the game. With /start the game begins. alternative, you can use the Game Tool!
Each player builds an empire. You will build a Temple, theatre, port with ships, vineyard, fortress and many more facilities on the Greek peninsula. It is necessary to quickly build these facilities and cut off your competition or build the first connection between two shrines.
Building can be expensive. You will need to claim the natural resources on the map or use the power of building sequence to gain the synergy of like facilities.
The winner isthe one who first
OR
When it is your turn you can select from the following options:
On your turn you may click on one of your four stacks. The tile is then revealed. If you wish to build this immediately (see building rules), click above your name to choose the resources to use and then click on the desired location on the board. If you cannot or will not build it immediately, click on the template mat and store it there.
You may perform this action twice.
The player selects a facility from his template mat (opened by clicking on his name), clicks above his name to choose the resources to use and then clicks on the location on the board.
You may perform this action three times.
You may Not applicable mix the above two actions during a single turn. You must either choose 2 off the stack or build 3 from the template mat.
This symbol with the green arrow lets you place the current facility (back) on to the template mat.
You can take resource cards instead of taking your last one, two, or three actions. For example, you can draw one tile from a stack, then take one resource card. If you build, you can build 3 times, build twice and take one resource card, build once and take two cards or just take 3 resource cards instead of all drawing or building. Click the red arrow in the upper left to take the rest of your actions as resource cards.
If you have any "amphorae" you may use one of these to get one additional action of the same type on your turn (draw a tile from the stacks or build one from your mat). Or, you can use an amphora to take a resource after your other actions. You can any or all of your amphorae at the end of your turn.
Where can I place my facilities?
Any free space on the game board may be built upon. You cannot build on top of the shrines or any other tiles which has already been placed.
The cost for building each facility is shown on each tile as well as on the template map. Resources on the space you wish to place as well as the adjacent unbuilt spaces can be used to offset the cost of building. (Resources already covered can not be used.) So you can donate your resource cards if they match the resources needed to build. Click on the resource cards you wish to use.
Any two resource cards may be substituted for one of a type you lacquer.
The cost of building is waived when the new tile is placed directly adjacent to its predecessor.
The arrows on the template mat indicate what may be built for free.
A ruby indicates the root facility which precedes the tile you have selected. If you can place adjacent to the ruby you can build for free.
Building a street requires any five resources, including the resources under and adjacent to the placement space.
If you place one of your streets adjacent to one you have already placed then the cost is free.
Some additional rules which apply to the cost of building:
One or more connected tiles of a color forms a settlement. A new settlement is created when you place a tile where it does not connect to any other tiles of your color. (The example on left shows 1 yellow, 1 blue and 2 red settlements). If you start a new settlement, there is a penalty cost of any one extra resource for every settlement you already have on the board. if you start a third settlement you must pay 2 extra resource cards.
If you manage to connect your settlements you can therefore reduce future potential penalties.
Each facility belongs to one of seven groups (e.g. defense or seafaring). If you build all the members of a group as a connected set you receive an amphora. This allows you to take an extra action in this turn or a future turn.
All seven groups are shown on the template map. For each group you build as a connected set, you receive an amphora. (You need not build the group in the order indicated by the "free build" arrows on the mat in order to receive the amphora, but they must be adjacent to each other.)
If all 15 amphorae are in play you receive an extra resource card instead.
To use an amphora at the end of your turn, click on the urn to the left of your name. This will increase the number of actions you have. Next to your name the number of outstanding actions is shown in the white hex.
If you have amphorae which you do not wish to use, simply click the arrow icon to end your turn. It is easy to forget this and a strange voice will keep talking to you until you do!
When you take the last tile from any of your 4 stacks, you must place it first (either on the game board or on the template map). You are then allowed to place a Game Board extension piece. Use the right mouse button to rotate it and the left mouse button to place it where you want.
Where should it be placed?
These extension tiles can be used to help finish off a connection between 2 temples which was previously blocked. So it can be used to provide resources for building next to one of your existing settlements.
These indicators can be useful to see which tiles the other players have in play.
Colour Codes:
At the beginning of the game each player has at random 1 black (root) and 3 white tiles on their template map. The first player gets 4 resource cards and each other player gets one more card than the previous player.