Calico
Calico Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
- 4 Dual-layer Quilt Boards
- 108 Patch Tiles (6 sets of 18)
- 24 Design Goal Tiles (4 sets of 6 in 4 player colors, shown on tile back)
- 6 Black + White Patch Tiles
- 5 Double-sided Cat Scoring Tiles
- 80 Cat Tokens
- 1 Cloth Tile Bag
- 1 Score Pad
- 52 Button Tokens (8 of each color + 4 rainbow)
- 1 Button Scoring Tile
- 1 Master Quilter Tile
Beginner Setup
Recommended until you are familiar with the game.
A. Place the Millie, Tibbit, and Coconut Cat Scoring Tiles and their matching Cat Tokens in the center of the table. Return the other Cat Scoring Tiles and Cat Tokens to the box. B. Randomly assign 2 of the Black + White Patch Tiles to each Cat Scoring Tile. C. Shuffle all Patch Tiles and place them into facedown stacks within easy reach of all players, OR put them in the Bag. D. Place the Button Scoring Tile and Button Tokens in the center of the table. E. Give each player a Quilt Board and their matching set of 6 Design Goal Tiles in their player color (your player color is the stitching color on your Quilt Board). F. Have each player place the ≠, AA-BB-CC, and AAA-BBB Design Goal Tiles on their Quilt Board. Return all other Design Goal Tiles to the box. G. Each player draws 2 Patch Tiles from the facedown stacks (or Bag) into their hand. H. Reveal 3 Patch Tiles to form the tile market in the center of the table.
The person who most recently pet a cat is the first player.
Standard Setup
A. Separate the Cat Scoring Tiles into groups by the number of dots in the corner (•, ••, •••). Randomly select 1 Cat Scoring Tile from each group and randomly select which side is used (alternatively, choose which three cats to use). Place them in the center and find the matching Cat Tokens. Return the others to the box. B. Randomly assign 2 of the Black + White Patch Tiles to each Cat Scoring Tile. C. Shuffle all Patch Tiles into facedown stacks within easy reach, OR put them in the Bag. D. Place the Button Scoring Tile and Button Tokens in the center of the table. E. Give each player a Quilt Board and their matching set of 6 Design Goal Tiles in their player color. F. Each player shuffles their 6 Design Goal Tiles face down and reveals 4. From the 4 revealed, each player chooses 3 to use by placing 1 onto each of the design goal tile areas on their Quilt Board. Return the unused Design Goal Tiles to the box. G. Each player draws 2 Patch Tiles from the facedown stacks (or Bag) into their hand. H. Reveal 3 Patch Tiles to form the tile market in the center.
The person who most recently pet a cat is the first player.
Gameplay Overview
Beginning with the first player and going clockwise, players take turns until each player's Quilt Board is completely filled with Patch Tiles (22 turns). Players then count points for Design Goal Tiles, Cat Tokens, and Button Tokens. The most points wins!
Player Turn
On your turn you must perform steps 1 + 2 in order:
- Choosing from the two Patch Tiles in your hand, place one onto your Quilt Board into any open space. Then, check your Quilt Board to see if you have gained a Cat Token and/or Button Token. If so, take the appropriate token(s) and place onto one of the tiles that scored it.
- Choose one of the three faceup Patch Tiles from the tile market and take it into your hand (you may not draw from a facedown stack or Bag into your hand). Refill the market with a Patch Tile from a facedown stack (or Bag).
Design Goal Tiles
Each Design Goal Tile is a long-term goal that may score points at the end of the game based on the six Patch Tiles that surround it. Each Design Goal Tile must be completed using either the colors OR the patterns of the six surrounding Patch Tiles. You can complete a Design Goal Tile twice (once with colors, once with patterns) and receive only the higher point value on the tile. There is no penalty for not completing a Design Goal Tile other than not receiving points.
Each tile shows: the total points earned if the requirement is completed with color OR pattern (blue circle), the total points earned if completed twice—once with color, once with pattern (yellow circle), the tile's requirement, and an icon showing it can be completed using color OR pattern.
The six surrounding pairs/groups do not need to be adjacent to each other to complete the tile. To complete a tile "twice," the color set and the pattern set must each independently satisfy the requirement.
Cat Scoring Tiles + Cat Tokens
The patterns on your Patch Tiles can attract cats. In each game, each cat has two preferred patterns. To attract a cat you must make a group in their preferred tile group size or shape using one of their two preferred patterns. You may use the partial and whole edge tiles printed on your player board as part of the tile group. When the cat is attracted, take the corresponding Cat Token and place it onto a Patch Tile in the group that was just formed.
To attract a cat, the group must satisfy three things: the correct shape/size, one of the cat's preferred patterns, and use a single pattern throughout. (The shape may be rotated.)
Each pattern area can attract one cat. To attract another cat of the same type, you must create a new separate pattern area that does not touch a previously scored one.
If you run out of cat tokens, use the tokens of the cat on the back side of that cat scoring tile, as they are worth the same number of points.
Button Scoring Tile + Button Tokens
The colors on your Patch Tiles can earn you buttons. To sew a button onto your quilt you must make a group of three or more Patch Tiles of the same color. The group may be in any shape. Each button is worth 3 points. You may use the partial and whole edge tiles printed on your board as part of each group. When a group is formed, take a matching Button Token and place it onto a Patch Tile in the group.
If you expand your color group to a size of 6 or more tiles, you do not gain another button—a second button of the same color needs a separately formed group. If you sew at least one button of each color onto your quilt, you may take a rainbow button and sew it onto any Patch Tile. The rainbow button is also worth 3 points.
Game End + Final Scoring
The game ends after each player has completely filled their Quilt Board with Patch Tiles. Use the Score Pad to record points for each player's Design Goal Tiles, Cat Tokens, and Button Tokens. The player with the most points wins!
Tie-breakers: the player with the most cat tokens wins; if still tied, the player with the most button tokens wins; if still tied, the victory is shared. Give the winner the "Master Quilter" badge.
Scoring Tiles Reference
Cats (group of same pattern by size)
- Millie — a group of 3 or more of the same pattern (3 pts).
- Tibbit — a group of 4 or more of the same pattern (5 pts).
- Coconut — a group of 5 or more of the same pattern (7 pts).
- Cira — a group of 6 or more of the same pattern (9 pts).
- Gwenivere — a group of 7 or more of the same pattern (11 pts).
Groups of the same pattern that touch each other will not attract another cat.
Cats (group of same pattern in a specific shape; shape may be rotated)
- Callie (3 pts), Rumi (5 pts), Tecolote (7 pts), Almond (9 pts), Leo (11 pts).
Shapes of the same pattern that touch each other will not attract another cat.
Design Goal Tiles (blue circle = color OR pattern; yellow circle = color AND pattern)
- ≠ — All different colors OR all different patterns.
- AAAA-BB — A 4-of-a-color and a pair of colors OR a 4-of-a-pattern and a pair of patterns.
- AAA-BBB — Two different 3-of-a-color OR two different 3-of-a-pattern.
- AAA-BB-C — A 3-of-a-color, a pair of colors, and a single color OR a 3-of-a-pattern, a pair of patterns, and a single pattern.
- AA-BB-CC — Three different pairs of colors OR three different pairs of patterns.
- AA-BB-C-D — Two different pairs of colors and two different single colors OR two different pairs of patterns and two different single patterns.
Variants
Family Variant: For a more casual game. Follow the standard setup, but before you play, flip your 3 Design Goal Tiles face down. They will not be scored, but provide obstacles on your Quilt Board. You focus on attracting cats and collecting buttons. With 2 players you may also apply the 2-player lower variance variant.
2-Player Lower Variance Variant: For less randomness. Before following the beginner or standard setup, find and remove one set of 36 Patch Tiles (a set is each color-pattern combination represented one time). Continue play as normal.
Solo Mode
When setting up for solo mode you may use the beginner or standard setup. Follow a player turn as usual, but after you choose your tile from the market, discard the tile furthest from the tile supply stack (or Bag). Slide the single tile still in the market away from the supply stack/Bag (conveyor belt style). Refill the market one tile at a time, placing each tile one spot closer to the supply stack/Bag. You may also apply the 2-player lower variance variant. Try the Scenarios when playing solo mode.
Calico Achievements
Work your way up the Achievements chart to become a Calico quilt master. Achievement points can be earned and tracked as you play; up to 6 players can track their overall Achievements on the progress chart. The Achievement ranks are: Budding Quilter, Weekend Warrior, Impressive Skills, Semi-pro, Craft Honed, and Calico Quilt MASTER! Each time you play, choose one of three Achievement modes—Scenarios, Normal Game, or Rule Restrictions. Whenever you gain an Achievement point, fill in a circle of your color and then fill in the next shape on your row.
Achievements (Normal Game): Play a multi-player game using the normal rules. The winner may fill in one circle in their column color for a matching Achievement earned (e.g. scoring 60+/65+/…/85+ points, or a rainbow button), then mark the next shape on their progress track. Normal Game achievements include: collect no buttons, collect no cats, complete no design goals, collect 2 of each cat, and various score/button/cat thresholds.
Achievements (Rule Restrictions): Play a multi-player game following the normal rules but apply one of these five rule restrictions—the winner fills in the circle for the restriction used:
- Patch Tiles may only be placed next to previously placed Patch Tiles.
- Design Goal Tiles are worth 0 points unless completed with color and pattern.
- Play without a hand of tiles—you may only use tiles from the market (start with no Patch Tiles; on your turn choose 1 tile from the market and place it).
- All Patch Tiles must be placed adjacent to a tile of the same color (may use borders).
- All Patch Tiles must be placed adjacent to a tile of the same pattern (may use borders).
Achievements (Scenarios): Scenarios can be played solo or multi-player. Each of the 10 Scenarios shows which Design Goal Tiles and Cat Scoring Tiles to play with and 2–6 objectives that must all be completed to pass the Scenario. When playing solo, start with Scenario 1 and work up to Scenario 10; fill in the Achievement point circle only when you pass each Scenario. When playing multi-player, all players who pass may fill in their circle. Objectives include reaching a minimum end-game score, gaining a rainbow button, gaining one of each cat, gaining three of the same button, completing a Design Goal Tile, and completing a Design Goal Tile using colors and patterns. During setup you may choose where to place the Design Goal Tiles from the three designated spots.