Dorfromantik: Sakura
Dorfromantik: Sakura Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Contents
73 tiles, including:
43 Landscape tiles — Rice field, Road, Village, Flag, Cherry tree, River, Back side.
30 Task tiles (with the following 5 Task types) — 6× Cherry tree with Cherry tree Task, 6× Rice field with Rice field Task, 6× Village with Village Task, 6× Road with Road Task, 6× River with River Task, Back side.
30 Task markers — Cherry tree Task marker, Rice field Task marker, Village Task marker, Road Task marker, River Task marker. Back side of Task markers show 2 × value 4, 5 and 6 for each type.
2 Pads — 1 Campaign pad (20 sheets, printed on one side); 1 Score Pad (50 sheets, printed on both sides).
Unlocked components discovered during play — 47 Cards | 77 Tiles | 1 Board | 9 Wooden components. FAQ and examples of the unlocked components can be downloaded from: www.pegasus.de/en
Using the Insert
In the upper compartments of the insert there are 6 boxes. These contain new, additional game material. Don't open these boxes until instructed to do so.
Below the boxes to the left and right are spaces to store all unlocked wooden components and Markers. The center of the insert has a compartment for cards unlocked during the course of the campaign.
You can place the Score pad over the middle compartment of boxes and cards, and the Campaign pad over the entire upper area of the insert.
In the lower area of the insert, there is space for all the hexagonal tiles. All Task tiles fit into the left compartment, all Landscape tiles fit into the right compartment, and all unlocked Special tiles can be kept in the middle compartment.
Setup
Mix all the Landscape tiles facedown. Then draw 3 and return them to the box without looking at them. These will not be used in this game. Then create any number of facedown stacks with the remaining tiles and place them at the edge of your play area.
Then mix all the Task tiles facedown. Create any number of facedown stacks and place them at the edge of your playing area — separate from the Landscape tiles.
Now mix all Task markers facedown and separate them by color (or icons). Then place them facedown at the edge of your play area next to the stacks of Task tiles.
Place the Score and Campaign pads aside as you won't need them until the end of the game.
Important: Don't open any of the 6 boxes until you are instructed to do so!
Goal of the Game
You all cooperate to create a beautiful map by placing tiles while also completing the residents' tasks. You are also trying to create both the longest continuous Road and the longest continuous River possible, all while taking the Flags into consideration as well! The better you succeed in each of these goals, the more points you'll score at the end of the game.
Based on your scores from game to game, you will unlock new components hidden in the locked boxes. These will give you additional tasks that will enable you to increase your high score in subsequent games.
Course of the Game
Turn Order
Determine a start player. Then, beginning with the start player, you will take turns in clockwise order until the end of the game (see End of the Game).
On your turn, you will reveal either 1 Landscape tile or 1 Task tile, which you will then place into the play area according to the placement rules (see below). Before placing, discuss where this tile might be best used with the other players. Once it's been discussed, you make the final decision as to where to place it.
The following rules determine whether you will reveal a Landscape tile or a Task tile:
In the first 3 turns of the game, you must reveal 1 Task tile.
Whenever you reveal a Task tile, you must immediately take 1 matching Task marker to add to the Task tile. Flip the Task marker so the number is visible and place both tiles together in the play area.
There are 5 different Task types: Cherry tree Task, Rice Task, Village Task, Road Task, River Task.
Example: If you reveal a Task tile with a Cherry tree Task, reveal 1 Cherry tree Task marker and put it on the Task tile. Then place them both together in the play area.
For each subsequent turn after the first 3 mandatory selections, you must first check how many Task tiles with Task markers are in your play area:
A) If there are fewer than 3 Task tiles with Task markers on them, you must reveal 1 Task tile and place it in the game area with the matching Task marker on it according to the placement rules.
B) If there are 3 Task tiles with Task markers on them, turn over 1 Landscape tile and place it in the play area according to the placement rules.
Placement Rules
Now for the placement rules – where and how do you place a tile?
The fundamental rule: All tiles must always be placed so they maintain a single connected group of tiles. This means you must place each tile with at least 1 of its 6 edges against an edge of a tile already in the play area.
In addition, you must also adhere to the following 2 placement rules:
- Roads and Rivers must always match edges with their type. For example, you are not allowed to connect edges with a River to edges without a River. (Obviously, it is possible for you to add tiles with non-connecting Road and River edges in your play area in hopes of connecting them later.)
- On the other hand, you are allowed to place the Landscape types Cherry tree, Rice, and Village (as well as the neutral Meadows), however you wish as they are not required to match.
Completing Tasks
Each Task marker shows a number (4, 5, or 6) that specifies exactly how many tiles (Landscape, Task or unlocked Special tiles) must be in the corresponding territory, Road, or River in order to complete the Task marker. (A territory consists of 1 or more tiles of a single landscape type connected with matching edges.)
Task markers can be fulfilled immediately after being placed.
Example: The Rice Task marker is completed because the Rice territory consists of exactly 4 tiles.
Example: The River Task marker with the value 5 is not yet completed because the River only consists of 4 tiles so far. On a subsequent turn, you place a River Task tile with a value 6 Task marker. This completes the value 5 River Task marker, which you now move to your Completed Task area separate from the unused Task markers at the edge of the play area. Now you will only need to place 1 more River tile to complete the value 6 River Task marker.
Whenever you complete a Task marker, move it to your Completed Task Marker area. To provide an overview during the game, sort your completed Task markers individually by type next to each other. At the end of the game, completed Task markers are an important source of points.
Don't forget: the next tile that is placed must be a Task tile because there will now be fewer than 3 Task tiles with Task markers in the play area.
Additional Details
- You may place Task tiles in a territory that already contains 1 or more Task tiles with or without a Task marker.
- You may not place a Task tile that would cause a territory, Road, or River to consist of more tiles at the moment you place it than the current Task marker requires. It is also forbidden to place a Task tile in such a way that you would close off the area (or Road/River) with fewer tiles than the Task requires. It would then have no open edge to be enlarged and the Task would therefore no longer be able to be fulfilled once placed. Closed off means there is no longer an open edge to add a tile to fulfill the new Task marker for that territory.
Example: You are not allowed to place the Task tile with the value 5 Task marker in this orientation because the Village territory would be closed off while having only 4 Village tiles but a Task marker that requires 5 Village tiles. To place this Task tile now, you would have to rotate it 1 edge clockwise, maintaining an open edge that will allow you to place another Village tile to complete the value 5 Village task.
Example: You could place this tile with Rice as shown below. Then you would complete the 6 Rice Task, but now you would have to remove the 5 Rice Task. If the 5 Rice Task was a 6 Rice Task, you would now complete both Tasks by placing this tile.
- If you run out of Task tiles, you can't play any more Task tiles. Continue playing by placing only Landscape tiles until the end of the game.
- You are allowed to place a tile in a territory, Road, or River that now contains more tiles than any Task marker that is already in place requires. In this case, you must remove the Task marker and return it to the box. Similarly, you must remove a Task marker if you close off a territory, Road, or River with a Landscape tile in such a way that there are fewer tiles than the Task marker requires.
- By placing a tile, you may complete more than 1 Task marker at the same time. Remember you must continue playing Task tiles for the next few turns until there are 3 Task tiles with Task markers on them in the play area.
Flags
At the beginning of the Campaign there are 3 Landscape tiles in the game with a Flag: a green Flag is always associated with the Landscape type Rice, a pink Flag with Cherry tree, and a red Flag with Village tiles.
Follow the usual placement rules when adding a Flag to the play area just like any other tile.
But be careful: at the end of the game, you only gain points for Flag territories if they have been closed off, which means the territory doesn't have any open edges.
End of the Game
The game ends immediately when you are required to reveal a Landscape tile and there are none left. Any remaining Task tiles that have not been revealed and placed yet won't come into play this game.
If you complete a Task with the last Landscape tile (or cancel one), the game continues with revealing and placing new Task tiles until you can't complete (or cancel) any more Tasks.
Scoring Example (Excerpt of a score at the end of the game)
Tasks: during the game you completed 1 Cherry tree Task, 2 Rice Tasks, 1 Village Task, 3 Road Tasks, and 1 River Task, which score a grand total of 36 points for your completed Tasks.
Flags: you have placed 2 Flags: 1 red and 1 green. Since the Village territory with the red Flag hasn't been closed off (it has 1 open edge), you don't gain any points for that Flag. The Rice territory with the green Flag has been closed off. Since it consists of 5 tiles, you score 5 points in the corresponding space on the Scoresheet.
Longest Road and Longest River: you have 2 Road segments: the first consists of 8 tiles, and the second only has 3 tiles. Therefore, your longest segment is 8 tiles, so you score 8 points for your longest Road. The length of your River segment is 5 tiles, so you score 5 points for your longest River.
For your final total, you've scored 36+5+8+5=54 points for this section (Tasks 36, Flags 5, Longest Road 8, Longest River 5).
Using the Scoresheet
Here is how you use your Scoresheet:
1. Campaign progress — Enter the game number for your completed game in the crown for the Campaign.
2. Tasks — Calculate the total for all completed Task markers for each Landscape type and enter the sums in the corresponding spaces. You score points for: all completed Cherry tree Tasks, all completed Rice Tasks, all completed Village Tasks, all completed Road Tasks, all completed River Tasks. On the far right, enter the grand total of all completed Tasks (A). Note: in order to be able to enter points in the last 2 columns, you must first unlock the corresponding achievements.
3. Flags — First determine which flags are in closed off territories, because only these will earn you points: for each flag in a closed off territory, you score points equal to the number of tiles that make up this territory. Enter the total in the appropriate space: points for pink Flags (A), points for green Flags (B), points for red Flags (C).
4. Longest Road and Longest River — Count how many tiles are in your longest Road and your longest River in the play area. (All tiles of the same type that are adjacent to one another without a break in the connection count for Road or River.) Enter the number of tiles in the spaces for the longest Road and the longest River. On the far right, enter the grand total of points for Flags, the longest Road, and longest River (B).
5. Unlocked — At the beginning of the Campaign, ignore this area. You can only enter points here once you have unlocked new components. At the start of each subsequent game for your campaign, we recommend checking off all the boxes on the Scoresheet for components you have already unlocked (so you know which ones you will score at the end). Record the total points gained for this section in the rightmost space (C).
The Unlocked achievements you can score points for are: Cherry blossoms (collected); Temples (closed-off & edges matching = 6); Hot springs (closed-off = 3) (3/Wraparound Tasks); Bridges (longest River = 5/Bridge); Gates (longest Road = 5/Gate); Hermit (3/empty edge); Observatory (closed-off Flag territory (FG) = 3/closed-off FG); Cartographer (Line of sight = 2/Task); Sumo wrestler (1/matching edge); Moss collector (1/matching edge); Rice farmer (1/matching edge); Ship & Pier (1/tile in between); Ox cart & Trading post (1/tile in between); Poet (3/Meadow edge).
6. Who and when — Enter the player names and date played here.
7. Result — Enter the grand total of points (A + B + C) for your game here.
Example: In the 1st game you scored 156 points and in the 2nd game 171 points. Accordingly you entered [1.] into the Flute player's line and [2.] in the Pyrotechnist's line.
Based on your result in the 1st game, you were allowed to cross out 4 spaces on the Advancement track which unlocked Box 1. After the 2nd game, you were allowed to cross off another 5 spaces which unlocked Box 2. After that, you decided to cross out 3 spaces along the path towards the Lake to unlock this Achievement next. You could have also just crossed out 2 spaces along this path and 1 space in the other direction toward the Crossroads (or vice versa).
Campaign Sheet: High Score List, Advancement Track, and Unlocked Achievements
Now that you've scored the game, turn to your Campaign sheet.
First, enter your result in the High Score List by finding the row that corresponds to your result. (Round your result down to the closest value in the column. For example, 128 points rounds down to 120.) Then, in the right column marked with a crown, enter the game number in which you achieved this result. (You can achieve a result multiple times.)
The middle space for this row shows you how many of the small white circles you may cross off on the Advancement track in the middle of the Campaign sheet. Cross these off now, beginning at the very bottom left at the start space.
Always cross out one white circle after the other, following the dashed lines. When you reach a green box, you have to cross out the square or hexagonal space there. The path forks in some places. You always have free choice of which adjacent space you want to cross out next – depending on what you wish to unlock next. You just have to remember that all crossed out spaces must be adjacent to each other along the dashed lines.
If you reach a square or hexagonal space, you have unlocked something: the first square space lets you open box 1, the second box 2. With all other square and hexagonal spaces, you will unlock new achievements. If there is a closed lock with a number in it, take the named Achievement card from the corresponding box. Then proceed according to the text on that card, taking any further content from that box if necessary.
In addition, you can take 1 wooden component (corresponding to the symbol) from box 4 at each of 4 spaces along the path.
High Score List (title at each score threshold, and white circles unlocked)
| Score | Title | Circles |
|---|---|---|
| 500 | 16 | |
| 490 | 16 | |
| 480 | 16 | |
| 470 | 16 | |
| 460 | 16 | |
| 450 | Emperor | 16 |
| 440 | Empress | 16 |
| 430 | Princess | 15 |
| 420 | Prince | 15 |
| 410 | Shogun | 15 |
| 400 | Priest | 14 |
| 390 | Prefect | 14 |
| 380 | Samurai | 14 |
| 370 | Geisha | 13 |
| 360 | Ronin | 13 |
| 350 | Temple attendant | 13 |
| 340 | Provincial official | 12 |
| 330 | Harpist | 12 |
| 320 | Wandering monk | 12 |
| 310 | Architect | 11 |
| 300 | Tea farmer | 11 |
| 290 | Seaweed farmer | 11 |
| 280 | Pearl diver | 10 |
| 270 | Silk weaver | 10 |
| 260 | Salt maker | 9 |
| 250 | Armorer | 9 |
| 240 | Ink painter | 8 |
| 230 | Mask carver | 8 |
| 220 | Origami artist | 7 |
| 210 | Bell founder | 7 |
| 200 | Tatami weaver | 6 |
| 190 | Tub maker | 6 |
| 180 | Barge captain | 5 |
| 170 | Pyrotechnist | 5 |
| 160 | Tofu seller | 4 |
| 150 | Flute player | 4 |
| 140 | Radish trader | 3 |
| 130 | Bamboo raftsman | 3 |
| 120 | Puppeteer | 2 |
| 110 | Rickshaw driver | 2 |
| 0–100 | Porter | 1 |
Unlocked Achievements (alphabetical list on the Campaign sheet)
Bathing monkeys, Bird lover, Bridges, Calligrapher, Cartographer, Cherry blossoms, Cherry tree & Village, Colorful flag, Counting house, Crossroads, Daimyo, Dam, Dead end, Drinks, Emperor's decree, Gates, Gift, Gourmet, Hermit, Hot springs, Koi expert, Lake, Master test, Merchant, Moss collector, Mt. Fuji, Observatory, Onigiri, Ox cart & Trading post, Pilgrim, Poet, Rice & Cherry tree, Rice farmer, Ship & Pier, Small clouds, Sumo wrestler, Tea master, Temples, Village & Rice, Warehouse, Wraparound Tasks.
The Achievement Cards
The Achievement cards are composed as follows:
On the top of the front side next to the title "Achievement Card", you will always see a closed lock icon.
On the bottom of the card, you will discover what you can unlock and how to unlock it. (Cards unlocked through your Campaign sheet can be turned over immediately.)
The title on the back will show "Achievement unlocked!" with an open lock icon next to it. On this side, you will discover what you have unlocked, something new to do, and if applicable, new rules. (There are 2 cards that have the title "Achievement unlocked!" on the front side. Immediately read the front and backs of these 2 cards.)
From now on, keep all Achievement cards you haven't unlocked separate from those you have already unlocked.
Mix new Landscape tiles in with the other Landscape tiles and new Task tiles in with the original Task tiles. Extra space has been accounted for in the insert so that everything will fit in their respective compartments. You will also unlock new Special tiles, which become a third type of tile. These have the same back side as Landscape tiles and are distinguished by a Sign Post with icons on the front.
If a Special tile with a Sign Post has a special way to be scored, it will display an icon as a reminder of how you may score these points. In all other cases, the Sign Post will display an exclamation point icon.
Unlocked components are added to the game according to the directions on the Achievement cards. Basically, the following rules apply:
First, cross off what you have unlocked in the list on the right of the sheet (all Achievements are sorted alphabetically). All unlocked components are always used in all future games.
When opening an unlocked box, begin by reading the Contents card which describes its contents. In the boxes, you will discover Achievement cards that you will place face-up next to your play area in future games. At the end of each game, check whether you have fulfilled the conditions of the Achievement cards. If so, turn them over and follow the instructions on the back ("Achievement unlocked").
Even though these Special tiles have the same back side as Landscape tiles, there are special rules for them in 3 situations (each highlighted in bold on the Achievement card). In addition, there is a separate compartment for the Special tiles in the insert.
Important: Don't mix in your Special tiles (that is, the tiles with a Sign Post) with the other Landscape tiles during game setup until after you've randomly drawn 3 Landscape tiles to return to the box without looking at them.
You may pause a Campaign at any time to start a new one or to continue another Campaign with a different group. Use the Components cards for each box to be sure you store components in the correct boxes. The overview on the right edge of your Campaign sheet will remind you of what you have already unlocked in each respective Campaign.
How far can you push your high score?
How many games do you need to unlock all the new game components?
Credits
The Dorfromantik Video Game Team: (starting clockwise from top left: Sandro Heuberger, Luca Langenberg, Timo Falcke, Zwi Zausch) — Luca, Sandro, Timo, and Zwi are the developers for the Dorfromantik video game that has been released for PC and Nintendo Switch so far. Together they founded the development studio Toukana Interactive, under whose name they would like to develop many more creative and high-quality indie games. Their first title, Dorfromantik, has enjoyed great international success. In addition, Dorfromantik has been awarded many prizes, including Best Game Design and Best Debut at the German Computer Game Prizes 2021, as well as the Best German Game at the German Developer Prizes 2021. All four are enthusiastic board gamers and had a lot of fun contributing to the implementation of their title.
Illustrator: Paul Riebe, from Berlin, is a visual development artist and works mainly for the entertainment industry. Among other things, he works for the award-winning KARAKTER Design Studio and Envar Entertainment based in Stockholm as well as several renowned AAA video game series, well-known series formats, and blockbusters. Dorfromantik is the first board game he's illustrated. The big challenge was to preserve the charming style of the video game while also meeting the requirements of a board game. He especially enjoyed adding the numerous little scenes on the tiles.
Game Designers: More than 20 years ago, the two designers—Lukas Zach from the north of Germany and Michael Palm from the south of Germany—met by sheer coincidence (or perhaps by good luck?). Lukas wanted to know how games were actually developed and pulled a randomly chosen game from his game shelf to write to the game's designer. Michael received the message in his game and comic shop Seetroll on Lake Constance. The two met, and in addition to some initial game ideas, they developed their first game together, Die Kutschfahrt zur Teufelsburg (Adlung Verlag), which was crowned Card Game of the Year in Italy.
Since then, they've developed numerous games together. They work together via video conference every week, trying out their games together online or in their testing groups in the north and south. This has resulted not only in games like The Dwarfs, Magic to the Power of Three (both for Pegasus Spiele), Bang! The Dice Game (Abacusspiele), Aventuria (Ulisses Spiele) and the UNDO series (Pegasus Spiele), but also in a friendship between 2 game designers who live more than 800 km apart. "Dorfromantik - The Boardgame" is the analog version of the videogame "Dorfromantik". With this game they won the "Spiel des Jahres" award for the first time.
Game Design: Lukas Zach and Michael Palm | Illustration: Paul Riebe Graphic Design: Toukana Interactive and Jens Wiese | Realization: Klaus Ottmaier
Pegasus Spiele GmbH, Am Straßbach 3, 61169 Friedberg, Germany, under license from Toukana Interactive UG. © 2024 Pegasus Spiele GmbH. All rights reserved.
v1.0 All rights reserved. Reproduction or publication of the rules, components, or illustrations and graphic design is only permitted with prior permission of Pegasus Spiele.
This board game is based on Dorfromantik, the award-winning video game from Toukana Interactive in Germany.