Manila (2026)

Manila (2026) Rulebook

Table of Contents

General Overview
Components
- General components
- Player components
Setup
Playing the Game
End of the Season and Interim Scoring
End of the Game and Final Scoring
Manila Tiles
- Type 1
- Type 2
- Type 3
Assembly Instructions
Icon Overview

General Overview

You live in the Philippine capital and help develop the surrounding island landscape.

The better you prove yourself, the higher the position that awaits you afterward …

To do so, you sail to the islands, plant fields there, and build trading posts and factories. Along the way, you seek support from influential people in Manila.

But watch out for the typhoons — they could disrupt your plans!

Components

General components

1 Cube tower
1 Action board
20 Fish*
30 Coins*
40 Sandbags*
3 Typhoon tiles
8 Frame pieces
16 Island boards
1 Manila board
40 Plant tiles (also called "plants", 8 per plant type)
1 Stefan Feld figure with base
1 black ship
49 Cubes, 7 each in 7 colors
79 Field tiles, referred to as "fields" from here on (18×1, 22×2, 8×3, 20×4, 6×5, 5×6)
13 Manila tiles Type 1
6 Manila tiles Type 2
18 Manila tiles Type 3

*Wooden components/metal coins only in the Deluxe edition!

Note: If the size 1 or 2 fields, the coins, or the fish run out, use substitute materials — the supply of these is considered unlimited.

Player components

Each player receives:

1 Player board
12 Trading posts
15 Warehouses
1 Ship
1 Pawn
1 Score marker
2 Score tiles
4 Storage tiles

Setup

1. Building the island landscape

a) Island setup for 2 players: the island landscape consists of 9 island boards and 4 large frame pieces. Island setup for 3 players: the island landscape consists of 12 island boards, 4 large and 2 small frame pieces. Island setup for 4 players: the island landscape consists of 16 island boards, 4 large and 4 small frame pieces.

b) Form a random island landscape from the island boards. The following rules apply:

Two land spaces must not be connected by just touching at a corner. The land spaces of each island must be connected edge-to-edge, and the island as a whole must be completely surrounded by water.
No water spaces may be completely enclosed by land.

Or, in other words, the following pattern consisting of 2 water and 2 land spaces must not occur.

c) Place the frame pieces around the island boards.

2. Place the Manila board next to the island landscape

Shuffle the Manila tiles separately by their 3 types, then lay out as many face-up tiles at each slot as there are players. Return the rest to the box.

a) 1st and 2nd slot: Type 1 Manila tiles
b) 3rd slot: Type 2 Manila tiles
c) 4.–7. slot: Manila tiles Type 3 (the printed rulebook reads "Manila-Plättchen Typ 3", a German term left over in the English edition; rendered here as "Manila tiles Type 3")

Shuffle the typhoon tiles with the neutral side face up. Randomly choose 2 of them and place them face down next to the Manila board. Return the remaining tile to the box without looking at it (!).

3. Place the action board next to the island landscape

Place the cubes in random combinations on the round spaces: 8 cubes on space 1, 6 cubes on space 7, and 7 cubes each on the remaining spaces.

4. Form the supply of fields, sorted separately by 3 sizes

a) Small fields, size 1 and 2 spaces (unlimited supply)
b) Medium fields, size 3 and 4 spaces (4x each shape)
c) Large fields, size 5 and 6 spaces (1x each shape)

5. Form the supply of coins, sandbags, fish, plants, and the black ship

You will only need the ship if Manila tile 26 is in play.

6. Set up the cube tower

Set up the cube tower (See p. 14). Setup before the first game: see p. 14.

7. Randomly determine the first player

Randomly determine the first player, and give them the Stefan Feld figure.

Player components

8. Choose a player color

Choose a player color. Take the following in that color and place them as depicted:

a) 1 player board,
b) 12 trading posts,
c) 15 warehouses,
d) 4 storage tiles (water side up),
e) 1 score marker (on space 0 of the action board),
f) 1 pawn (on the starting space of the Manila board),
g) 1 ship,
h) 2 score tiles, 50/100 and 150/200.

9. Take 1 coin and 1 fish

Take 1 coin and 1 fish and place them on your player board.

10. Return unused components

Return the components of any unused player colors to the box.

Playing the Game

Overview

You play Manila over 3 seasons. Each season consists of 7 rounds, and at the end of the 3rd season you play 1 additional bonus round.

At the start of each round, throw the cubes from the current round space into the cube tower to determine the actions available for that round.

Starting with the first player (who has the Stefan Feld figure) and continuing clockwise, each player carries out exactly 1 action.

After each season you perform an interim scoring, and after the 3rd interim scoring you also perform a final scoring.

Before the First Season

Choose a starting space for your ship:

Starting with the first player (who has the Stefan Feld figure) and continuing clockwise, every player chooses a starting space for their ship. This space must be an anchor space whose associated trading-post space is adjacent to a plant space:

Place your ship on the anchor space.
Place 1 trading post on the adjacent trading-post space.
Place a 1-space field on the adjacent plant space.
Take 1 tile of the depicted plant from the general supply and place it on your player board, on the leftmost space of your plant supply.

Playing a Round

1. Determine the available actions

Determine actions:

At the start of each round, throw the cubes from the current round space into the cube tower.

If the same number of cubes fall out on both sides of the cube tower: take the cubes from the side where the ramp shows this symbol (= : ○) and throw them into the cube tower again.

Then take the cubes from the side of the cube tower where more cubes fell out and place them on the action space in the middle of the action board (see right).

Place the remaining cubes from the cube tower onto the next round space.

The action space shows you which actions are available this round and how many action points (AP) you have available:

The colors of the cubes placed here show which actions are available this round (see below).
The highest number of same-colored cubes determines the number of AP for all actions (colors).

You can increase this number of AP by 1 or 2 by placing that many coins from your personal supply on top of your player board (see right). After your turn, return these coins to the general supply.

Example: White has the most cubes on the action space – 3 of them. This means you have 3 AP available, even if you choose an action other than Catch fish!

2. Perform actions

Starting with the first player (who has the Stefan Feld figure) and continuing clockwise, each player carries out exactly 1 of the available actions. Do not remove any cubes – everyone may perform the same action with the same number of AP!

Example: If the cubes are distributed as in the example above, you have the following actions to choose from, each with 3 AP: Catch fish, Store sandbags, Trade, or Visit Manila.

3. End of the round

Once everyone has carried out 1 action, the round ends. Pass the Stefan Feld figure clockwise.

Actions

There are 7 actions, each assigned to a different color:

Turquoise: Sail (Move your ship to anchor spaces to build trading posts there)
Brown: Place a field (Expand your field area and be rewarded with points)
Gray: Build a warehouse (Warehouses process your plants profitably)
Black: Store sandbags (Build up protection against the typhoons)
White: Catch fish (Fish can earn you income)
Red: Trade (Sell fish and invest the money)
Pink: Visit Manila (Visit Manila and meet influential people who will help you)

Sail

Note: With this action, you always have 1 extra AP!

For each AP, you may move your ship any distance vertically or horizontally in one direction.

If a movement ends on an anchor space where there is not yet a trading post, you build one trading post there for free. If you still have AP left, you may continue sailing, allowing you to build more than 1 trading post in a single turn.

Moving along the frame pieces costs 1 AP for travel of any distance, even around corners! Only turning onto an island board costs another 1 AP.

You may pass over other ships, but you may not end your move on a space where a ship is already standing.

Example: There are 2 white cubes on the action space. Since you choose the Sail the ship action (which always grants 1 extra AP), you may move your ship 3 times: with the 1st move, you sail to the frame; with the 2nd move, you sail along the frame pieces; with the 3rd move, you sail to the anchor space and place a trading post there.

Place a Field

With your AP you place 1 or more fields and score points for them. Depending on the size of the field (small: 1–2 spaces / medium: 3–4 spaces / large: 5–6 spaces), you need 1, 2, or 3 AP; you may also split your AP across several field tiles. For each field you place, you score 1, 3, or 6 points depending on its size.

You must place a field so that it is connected – directly or via other fields – to one of your own trading posts (see the top example images). Adjacent fields also count as connected if a warehouse is standing on one of them. Other players' trading posts and warehouses do not block you.

You may also place your fields on different islands.

If you cover a plant symbol with a field tile, take the matching plant from the supply and place it on the leftmost space of your plant supply – not yet on the matching symbols above your warehouse supply (see the middle example images).

Scoring an island: If placing a field fills the last open space on an island (empty trading-post spaces also count as filled!), that island is scored immediately. Anyone with at least 1 trading post or 1 warehouse on that island now scores points:

Count the number of island boards the island extends over.
Add the number of your own trading posts on the island.
Add the number of your own warehouses on the island.
If you placed the last field on the island, add 1.
Multiply this total by 3.

Example: The island extends over only 1 island board. Red has 1 trading post and 1 warehouse on the island, and Red also placed the last field. That gives 1+1+1+1=4. Multiplied by 3, that's 12 points.

Build a Warehouse

With your AP you build 1 or more warehouses. You must place each warehouse on an unoccupied field that is connected to one of your trading posts, either directly or via other fields.

You may freely choose which column you take a warehouse from, but you must take it from top to bottom from the supply on your player board. The number of AP required to place a warehouse is shown next to the row you take the warehouse from. If you spend 3 AP to take a warehouse from the bottom row, you immediately receive 1 coin from the supply.

Removing a warehouse from your player board increases the factor by which you multiply your number of plants during interim scoring.

Example: Blue has placed a warehouse. Since it was the last warehouse in that column, Blue immediately receives 1 coin. At interim scoring, Blue would score 3×6=18 points for this column.

Catch Fish

For each AP you gain 1 fish, which you place on your player board.

Trade

For each AP you may perform 1 of the following trade actions:

Spend 1 or 2 fish and receive 2 coins per fish.
Spend 1 coin to move 1 or 2 plants from the leftmost space of your plant supply onto the matching symbols above your warehouse supply.
Spend 1 coin to activate (flip) 1 storage tile, giving you 2 more spaces for sandbags.

Store Sandbags

For each AP you get 1 sandbag. Place the sandbags in your storage – each storage tile can accommodate 2 sandbags. Any excess sandbags are lost.

Visit Manila

The Manila tiles feature people whose abilities help you – either once immediately, permanently, or at the end of the game.

For each AP you advance 1 step on the Manila track. Whenever you reach or cross one of the 5 paths: choose one of the tiles located on that path and place it on your board. The individual tiles are explained in the appendix (see Manila Tiles, page 12).

For each step you would move beyond the end of the Manila track, you score 2 points instead.

Example: Green advances on the Manila track, reaches a pathway, chooses 1 of the tiles available there, and places it on their own player board.

End of the Season and Interim Scoring

The first two seasons end after 7 rounds.

Only after the 3rd season: pass the Stefan Feld figure once more and play 1 additional round. In this final round, you do not throw dice into the tower. Instead, you each have 1 AP available for an action of your choice. You may also boost this action with 1 or 2 coins.

At the end of each season, carry out the following 3 steps for the interim scoring:

1. Protection against the typhoon

The strength of the typhoon equals the sum of the values on the face-up typhoon tiles. You must have at least as many sandbags as the typhoon tiles' combined value.

There are then 2 possibilities:

a) You have enough sandbags: Great, the barrier holds! However, some of the sandbags were washed away – return half of the sandbags you used (rounded up) to the general supply. As a reward, you receive:

Points depending on the season: in season 1, 2, 3 you receive 2, 10, 20 points respectively.
Coins equal to the number of the current season (i.e., 1, 2, or 3).
3 points for every player who did not successfully protect themselves against the typhoon.

b) You don't have enough sandbags: The typhoon floods your shore.

Lose 1 trading post on a non-completed island (if you have no such trading post, you lose none).

You keep your sandbags.

Example: After the 3rd season, the typhoon has a total strength of 9. So you must have 9 sandbags to protect yourself from the typhoon. Once you've done that, you must give up 5 sandbags. You receive 20 points, 3 coins, and another 3 points for every player who could not protect themselves from the typhoon.

2. Warehouse scoring

Multiply the number of plants of each type on your player board by the highest factor unlocked beneath them. You score this value in points.

Example:

Cotton: 1 plant × factor 1 = 1 point
Coconut: 2 plants × factor 3 = 6 points
Tobacco leaves: 1 plant × factor 6 = 6 points
Coffee: 3 plants × factor 6 = 18 points
Sugarcane: 2 plants × factor 1 = 2 points

3. Preparing the next round after season 1 and 2

Reveal the next typhoon tile.
Remove all Manila tiles from the left-most slot (if any remain). Then shift all remaining Manila tiles 1 slot to the left.

End of the Game and Final Scoring

The game ends after the 3rd season, followed by the final scoring. You score points for:

Trading posts on different islands. Example: For 7 islands, you score 28 points.
Your position on the Manila track. Example: Yellow scores 14 points.
Coins: You score 1 point for every coin on your player board.
Each set of 5 different plants at your warehouses, worth 20 points per set. Example: You score 20 points because you have 1 set of 5 different plants at your warehouses.
Some of the Manila tiles. Example: You have 4 fish left over, so you score 16 points. (1 fish = 4 points)

Whoever is furthest ahead on the score track wins the game!

Use the score tiles to keep track of how many times you have circled the board. In the event of a tie, the advantage goes to the player whose piece has advanced further on the Manila board. If there is still a tie after that, you share the victory!

Manila Tiles

Type 1

When you perform the Store sandbags action, you get 2 extra AP.
When you perform the Catch fish action, you get 2 extra AP.
When you carry out the Trade action, you get 2 extra AP.
When you perform the Place a field action, you get 1 extra AP.
When you perform the Sail action, you get 1 extra AP.
When you perform the Visit Manila action, you get 1 extra AP.
When you perform the Build a warehouse action, you get 1 extra AP.
When you complete an island, you receive 1 fish.
During the Trade action, you receive 3 coins instead of 2 for every fish sold.
When you flip a storage tile during the Trade action, you immediately fill it with 2 sandbags.
When you take a Manila tile, you additionally receive 1 coin and 2 points.
When you successfully protect yourself from the typhoon during the interim scoring: immediately perform 1 action of your choice. You have 1 AP available and may still increase it with 1 or 2 coins.
You may replace coins with fish at any time. Immediately take 2 fish.

Type 2

When you build a trading post, you receive 1 coin.
When you place a field on an island, you receive 1 extra point.
During the Sail action, you may move your ship diagonally.
During the interim scoring, the other players need 1 extra sandbag to repel the typhoon.
Whenever you receive a plant, place it directly on your warehouses.
Place the black ship on an edge space of your choice – it now belongs to you. From now on, you may split your AP between both ships during the Sail action.

Type 3

Immediately fill your storage to the maximum with sandbags.
Immediately take 6 coins.
Immediately take 8 points.
Immediately place 1 large field (5 or 6 spaces) and receive the points for it.
Immediately take 4 fish.
Immediately take 1 fish and 1 coin for every completed island on which you have at least 1 trading post.
Immediately perform 1 action of your choice. You have 3 AP available and may still increase it with 1 or 2 coins.
Immediately sail your ship to any anchor space and build a trading post there.
Immediately resolve a Manila tile with the Instant symbol that is still on the Manila board.
Immediately resolve a Manila tile with the End-of-game symbol that is still on the Manila board.
At a time of your choice, take 1 plant token of your choice and place it at the matching warehouse.
At final scoring, you receive 3 points for every 2 sandbag storage spaces (whether filled or not).
At final scoring, you receive 4 points for every fish, up to a maximum of 20 points.
At final scoring, you receive 4 points per coin spent, up to a maximum of 24 points.
At final scoring, you receive 2 points for every sandbag in your storage.
At final scoring, you receive 1 point for every plant placed at your warehouses. Your plant supply does not count.
At final scoring, you receive 3 points for every island on which you have built at least 1 warehouse.
At final scoring, you may add 1 trading post to the count of islands on which you have trading posts.

Assembly Instructions

Tower:

Carefully push the cardboard out of the tower's punch holes. Fold the tower and the ramp. Slot the two wider crosspieces together to form a cross.
Insert the cross through the upper, blue holes of the tower on 3 sides. Insert the rear side tabs of the ramp into the back of the tower (the roof-shaped hole at the bottom). Make sure the red side of the tab sits in the red half of the hole, and the green side in the green half. Slide the lower ends of the ramp through the large side gaps in the tower wall.
Close the tower carefully. Make sure the fourth arm of the cross fits into the upper hole, and the front side tabs of the ramp fit into the roof-shaped hole at the bottom. Hook the fasteners into place.
Slide the narrower crosspieces through the middle (yellow) holes, so they hook into the matching holes on both sides of the tower.

Funnel: Fold the side pieces toward each other and hook the fasteners into place.

Tray: Fold the side pieces up. Attach the end pieces on both sides.

Icon Overview

The printed icon overview is a pictogram key; the symbols are shown as images in the rulebook. Its legend covers: Trading post; Coin; Interim scoring; Yourself; Warehouse; Plant (personal supply); Final scoring; The other players; Manila tile (Instant action, Permanent, Final scoring, One island, Completed island, Completed island with a trading post, Warehouse on an island); Action (Place a field, Build a warehouse, Catch fish, Trade, Visit Manila, Store sandbags, Sail, Ship may move diagonally); Typhoon; Typhoon repelled; Refill all storage tiles; Activate a storage tile (flip it); Full storage tile; Move the ship; Spend or lose; Gain; Place a field (sizes 1+2, 3+4, 5+6); Deploy/place frame pieces of the island landscape; Points.