Island Trader Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
  • Optional Components for 3 - 4 Players
• Introduction
• Game Setup
• The Islands
• The Resource/Movement Cards
• Playing the Game
  • Supplying an Island
• Game End
• Variants
  • Advanced Mode
  • Map Setup
  • Starting Cards
  • Draw or Play
  • One Player Puzzle Mode

Components

• 12 map tiles depicting the ocean and islands
• 32 blue resource/movement cards
• 32 red resource/movement cards
• 12 blue markers
• 12 red markers
• 1 blue ship
• 1 red ship

Optional Components for 3 - 4 Players

• 32 green resource/movement cards
• 12 green markers
• 1 green ship
• 32 yellow resource/movement cards
• 12 yellow markers
• 1 yellow ship

Introduction

The ocean is full of little islands that need to be supplied. Use your ship to bring them the supplies they need, and you will gain the island's support as well as more resources that will help you supply other islands.

The game map is randomly generated every game, so a new challenge awaits you every time. The layout of the map can also be set to increase the difficulty of the game.

The game can be played with a single player. When played like this it is a puzzle, where the player tries to reach all the islands.

Game Setup

The map is set using the 12 map tiles. The map tiles are shuffled face down and then placed face up in a 3 by 4 formation. Note that the second and fourth columns are positioned at a slight shift as shown in the diagram, so that the lines of travel align.

It is not necessary to place all map tiles with the same orientation. Each map tile can be placed in one of two orientations. This is set randomly as the tile is turned face up.

The players choose their colour and take the deck of resource/movement cards, markers and ship of the chosen colour. The players shuffle their deck and place it face down. Each player takes 10 cards from his deck as his starting hand.

The player who has travelled the least is the first player. The first player places his ship on the empty dot (i.e. not on an island) nearest to the centre line and the bottom row of the map. The subsequent players place their ships on the next nearest position. If more than one position is available, the player can choose between them.

Example: Red places his ship first, on the dot nearest to the centre line and the bottom row of the map. Blue has two possible choices to place his ship.

The Islands

Each island features the number of resources from each of the three types needed to supply it. Also indicated are the number of victory points (VP) earned at the end of the game as well as the number of resource/movement cards collected when the island is supplied.

In the example, the island will earn the player 4 victory points (VP) and three resource/movement cards. But to supply the island, the player must provide 3 barrels of rum, 2 fabric rolls and 2 gems.

The Resource/Movement Cards

The resource/movement cards are used for two things:

• The large value, also marked on the upper section of the card, allows the players to move their ship by the indicated number of points.
• The resource values of the cards are used to supply the islands.

Each card can only be used once, either to move the ship or to supply an island. So choose wisely when you play a card, you won't be able to use it again during the game.

The example card allows a player to move his ship by three points. Alternatively, it allows the player to supply an island with one barrel of rum and one fabric roll.

Playing the Game

• On their turn, each player selects a card from his hand and moves his ship up to the allowed number of points. The ship moves along the white lines, from dot to dot. The card is discarded; it is no longer available to the player.
• A player is not allowed to move his ship onto a dot already occupied by another player's ship, or onto a marked island.
• A player is not allowed to move onto a dot on the edge of the map (dots that intersect only with three lines).
• If a ship lands on an unmarked island, the player may supply the island.

Supplying an Island

• The combination of resources (barrels of rum, fabric rolls, gems) a player needs to supply is indicated on each island.
• The player uses the cards held in his hand. He can use as many cards as he needs to provide the necessary resources. The cards are played and discarded.
• If the resources provided by the cards exceed the resource needs of the island, there is no refund.
• The whole resource need for an island must be supplied in a single turn.
• After he supplies the needed resources, the player marks the island as his, and draws the number of cards indicated on the island from his deck to replenish his hand. In order to draw cards, the whole of the resource needs of the island must be satisfied.

Game End

The game ends in one of three cases:

1. All islands are marked by the players. – or –
2. ALL players have run out of cards to play. It is possible that one player will run out of cards and the other players can continue playing for several turns. – or –
3. One player uses up all of his 12 markers.

Each player counts the victory points on his marked islands. The player with most victory points is the winner. In the case of a tie for victory points, the player with most unused cards is the winner.

Variants

Advanced Mode

To remove the randomness of the cards from the game and make it more challenging, you can decide at the start of the game that each player can select the ten starting cards from his deck. During the game, whenever a player collects cards by supplying an island, he looks at the deck and selects the number of cards he earned.

Map Setup

For harder maps you can start in 3 by 4 formation or even 2 by 6, keeping the small shift between columns as shown in the diagram.

The narrower the map, the more confrontational the game is, since the players' ships are more likely to cross each others' path.

Starting Cards

In most games 10 starting cards will be enough to reach all the islands without too much difficulty. In order to make the game harder, the players can start with fewer cards. Another option is having the stronger player start with fewer cards than the weaker player. This can help balance the skill between the two players.

Draw or Play

On his turn, the player can choose either to play a card OR to draw 2 cards from his deck.

One Player Puzzle Mode

Arrange the map as for the normal game. Mix two decks of cards together and collect 15 cards. This is your starting hand. Place your ship in the starting player position.

The goal is to place a marker on every island on the map.

In some maps it will be easier than others; so you can try the same map with fewer cards. In some maps however, it will be impossible and you'll need to start over again with more cards.