Lost Seas
Lost Seas Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Game Contents
- 1 First Player token (compass)
- 65 Sea Exploration tiles
- 44 double-sided Expedition tiles
Object of the Game
Win the most victory points by strategically positioning Sea Exploration tiles.
Setup
- Shuffle the Expedition tiles together and give 4 to each player. For every one of their 4 Expedition tiles, each player chooses which side they want to play for the game and places them in line in the order of their choice. Each player then receives 4 new Expedition tiles. They choose the faces they want to play for these tiles and place them in a column so that their 8 Expedition tiles are placed around their virtual sea map, which is 4 x 4 tiles large.
- The rest of the Expedition tiles are placed back in the box.
- Shuffle the Sea Exploration tiles together and place them in a pile in the centre of the table, face down.
- Turn over the first 5 Sea Exploration tiles and place them next to the pile, face up.
IMPORTANT: Each Expedition shows a specific requirement for the 4 Sea Exploration tiles set out in the line in front of them. If you follow these requirements, you win the victory points corresponding to this Expedition at the end of the round. Each Expedition tile is double sided and gives players the choice to meet a requirement that is quite simple for a few points or a more difficult requirement for more points.
How to Play
Turns
The last player to have gone out to sea will play first. They take the First Player token.
The game is then played in clockwise turns. The way a round is played depends on the number of players:
- In a 4 player game each player chooses one tile.
- In a 3 player game, the first player chooses one tile for themself and then chooses a second tile to place back in the box. The second player then chooses their tile and then the third player chooses their tile.
- In a 2 player game, the first player chooses one tile for themself and one tile to be put back in the box. The second player does the same.
A Sea Exploration tile chosen by a player must be placed on their map in the intersection of the row of an Expedition tile with the column of another Expedition tile. This new Sea Exploration tile must be placed on an empty space. Once it has been placed on the map, it cannot be moved.
The 5th Sea Exploration tile remains in the centre of the table for the next round.
Turn over 4 new tiles from the pile and place these next to the last Sea Exploration tile from the previous round. A new round can start.
The last player to have their turn becomes the first player to have their turn in the next round.
End of the Game
When all the players have placed their 16th Sea Exploration tile on their map, it is time for the scoring.
Each player notes down the victory points they have won for each row and column of their maritime map that follows the requirement given by the Expedition tile.
If the requirement on the Expedition tile has not been followed, remove this tile. You do not win any victory points for this tile.
Example of scoring for a player at the end of the game:
- Row 1: 7 identical Marine Elements = 0 Victory points
- Row 2: total of 5 Marine Elements = 11 Victory points
- Row 3: 1 Victory point per Maelstrom = 5 Victory points
- Row 4: 6 different Marine Elements = 5 Victory points
- Column 1: Shipwrecks in the majority = 4 Victory points
- Column 2: 2 Sandbanks and 1 Shipwreck = 6 Victory points
- Column 3: no Sandbank, Kraken or Rock = 8 Victory points
- Column 4: no Kraken = 4 Victory points
- Total = 43 Victory points
The player with the most victory points is declared the winner.
In the event of a tie, the winner is the player who has followed the requirements of the most Expedition tiles. If a tie persists, the winner is the player who has met the requirements of the Expedition tile worth the most points. If there is still a tie, the players share the victory.
Young Mapmaker Game Mode
To play with younger children, it is recommended to play without Expedition tiles.
- Place 3 Sea Exploration tiles face up on the table and after each player's turn, replace the tile that has been taken with a new tile. This way players always have 3 tiles to choose from.
- At the end of the game, look at each column and each row individually and give 1 point for each example of the Marine Element that is in the majority. If there is a tie between several types of Marine Elements, choose one type of Marine Element to count.
The player with the most victory points is the winner.
Example: a row with 3 Leviathans, 2 Rocks and 2 Shipwrecks is worth 3 victory points because there are 3 Leviathans in the majority.
Expeditions
Each Expedition tile shows a requirement icon and a point value. The requirement types are:
- Exact count of specific Marine Elements: Each of the Marine Elements shown must appear in the row or column of this Expedition exactly as many times as the number shown. Other Marine Elements can also be present but will not be counted.
- Exact count of a chosen Marine Element: The Marine Element of your choice must appear in the row or column of this Expedition exactly as many times as the number shown. Other Marine Elements may also be present but will not be counted.
- Exact total count: The total number of Marine Elements, of any variety, in the row or column of this Expedition must be exactly the same as the number shown.
- Sets of Marine Elements: The player wins the victory points indicated for every corresponding set of Marine Elements found in the row or column of this Expedition. Sets do not necessarily have to be on the same tile.
- At least one of each: Each Marine Element must appear at least once in the row or column of this Expedition.
- Excluded Marine Element: The Marine Element that is crossed out must not be present in the row or column of this Expedition.
- Majority: The Marine Element shown must be the majority in the row or column of this Expedition.
Component Notes
- Sea Exploration tiles depict Marine Elements: Kraken, Maelstrom, Leviathan (sea serpent), Rock, Shipwreck, and Sandbank (deserted island).
- Expedition tiles are double-sided; one side offers a simpler requirement for fewer points, the other a harder requirement for more points. They ring the edges of each player's 4x4 sea map, one per row and one per column.