EcoLogic: Europe Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Card Description
• List of Symbols Used
  • Species / Food Type
  • Feeding Bonus
  • Habitats
• Game Elements
• Game Preparation
• Game Phases
• Habitation: Four Steps
• Feeding (Biomass Production and Consumption)
  • Additional Features of the Species
  • Example
• End of the Season
• Beginning of the Season
• End of the Game and Scoring
  • Example
• Express Mode
• Weather Cards Mechanics
• Human Impact Cards Mechanics
• Additional Features Dictionary

Card Description

Biomass producing cards (plants and lichens) show, from left to right along the top line: biomass production (four numbers, one per season - spring, summer, autumn, winter, e.g. 3-3-2-1), the feeding bonus icon, and the species type icon. Below the line: the habitat icon(s) the card may be placed in. The card also shows the species name, an illustration, the Latin name, and an interesting fact.

Biomass and remains consuming cards (animals and fungi) show, from left to right along the top line: the biomass consumption number, the type of food icons it can consume, and the species type icon. Below the line: the habitat icon(s), any additional abilities, and any additional victory points. The card also shows the species name, an illustration, the Latin name, and an interesting fact.

List of Symbols Used

• Biomass token / remains token - green square / gray disc.
• Token of the fed species card - red apple.
• Card in hand / in stack / discarded - white / gray / light green rectangle.

Species / Food Type

• Herbaceous plants
• Woody plants
• Fungi and lichens
• Insects
• Invertebrates (others)
• Fish
• Amphibians and reptiles
• Small birds
• Big birds
• Small mammals
• Hoofed mammals
• Predatory mammals
• Plant remains
• Animal remains

When in a circle, the symbol describes the type of species; when on the top of the consuming species cards, it represents type of food (see more on p. 6 and 7).

Feeding Bonus

• Fruiting plant
• Seed plant
• Flowering plant
• Grass

Species receive a bonus (biomass token) after feeding (see p. 7).

Habitats

• Deciduous forest
• Coniferous forest
• Meadows and fields
• Rivers and floodplains
• Wetlands and lakes
• Coastal habitats
• Cities and gardens
• Mountains
• Any habitat
• Edge of habitats

The card with it is placed in the matching habitat (see p. 6). Habitats coastal, mountains, and cities & gardens are available with expansions.

• Pioneer plant
• Poisonous species
• Crop plant
• Nocturnal animal
• Victory points (+1 / +2 / +3 / -1) (see p. 9)

Game Elements

The game includes:

• 16 habitat boards (in 5 types),
• 266 species cards,
• biomass tokens (green),
• remains tokens (gray),
• fed species tokens (red apple),
• 12 weather cards and dice,
• 2 AUTOMA dice,
• Mountain expansion: 4 habitat boards, 34 cards,
• Coastal habitat expansion: 4 habitat boards, 31 cards,
• Human habitat expansion: 4 habitat boards, 47 cards, 10 human impact cards.

During the game, cards can play various functions:

• Placed cards are those face up on the habitat boards (those will create your ecosystem).
• Cards in hand - a player keeps them and does not show to other players.
• Stack of cards - face down cards put on the table in one or two stacks.
• Discarded cards - those that have been discarded by players, left face down on the table.

Note: cards have different backs, symbolizing the type of species. When drawing a card (from the stack or discarded cards), you can always choose the type of species (looking at the back of a card), but you can never look at the front.

Game Preparation

At the beginning, create your ecosystem, which will consist of 4 different habitats. These habitats will be later inhabited by plants or animals represented by cards. Before the game begins:

• Pour the tokens into separate containers (e.g. cups).
• Deal 4 habitat boards for each player. Players spread them out in front of themselves (one above the other) in any order, choosing any side of the board.
• Shuffle all the cards and deal 8 cards to each player.
• The rest of the cards are placed face down forming the stack (leave them in a pile in the middle of the table).

Game Phases

The game consists of 4 seasons (starting with spring, ending in winter), each divided into 3 phases: habitation, followed by end of the season and beginning of the season. Spring starts from habitation phase. It consists of 4 repeated steps. Then the season is ended (with end of the season phase) and we can move to summer (with beginning of the season phase). This process continues until winter, when game is ended with last habitation phase.

• Spring: habitation -> end of the season ->
• Summer: beginning of the season -> habitation -> end of the season ->
• Autumn: beginning of the season -> habitation -> end of the season ->
• Winter: beginning of the season -> habitation -> end of the game.

In the habitation phase our plants, animals and fungi move into their places in the habitats. The plants and lichens produce biomass, which will become food for the animals. The mechanics of this phase consists of 4 repeating steps. They are described on page 5 and 6.

The end of the season is a time of decomposition - our ecosystems lose some of their biomass, which is partially transformed into remains, that could become food for other species (e.g. fungi). The mechanics of this process is described on page 8.

The beginning of a new season is a time of growth. Plants placed in habitats again produce biomass, which may become food for herbivores and then to predators via food chains. The mechanics of this process are described on page 6, details and an example of the biomass production and consumption process can be found on page 7.

The game ends when the last player places their last card or pass in winter. The process of determining the winner is described on page 8.

Habitation: Four Steps

Habitation is a time, when our species inhabitat the ecosystem. Thus it is a key phase of the game.

Each habitation phase is played in 4 consecutive steps:

1. seasonal exchange,
2. placing a species card in habitat,
3. preparing 2 cards to transfer,
4. transfering them.

All players perform their actions at the same time but wait for a last player in step 4. When step 4 finished, they go to step 1. Habitation phase finishes when the last player is out of card or say: "I pass".

Step 1: In step 1 you make an optional exchange depending on the season.

Type of the exchange:

• SPRING: one card in hand for one from the stack,
• SUMMER: one card in hand for two biomass tokens as jokers,
• AUTUMN: four total biomass/remains tokens for one card from the stack,
• WINTER: two cards on hand for one card discarded or from the stack.

Note: While exchanging - first you discard a card/tokens and only then you draw new card/tokens. Cards that are to be exchanged go to the discarded pile. While taking a card from the stack or discarded cards you can always choose the type of species (looking at the back of a card), but you can never look at the front.

In step 3 and 4 you prepare and transfer two cards to neighboring player. Two cards prepared to transfer are placed face down in a visible place. They are transfered in the same moment only after all players have prepared their two cards!

In spring and autumn transfer cards clockwise, in summer and winter - counterclockwise.

Note: if you have one card in hand, then you prepare and transfer one card. Still, you may receive two cards form other player.

Step 2 place one of your cards in the ecosystem (in one of the habitats). Alternatively, you may trade one card for one biomass token or pass (till the end of the season).

Rules for placing cards in habitats:

• You can only place a species card on a habitat board, if it matches the habitat symbol.
• On habitat boards, you can place species cards on any free spaces (filling habitats from the left is not obligatory, but it usually makes the game easier).
• Players place cards simultaneously - first come, first served (although sometimes it is worth waiting for other players).
• In the case of a stalemate (when one player is waiting for another, and the other is waiting for the first one) - cards are played simultaneously and its additional features are then triggered in alphabetical order (the Latin name of the species is decisive).
• After placing a card of a plant or lichen, a process of biomass production is started (see FEEDING, p. 7).
• Placing a consuming species card (animal or fungus) requires feeding it, therefore you can't place it in the habitat if there is not enough biomass on cards that it consumes. This process is called biomass consumption (see p. 7).
• Consuming species card may only be placed in a habitat where at least one species card that is food for it is already placed.
• Remains tokens (which appear later in the game) on plant and fungus cards are considered plant remains, those on animal cards as animal remains. They can be consumed by other species (e.g. fungi).

Placing a card on a card:

• You can place a species card on top of another card only in a matching habitat and only if the top card is able to feed on the bottom card (e.g. a deer can cover a plant, and a woodpecker an insect).
• In this case, the biomass from the card being covered is transferred to the covering card and counted to its biomass consumption number (see p. 1), the remains are discarded.
• Plants, and species that feed exclusively on remains (e.g. most fungi) cannot cover another cards.

If you are unable or unwilling to play a card, you may trade one card for 1 joker token or pass. If you pass, you remove yourselves from the play until the end of the season (see p. 8).

If you place the last card in hand in a habitat, you are out of the game till the end of the season. With the last player passing or out of cards HABITATION phase ends. Players move to the END OF THE SEASON phase.

Note: in WINTER you can not place herbaceus plant or insect cards.

Note: if you are the only player left in the game, you play step 1 and 2 till you are out of cards or pass.

Feeding (Biomass Production and Consumption)

Production and consumption is the process of biomass flowing along food chains. It starts with producers (plants, lichens) and usually ends with predators. This process occurs when a card is placed in step 2 of HABITATION, and is repeated at the beginning of each season (then it applies to all placed cards).

Production occurs as follows:

• In the case of plants and lichens, take biomass tokens from the pool and put it on card according to the food production described on it in upper left corner (according to the current season, e.g. 2-3-2-0 spring: 2, summer: 3, autumn: 2, winter: 0).

Consumption occurs as follows:

• When feeding animal or fungus cards, you must gather on it biomass tokens in the number of biomass consumption of the card (upper left corner of the card). You take it from the cards that species feeds on.
• You take biomass tokens only from the cards that that species feeds on (see type of food icon - top of the card).
• You can take biomass from one or more species cards that the species consumes.
• Consuming species can only feed on biomass from the appropriate species cards in the placed habitat (species located on the edge of the habitat - from both habitats).
• If the species feeds on remains, it always transforms them into biomass during feeding. You exchange remains for biomass from the pool of tokens.
• When feeding, consider the additional abilities shown on the cards (description above the line).
• An animal that has a feeding bonus: fruiting plant, flowering plant, seed plant, or grasses marked on their card receives an additional 1 biomass (taken from the pool of tokens) for each plant with the same marking in their habitat (or habitats for organisms located on the edge of habitats). First, however, it must be fed in the normal process.
• Biomass can sometimes be used as a joker. It is placed then to the side of habitat boards and can be used at any time as a biomass or remains token in consumption process.

Additional Features of the Species

• Any habitat - a card with this symbol may be placed in any habitat.
• Edge of the habitat - a card with this symbol may be placed on the edge of the habitat (between two habitats). However you cannot place this card at the edge of an ecosystem (so that it extends beyond the board of any habitat).
• Pioneer plant - can be placed it in any habitat if there are no other plants there yet.
• Poisonous species - mammals and birds can not feed on it.
• Crop plant (available with the Human habitat expansion): no other card can be placed in the habitat with this card (does not apply to the edge of habitats). However, it can be covered up as normal (see p. 7).

Example

Plants receive biomass tokens according to the season. For example, a dandelion will receive 3 biomass in spring, and 2 biomass in other seasons. Place the received biomass tokens on the cards. Remember the additional abilities of the species (description above the line).

You feed consuming species cards to their required biomass. In the case of the peacock butterfly, to 2. The butterfly already had 1 biomass on it from the previous season, so you add 1 by transferring it from the species it feeds on - in this case plants. After feeding, the butterfly gets +1 biomass from the pool of tokens due to the feature: flowering plant.

Animals can be eaten by other animals, as in this case. The skylark can eat insects, so you can move the tokens from the butterfly to the skylark's card. If there are not enough biomass to fill its biomass consumption number (3), the skylark may die and its card will be discarded. Fortunately, it can also feed on woody plants or in a neighboring habitat: edge of habitat.

The oak may be placed in both habitats. In spring it receives 2 biomass.

The wasp may inhabitat any habitation. It can be placed also on the edge of the habitat. Placed on the edge of the habitat may feed on species from both of them. In this case: woody plants and insects. The wasp may become food for the skylark.

The roe deer may feed on species from both habitats. In this case: woody plants and herbaceus plants. After feeding it gets +1 biomass from the pool of tokens due to the feature: grass.

End of the Season

In EcoLogic, the end of a season and the beginning of a new one are times of decay and growth. Some biomass is broken down, but with the new season it is produced again and passed on through the food chains.

A season ends when all players are out of cards or pass (in step 2). If you do so, say out loud "I pass", and then you are out of the game for the rest of the season. You do not transfer or receive cards in steps 3 and 4.

If you are left with cards in hand after passing, you can use each of them in one of two ways:

• leave it until the next season,
• discard it and gain 1 joker biomass for each card.

At the end of the season, the biomass tokens are exchanged in the following order:

1. if there are odd number of tokens (e.x. 1, 3, 5) on a card, one of them is converted into remains,
2. half of the remaining biomas tokens are discarded,
3. remains tokens stay unchanged on the cards.

It is a good practice to do this process by columns. This helps to avoid mistakes.

Example: 1 biomass -> 1 remains. 2 biomass -> 1 biomass. 3 biomass -> 2 biomass + 1 remains.

Beginning of the Season

At the beginning of a new season the FEEDING process begins (see p. 7), in the following order:

1. all plants receive biomass according to the current season,
2. then animals and fungi must be fed according to their biomass consumption value:

• The biomass remaining on the card from the previous season is included in its required biomass consumption.
• Consumption can take place in any order, but each species must be fed at least for a moment (it must have as many biomass markers on it as its required biomass consumption).
• Once species is fed, it is marked with the appropriate marker (fed species token) and is not fed again during this phase. It may however become food for other species.
• If there are not enough biomass on the species card, the species dies: its card goes to the discarded cards, and its biomass are transformed into remains, which should be placed on any card or cards in the habitat of the discarded card. If after removing a card, another card is revealed from underneath, it takes biomass from the discarded card (they will not be transformed into remains). The revealed card produces biomass (in case of plants) or consumes it (then it must be feed, e.g. animals).
• Remember, that you may also use jokers to feed species cards at this stage of the game.
• A species card that consumes remains can be fed remains from its own card, as long as remains are of the right type (e.x. raven may consume remains from its card).
• Cards are then dealt from the stack of cards to the players, leaving them with a total of 8 cards in their hand (cards left over from the previous season count towards this number).
• This concludes the BEGINNING OF A NEW SEASON, and then we move on to the HABITATION phase.

End of the Game and Scoring

The game ends when all players pass or are out of cards at the end of winter.

The winner is the player who collects the most points from (1) habitat diversity and (2) from the species cards placed.

Habitat diversity points are awarded - for each habitat:

• 3 points if there are 7 different types of species in the habitat,
• 2 points if there are 6,
• 1 point if there are 5.

Two cards of the same type - e.g. two herbaceous plants - are considered one type of organism.

When counting cards for each habitat, you can choose any card on the edge of the habitats, but only one of the two - the top or bottom. A card from the edge of the habitats that was used to count one habitat can be used again for another habitat.

Points from species cards (e.g. +2, -1) may have positive and negative value. Add it and subtract to the sum of points for habitat diversity.

In the event of a tie, the number of unfilled fields in the habitats decides the winner - the player who has the fewest wins.

Example

In this habitat, the player scores a total of 2 points. He has 5 types species (herbaceous plants, insects, invertebrates, small birds and hoofed mammals), which gives 1 point. He also scores 1 point for a scoring species card (European roe deer).

Express Mode

The express mode lasts about half an hour, but it contains all the elements that allow you to learn about the relations between species in the ecosystem. The simplified formula allows younger players to tackle the task and is great for use as a party game or during nature classes with children.

There are no seasons in this version, so there is no end or beginning of the season phase. There are also no steps 3 and 4 (no passing cards to the next players). Additionally, the exchange has been simplified (step 1), while step 2 remains unchanged.

The game is intended for 2-4 players (each expansion increases this number by 1).

Game preparation

• Deal out 3 habitat boards to each player. Players spread them out in front of themselves in any order, choosing any side of the board.
• Deal out 15 cards and 7 apple tokens to each player.
• Place 8 cards from the stack in the middle of the table face up (we will call them face up cards).

Two steps of the game

The express mode consists of two steps (all players play step 1 at once, and when they finish it - step 2 at once. These steps are repeated until last player lay down their last card or lose the ability to move):

Step 1: optional exchange.

You may (but do not have to) exchange one card from your hand or 2 apple tokens for one card from the stack or face up card.

If you draw a face up card, fill the empty space after it with the top card from the stack.

The card you are exchanging from your hand is placed face-down on the discard pile.

Step 2: play a card in the habitat.

Normal rules apply here (see p. 6-8). If you don't want or can't place a card in the habitat, you may exchange a card for one apple token for it.

Additional rules

• Apple tokens may be used as jokers (treat it as a biomass or remains) at any time.
• A placed biomass producing card (plant and lichens) gains as many biomass tokens as the highest biomass production number on the card.
• Ignore any references to seasons in the card descriptions (if they appear in the card descriptions, they are invalid).
• As with the basic rules, players play one step at once. However, they may not get to next step until all players have completed previous one.

The game ends when the last player places their last card. The winner is determined as normal (see p. 10).

Weather Cards Mechanics

Expansion

The Weather expansion includes 12 weather cards, a special dice, and additional game mechanics. This brings EcoLogic even closer to the real fate of ecosystems than before.

Preparing the game with the expansion

Place the shuffled weather cards and the dice in the center of the table next to the face-down cards.

Gameplay

The weather card mechanic becomes one of the options for step 1 of the HABITATION phase (in other words: you can use it instead of exchanging cards in step 1).

If you decide to do this, discard one of your card in hand or two biomass tokens, then roll the dice and read from it:

• if it is a cloud: reveal the weather card from the top of the stack and place it face up next to the stack of covered weather cards. Then the players perform the actions described on the weather card,
• if it is a biomass token: take 2 biomass from any cards of each of your neighboring players and place them as your jokers (for later use),
• if it is a stack-of-cards icon: you draw any card from the stack or discarded cards (without looking at the front of it),
• if it is the 3/4 symbol: you do not perform steps 3 and 4 until the end of the season (you do not pass the cards to other players).

Note: weather cards are single-use - if the stack runs out it is not reshuffled or used again. Once the last weather card is used, the weather mechanic can no longer be used.

Human Impact Cards Mechanics

Expansion

With the "Human habitat" expansion, 10 special cards are added to the game in the game, symbolizing the impact of humans on the ecosystem.

Before the game, shuffle them into the deck and deal them out like the rest of the cards.

If you receive a human card in your hand, you can play it during step 2 instead of playing a species card. Then you place the human impact card in the middle of the table (preferably next to the discarded cards) face up, and read its content.

Human impact cards have their content regarding the player playing and that regarding all players. In the latter case, everyone follows the instructions on the card.

Additional Features Dictionary

This section explains the wording of the additional-ability descriptions printed above the line on species cards.

• In habitats with no other plants during biomass production -> +1 biomass: If a plant with this description is placed in a habitat with no other plants, it receives an additional biomass token, after every biomass consumption.
• Placing as a first plant in habitat -> +3 biomass: If a plant with this description is placed in habitat before any other plants, it gets 3 additional biomass tokens on a card after being placed.
• May be placed on other plant card. From the covered card: biomass -> remains, remains -> discard: A card with this description may be placed on top of another plant. Biomass from covered card is exchanged for remains and put on covering card.
• After placing, before feeding: may take 1 from neighboring players' fish cards: After placing but before feeding this card, you may take one biomass token from each fish card of your neighboring players and put it on this card.
• After placing and feeding: may take 1 from each of neighboring players' invertebrate cards: After placing and feeding this card, you may take one biomass token from each card of invertebrates of your neighboring players and put it on this card.
• After placing, before feeding: take max. 2 from each card of neighboring players' hoofed mammal cards: After placing and feeding this card, you may take 2 biomass tokens from each card of hoofed mammals of your neighboring players and put it on this card.
• PHYTOPLANKTON in habitat -> +2 biomass after feeding: If a card with this description is placed in habitat with Phytoplankton, it gets additional 2 biomass tokens after each biomass consuption.
• After placing: in your ecosystem may exchange any number of remains for jokers: After placing this species take as many remains tokens from your whole ecosystem as you wish and exchange them for biomass jokers.
• In SPRING, before placing: take 3 jokers: Take 3 biomass tokens if you place these card in spring. You may use this tokens for feeding placed card.
• After placing: may exchange 1 biomass/remains for 1 discarded card: After placing you may exchange one biomass or remains token for a discarded card.
• May feed on big birds with biomass consumption less than 4: A species with this description may feed on big birds with biomass consumption number 3 or less (less than 4).
• After feeding: may processes any quantity of plant remains in habitat into biomass: With each biomass consumption you may take any number of plant remains tokens from the habitat, exchange it and put it on this card.
• After placing, may play immediately: small bird: After placing you may immediately place small bird card (if you have any).