Die Insel der steinernen Wächter
Die Insel der steinernen Wächter Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
- 1 blue playing mat
- 1 central island with 12 provinces (Lutao)
- 11 countries with 2 to 7 provinces each
- 4 x 52 round playing tiles, with 4 different symbols and colours
- 4 x 6 square playing tiles, with 4 different symbols and colours
- 23 golem tiles
- 12 city markers
- 40 ships
- 84 province cards (52 province cards and 32 bonus cards with armies)
- 4 artifact cards
- 12 stands
- 30 movement sticks
- 12 people cards
- 12 rune cards
- 60 spell cards
- 92 combat cards (4 sets of 23 cards)
- 4 overview cards with the turn sequence and costs
- 1 score card
- 4 placement stones
- this rulebook
Introduction
In this game the general rules are altered by the powers of the peoples and the special abilities of the runes, as well as by spells.
In case of contradictions the following applies:
- The power of the peoples and the ability of the runes take precedence over the general rules (powers and runes do not hinder each other).
- The power or rune of the attacker is applied before that of the defender.
- Spells take precedence over everything else (general rule, power and rune).
Beginner variant: Each player plays only one people, without a rune.
Pro variant for 2 players: Each player plays with two peoples and two runes (see the Pro Variant section).
Each people has a power that changes the fighting, and each rune offers further tactical options, for example changing spell cards, the number of armies, or the turn order.
Goal of the Game
The winner is the player who has conquered the city on Lutao and can hold it against the opposing peoples for three rounds. The round in which it was conquered already counts. The number of rounds for which Lutao must be held can be shortened by taking artifacts.
Setup
Building the Playing Area
The island of Lutao is placed centrally on the blue playing mat (the sea), and the countries are arranged in any order according to the following rules:
- All countries must lie next to one another. They may not overlap.
- The countries must touch either one of the sea spaces around Lutao or another country.
- The contact must be made along at least one complete edge length of a province (of a hexagon) (see illustration).
- The countries must lie entirely on the blue playing mat.
The following arrangement may be used as the standard setup:
Rhuam and Canli are moved so that they border the sea spaces around Lutao. Ilarnat is likewise placed bordering the sea spaces, on the left side between Canli and Sigari.
Strategic tips on setup, taking the different peoples and runes into account, are at the end of the rulebook (see Strategic Setup Variant).
[Illustration: correct = ✓, incorrect = ✗.]
Placing the Golems on the Central Island Lutao
On the province (the hexagon) with the city symbol, one city marker and 3 golem tiles are placed. Two golems are placed in each of the six adjacent provinces. One golem is placed in every other area of the central island.
Determining Peoples and Runes
Each player draws three people cards and three rune cards face down and chooses one people and one rune from these cards. The cards are laid face up on the table in front of the players. With the power of his people the player can influence how the fights proceed. The ability of the rune offers further tactical options, for example changing spell cards, the number of armies, or the turn order.
Distributing the Province Cards
The province cards are shuffled well and dealt equally to all players.
Occupying the Provinces
Each player places one of his armies (round playing tile) from his supply into each province that is highlighted in colour on his province cards. For a province card that shows a banner, he takes 1 army from his supply.
Determining the Turn Order
The turn order of the first round is determined by the bonus armies that each player received from the province cards. The player with the most bonus armies receives placement stone 1 and is the starting player in the first round. The player with the second most points receives placement stone 2, and so on. In case of a tie, lots are drawn.
Distributing the Playing Material
Each player chooses one player figure symbol (per people) and receives for his supply:
- 75 armies if 2 peoples take part
- 50 armies if 3 peoples take part
- 38 armies if 4 peoples take part
Round playing tiles correspond to one army; square playing tiles correspond to five armies.
In addition, each player receives:
- 1 round playing tile, which is placed on the score card
- 1 round playing tile as the artifact of the rune
- 1 square playing tile as the artifact of the people
- 2 stands, into each of which one of these artifact tiles is inserted
- 1 city marker
- 23 combat cards belonging to the playing tiles, which are shuffled and placed in front of the player as a face-down draw pile
Determining the Locations of the Artifacts
Each player has one artifact per people and per rune. These are placed on the central island and, once taken, can change the victory conditions (see III. The Artifacts).
The positions of the artifacts on the central island are determined by the artifact cards. The number of artifact cards used equals the number of players. If fewer than four players take part, only the artifact cards with the lowest numbers are used. For example, with 3 players the cards 1, 2 and 3 are needed. Each player draws one of these cards face down, on which the locations of his artifacts are highlighted. The people's artifact is placed in the province that is closer to the city, and the other (the rune's artifact) is placed in the other highlighted province.
Playing the Game
The game is played over several rounds. Each round consists of the following phases:
- Setting phase
- Action phase
- Counting phase
- Acquiring spell cards
- Buying phase
1. Setting Phase
Beginning with the starting player, all players in turn place the armies, cities and ships that they acquired at the start of the game or in the buying phase onto the playing area. Placing cities and ships is optional. They may also be kept back for later rounds. Armies, however, must always be placed immediately.
1.1. Placing City Markers
If a player owns a province marked with a city symbol, he may place a city marker there and thereby build a city. In each country only one city may be built. A city marker may not be moved.
If a player owns a complete country, he may place his city marker in any province of that country.
1.2. Placing Armies
Armies may only ever be placed in one's own provinces. Provinces with a city marker may also be occupied by armies (these armies are then in that city). Each province may hold at most eight armies. Ships may not be occupied with armies during this phase.
1.3. Placing Ships
Ships are placed on an edge of one of your own provinces that borders the sea (either the blue playing mat or the sea spaces around Lutao).
2. Action Phase
Beginning with the starting player, each player carries out the following actions one after the other:
- 2.1. Moving armies
- 2.2. Fighting
- 2.3. Forming up armies
The second player begins his movement only once the starting player has finished his formation.
2.1. Moving Armies
Movement of armies on land
To conquer provinces, a player first moves armies from one of his own provinces into an adjacent province. At least one army must remain in the starting province. Apart from these, all armies a player owns may be moved, but each only once and only into an adjacent province. An empty province that is entered is conquered without a fight. If a player enters a province in which armies of another people are present, an attack occurs. In an attack, more than eight attackers may stand in one province.
A contested province belongs to no people until the end of the fight, which matters for some spell cards.
Movement of armies over water
Movement over water can only be carried out with ships. For this, a player must own a ship that lies at one of his provinces. He sets any number of armies from this province onto the ship; this is not counted as a movement. Here too at least one army must remain in the province. Unoccupied ships may not be moved. To move the ship, the player needs movement sticks, which can be bought in the buying phase.
The route the ship is to take is laid out with the movement sticks. The route starts at the edge of the province at which the ship lies. It may begin at any point between the two corner points of that edge. It may also start from one of the corner points. The sticks may overlap. [See illustration.]
At this point it is not permitted to stop the ship at one of your own provinces and take on more armies. (This is only possible when forming up armies.)
The ship may travel as far as there are sufficient movement sticks. It must land at a foreign or neutral province. Landing always takes place at an edge of a province. Landing at a corner point is not allowed. If the movement ends at a foreign province, the player sets all armies from the ship onto land. A fight is then carried out there. The winner of the fight also gets the ship. If the province is empty after the fight, the ship belongs to whichever people next marches into this province.
If the movement ends at an empty province, the player takes it over by placing all armies from the ship into this newly conquered area.
If another ship already lies at the edge of the province where the ship lands, this other ship is returned to the supply.
After the movement ends, the movement sticks used are removed from the playing area and returned to the general supply.
2.2. Fighting
In every province in which armies of two different peoples are present, a fight occurs. The attacker determines the order in which the individual fights are carried out.
Fights are carried out with combat cards. The number of combat cards a player may draw from his own draw pile for each fight is calculated as follows:
- The number of his own armies in the contested province, +1.
- At most 3 armies are counted.
- So up to 4 cards may be drawn.
Both players choose one card before these cards are revealed and slide it under the draw pile. Then both players simultaneously reveal the remaining combat cards.
Note: Spells and peoples may change the fixed number of cards drawn, the number of cards drawn per army involved, or the maximum hand size.
The combat cards have the following effects:
- Miss = no army is destroyed.
- Hit = destroys one army of the opponent, provided it does not stand in a city.
- City hit = destroys one army of the opponent, even if that army stands in a city.
- Hero strike = counts either as 2 hits or as 1 city hit.
- Shield = prevents a hit by the opponent.
After the combat round, the combat cards played are placed on the player's discard pile. If a player can no longer draw enough combat cards, the discard pile is reshuffled and becomes the player's new draw pile.
If after this first combat round both players still have armies in the contested province, further combat rounds follow until only the armies of one people remain or the province is empty. If a city or a ship is in this province, it belongs to the winner or, if the area is empty, to the people that next enters this province.
2.3. Forming Up Armies
After a player has carried out all his fights, he may form up his armies anew, that is, shift them on the playing area. He moves them from one of his provinces into an adjacent own province. In each province at least one army must remain, and each army may only be moved once into an adjacent province. Move sequences such as the one shown in the example are permitted.
A player may also move armies with the help of ships. He may dock his ship at his own provinces and unload or load armies, provided he has enough movement sticks for this movement and uses them. After the formation, each province may again hold at most 8 armies.
When all players have ended their phase, the counting phase follows.
3. Counting Phase
In the counting phase the points of the peoples are counted and the new turn order is determined. Each people receives 1 point for each occupied province.
Additional points are awarded for cities and countries (see also the overview card):
- 1 additional point for each of your own cities.
- 1 additional point for each complete country, unless otherwise stated on the countries.
- 1 additional point for a complete country with a city.
If a player owns a province on Lutao, he receives points for it according to the following rule: The number of golems that were in this province at the starting setup (see Setup) is multiplied by the number of his opponents. This number is the points the player receives.
Note: In a 2-player game the multiplier is 1 even if both players play with 2 peoples.
Ships give no points. The maximum number of points is 60. The points are marked on the score card with the round playing tiles.
The people with the most points begins the next round. Its player becomes the new starting player and receives the placement stone with the 1. The other peoples follow in descending order of points. In case of a tie, lots are drawn as at the start of the game. The new turn order is valid from this point on.
4. Acquiring Spell Cards
According to the story, a magic-user lives in every city. Therefore, for each city they control, players receive one spell card. If after drawing a player has more than 4 spell cards, he must either play the excess cards immediately or discard them. For the city on Lutao, the corresponding player receives as many cards as he has opponents, and the limit on the maximum number of spell cards is lifted.
The spell cards show at what point they may be played. If no particular point is named, the card may be played at any time.
If several players want to play a spell card at the same time, the current turn order applies.
5. Buying Phase
In turn order, each player may now exchange his points gained in the previous round. Keeping points for later rounds is not allowed. Points that are not spent expire.
Cost table
- 1 ship: 4 points
- 1 city marker: 5 points
- 1 movement stick: 1 point
Costs for armies
- 1 army: 2 points
- 2 armies: 4 points
- 3 armies: 6 points
- 4 armies: 8 points
- 5 armies: 10 points
- 6 armies: 13 points
- 7 armies: 16 points
- 8 armies: 19 points
- 9 armies: 22 points
- 10 armies: 26 points
- 11 armies: 30 points
- 12 armies: 34 points
- 13 armies: 39 points
- 14 armies: 44 points
- 15 armies: 49 points
(See also the overview card.)
Players may try out how many movement sticks they need for a particular sea route before buying.
If the playing material has run out so that a player can no longer buy it, the item may be noted on a piece of paper and, if needed, borrowed from another player.
I. The Central Island Lutao
The old mages of Lutao no longer exist, but their magic lives on in the golems that guard the island. This has the following effects:
- The peoples can use neither their power nor their rune on Lutao.
- The golems of the mages are immune to spells.
- The golem armies do not use combat cards: each golem hits once per combat round. A hit can be prevented by a shield combat card.
- The golems can be attacked with combat cards in the normal way.
II. The City of Lutao
As soon as a player has conquered the city on Lutao, the limit on the number of spell cards no longer applies to him: he may hold more than four spell cards. In addition he gains power over the golems. As the last actions of his action phase he may carry out as many golem actions as he has opponents.
Golem actions:
- Move all golems of one province into an adjacent, opposing province and carry out a fight there immediately.
- Place 2 golems from the general supply into an empty province.
With several opponents, golem actions may be combined. For example, a player with 3 opponents could first place 2 golems from the general supply, then attack with these, and then place 2 further golems from the general supply. Alternatively he could also gather golems from different provinces in order to launch an attack on a particular province.
III. The Artifacts
On the central island there is one artifact per people and per rune. The square playing tile is assigned to the people, the round one to the rune. A player who reaches one of his artifacts and conquers the corresponding province takes it and places it on the corresponding card (people or rune). From then on he may use his power or the ability of his rune (depending on which artifact it is) on the central island against his fellow players. The golems, however, remain immune. If the people or rune of a player changes, the artifacts taken remain nevertheless. Each player may only take his own artifacts.
Game End
Before the counting phase, each round it is checked whether a player has fulfilled the victory condition. He must hold the city on Lutao under his control for three game rounds in a row. For each artifact taken, the number of rounds needed for victory is shortened by 1.
Example: A player has conquered the city on Lutao and taken one of his artifacts. After the current round he has not yet won, because he must hold the city for 2 rounds in total. In the next round he is the starting player, since he has scored the most points, and conquers his second artifact in his move. Nevertheless he must still defend the city until the start of the counting phase, because the victory condition is not checked during the action phase.
Variants
Pro Variant for 2 Players
The game becomes more interesting the more peoples take part. Once the players have played the game a few times and are familiar with the mechanism, each player should play two peoples, each with one rune. The two peoples are played separately from one another. Each receives its own province and artifact cards. It will happen that a player fights against his second people, for example to bring a whole country into the possession of one people. In this case the player may of course use his choice of combat cards, the power of his people and his rune in such a way as to reach his intended goal.
Spell cards that concern the player's own people, for example Strength, may only be played on armies of that people. A spell that is not played on the player's own armies may also be used for his second people. For example: a player attacks one people of an opponent with a spell card. The defender is allowed to play a "Stop the Spell" card of the other people in order to neutralise the attack spell.
Whenever special effects relate to a player's people, both of his peoples are affected.
Strategic Setup Variant
- Before the playing area is built, one card is selected from the province cards of each of the 11 countries. The cards are shuffled and form a face-down draw pile.
- Each player chooses from three drawn peoples and runes the combination he would like to play.
- The players read out their people's power and rune ability.
- The artifact locations are determined.
- By lot, a starting player for the setup is determined.
- This player turns over the top province card of the draw pile and places the corresponding country on the playing area according to his wish, but in accordance with the setup rules.
- This continues clockwise until all countries are in place.
- The eleven drawn province cards are shuffled back into their pile.
- From now on the rules apply again from the placement of the golems on the central island.
Summary
Goal
Conquer the city on Lutao and hold it for three game rounds. The number of rounds can be reduced by taking your own artifacts.
Setup
- Build the playing area.
- Place the golems on Lutao.
- Distribute the playing material.
- Determine people, rune and artifact locations.
- Distribute the province cards.
- Determine the turn order.
Course of a Round
- Setting phase: place armies (max. 8 per province), city markers and ships on the playing area.
- Action phase: carry out movements, fights and formations of armies.
Round summary (continued from the rules above):
- Movement: on land, armies may be moved one space. Over water they are moved with ships and movement sticks. One army remains in the starting province. Return any ships used to the supply.
- Fights: determine the number of combat cards: number of your involved armies, +1, up to a maximum of four cards. Slide one of them under the draw pile. Remove the losses on both sides according to the result.
- Formation: armies may be moved into own provinces. Each army may be moved by one province. At least one army must remain in each original province. Formations with ships are allowed. Max. 8 armies per province.
- Counting phase: determine the points from the number of controlled provinces and the additional points according to the overview sheet. Receive one spell card per controlled city. Maximum for spell cards: 4.
- Buying phase: buy armies, city markers, ships and movement sticks.
The Central Island:
The peoples cannot use their power and ability on Lutao unless they have taken the corresponding artifact. The golems of the mages are immune to spells, powers and abilities of the players (even if they have taken the corresponding artifact).
Bonus for the owner of the city of Lutao:
Golem actions and receipt of spells according to the number of fellow players. The limit on spell cards is lifted.
Overview of the Peoples
(Overview card page; each entry gives the power of the people.)
Bards
You play your combat cards first. Once per fight you may "gift" one of these played cards to your opponent. He may not refuse. He then draws one card fewer (or none if he fights with only one army). You draw one combat card from your draw pile once you have used your power.
Druids
When carrying out fights, you draw two combat cards, and one further card for each army (maximum five). After your opponent has revealed his combat cards, you decide which two of your cards to slide back under the draw pile.
Elves
When you are attacked, you may carry out a first strike before the fight begins. You take a corresponding number of combat cards, slide one under the draw pile, and reveal the rest (a shield is treated as a miss). Remove armies of your opponent accordingly. Only then is the regular fight carried out.
Fairies
Each shield you play not only prevents damage to your armies, but is also returned as a hit on your opponent.
Goblins
Their hero strike can destroy only one army. In return, you take double as many cards as you have armies in the fight, to a maximum of six. You slide one card under the draw pile as usual.
Witches
Once per round, after the combat cards have been evaluated, you may permanently give one played combat card to your opponent and permanently steal one of his. This need not happen in the same fight. The given and stolen combat cards are each placed on the discard pile of the new owner.
Clerics
Once per fight you may declare all played combat cards of one player invalid. They are discarded. The same number of combat cards is then taken from the draw pile and revealed.
Shapeshifters
At the start of the game you draw a second people and play its power, until your placement in the counting phase has worsened compared with the last round or you are last. Then you draw a new people and play its power until one of the events described above occurs again. This repeats each time. The shapeshifter's card remains in front of the player for the whole game.
Orcs
When calculating the number of combat cards of your opponent, his armies are counted as follows: one or two armies count as one; three or more armies count as two.
Giants
The effect of the combat cards you play changes as follows: a played city hit destroys two armies in provinces without a city. A hero strike also destroys two armies in a fight against a city.
Knights
When carrying out fights, you draw two combat cards, and one further card for each army (maximum five). You slide one card under the draw pile immediately. As soon as your opponent has selected his combat cards but not yet revealed them, you place one further card on the discard pile. It has no effect.
Dwarves
In each fight, ignore the first hit against you.
Overview of the Runes
Rune of the Assassin
Before each action phase of a player, you may "sneak away" one army of this player (it is removed from the playing area). From the central island you may only remove armies once you have taken the corresponding artifact.
Rune of the Spirits
Before each of your fights for a city, you may conjure 3 "spirit armies" and place them from your supply onto the contested city space. These are attacked first and are removed at the latest after the fight.
Rune of the Moons
At the start of the game you draw as many runes as there are players in the game. Now assign each of these runes a placement. Depending on the placement you hold, you have the ability of the corresponding rune available.
Rune of Flying
When attacking and forming up, you may move your armies 1 or 2 spaces. You may also "land" on an island if the distance there is at most the length of one movement stick. Once you have taken the rune's artifact, you may also land on the central island, or use this ability there.
Rune of Reincarnation
For each province you lose, you receive one army from your supply. Place it immediately in one of your own provinces that is not involved in fights.
Rune of Traps
After the first setting phase, choose 3 of your provinces and place the corresponding province cards face down in front of you. As soon as another player moves armies into one of them, that player loses one army. After each setting phase you may lay all triggered traps anew by placing new province cards in front of you. If no trap was triggered in a round, you may move one trap. Once you have taken your artifacts, you may also choose the artifact cards. The trap then lies in both provinces.
Rune of Plagues
If you were attacked and lost the fight, the attacker must withdraw his armies back into his starting province(s). A player who next has the opportunity to march into the empty province may do so without a fight. If your opponent attacked from the water, he must move his ship with the armies back towards the starting province by at least the distance of one movement stick. If he has none, his armies are lost and the ship lies at the empty province. If his ship remained on the water, the player must move it in the following round for a renewed attack against the province or back to the starting province. If he does not do this, the armies and the ship are lost.
Rune of Choice
Whenever you draw spell cards, you take twice the number and, after choosing, put half of them back.
Rune of Enslavement
If you win a fight, you may, in the corresponding province, place under each of your armies a destroyed army of your opponent. Each of your armies may hold at most one "hostage" (captive). "Enslaved" armies move with their "owners". In a fight, the hostages are first revealed and returned to the corresponding supply. Hostages are not counted in determining the number of combat cards drawn, in the points count, or in the calculation of the maximum number of armies per province. Through spell cards only your own armies can be attacked. Instead of removing these armies, you may first "sacrifice" the hostage of the affected army. It returns to the opponent's supply.
Rune of True Knowledge
In phase 4 (acquiring spell cards) you may take one extra spell card. The maximum of four cards does not increase. Excess cards are returned after selection. The spell cards you gain through this rune must be kept separate from your other spell cards. You may play them on, against, or for the central island only once you have taken this rune's artifact.
Rune of Wisdom
At the start of the game you draw 2 spell cards, and your maximum number of spell cards is raised to 5. In addition you may look at the spell cards of the other players. Spell cards that your opponents gained through holding the city of Lutao you may only look at once you have taken this rune's artifact. If you acquire this rune during the game, you immediately receive a spell card.
Rune of Wrath
If you conquer a province, you may at any time during your fights make further attacks from there, as long as the number of your armies in this province is sufficient for it. Provinces must remain occupied by at least one army. The attacks may be continued as long as you have correspondingly many armies available.