Mexica
Mexica Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
- 72 Temples, made of resin
- 1 Gameboard
- 4 Player Aids
- 37 Large Canal Tiles
- 6 Small Canal Tiles
- 15 Calpulli Tokens
- 12 Action Tokens
- 4 Score Marker Cubes
- 4 Pilli Mexica Pawns
- 11 wood Bridges
- 1 Rulebook
1. Goal of the Game
Today, thanks to you, the voice of the Mexica can be heard again! This game will help you revive their powerful empire.
The year is 1325, and we have just discovered the original island, as foretold in the prophecy. We will once again construct Tenochtitlan, the future Aztec capital.
Each of you is a Pilli Mexica, a great noble. To make yourself even more indispensable for the sovereign, construct canals to carve out districts (calpulli) of specific sizes, as commanded by the Emperor. Travel to these districts to found them officially before anyone else does. Construct bridges across these canals, to connect districts together.
Travel by foot (entirely on land, or by passing over these bridges) or by boat (navigating from one bridge to another).
Build temples in the districts, so that the sum of their levels is greater than any other player's. This way, you demonstrate your spiritual supremacy and gain favor with the Emperor.
By creating, and then founding districts, and by the predominance of your temples in each of them, you earn prestige points, recorded on the track that wraps around the outside of the gameboard.
Whoever is ahead at the end of the game will be declared the winner, and called to a higher office at the Emperor's side.
2. Components and Setup
The first time you play the game, carefully detach all the cardboard tiles by hand from their pre-cut.
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Place the board in the middle of the table. It represents the island where you will build Tenochtitlan. It consists of the island divided into land spaces, surrounded by the lake, wrapped by the prestige track, which you will use to track the prestige the players accumulate over the course of the game; in the lower-right corner, there is a display of the Emperor's commands.
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Shuffle the 15 calpulli (district) tokens of different values face-down. Their values indicate the size of the district demanded by the Emperor, as well as the prestige points awarded for their foundation and at the ends of the two periods. Reveal 8 at random, and place them on the spaces provided for them on the gameboard, arranging them in ascending order according to the yellow number at the top of each token (this makes it easier to see what sizes of districts need to be created during the game). Set aside the 7 other tokens, still face-down; you will use them during the second period of the game.
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Set the 43 canal tiles (6 one-space tiles and 37 two-space tiles), which will serve to delimit the construction of the districts, in two piles near each other. Position 2 two-space canal tiles on the canal spaces already dug out on the board such that they fully cover the illustration.
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Place the 11 bridges, which are used to connect the districts and to facilitate movement between them, beside the gameboard.
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Place the 12 Action Point tokens in a pile near the gameboard.
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Each player receives 1 of the 4 Player Aid cards. Side A summarizes the number of calpulli tokens and temples available to you at the start of each period; Side B summarizes the actions you can take during your turn, and their cost in Action Points (AP).
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Then each player chooses a color (black, grey, tan, or red). Now take the following:
- The prestige points marker in your color, which you place on space "0" on the prestige track.
- The Pilli Mexica of your color.
- The 18 temples of 1 to 4 levels of your color.
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From your 18 temples (as indicated on Side A of the Player Aid), take 9:
- 3 temples with 1 level
- 3 temples with 2 levels
- 2 temples with 3 levels
- 1 temple with 4 levels
and place them in front of you, so you can use them during the first period of the game. Set the 9 remaining temples aside; you will use them during the second period of the game.
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Now turn your Player Aid over to Side B, which shows the different actions possible on your turn, and how many Action Points each costs.
For a 2-player game, after reading the rest of these rules, please refer to special rules in Chapter 7.
Calpulli Tokens
The calpulli tokens serve to identify the founded districts. A limited number of calpulli tokens can be placed during each period. The values indicate the size of the district, as well as the prestige points earned when founding it, and at the end of each period.
When founding the district:
- (yellow) Size of the district: the number of spaces that must be in the district.
- (blue) Prestige earned by the player who founds the district.
- (white) Prestige earned by the players whose Pilli Mexica is present in the district at the moment it is founded.
At the end of each period:
- (yellow) Prestige earned by the player who has the greatest spiritual value.
- (blue) Prestige earned by the player who has the second-greatest spiritual value.
- (white) Prestige earned by the player who has the third-greatest spiritual value.
Placement at the start of the game
- Turn order goes clockwise around the table.
- Out of respect for the ancient Mexica, the oldest player will be the first player.
- Starting with the first player, and in turn order, each player chooses a starting space D on the gameboard (in the Emperor's palace), on which she places her Pilli Mexica.
Note: The Emperor's palace occupies 5 spaces: the 4 starting spaces and the center space with Mexican emblem. No tile, calpulli token, or temple can ever be placed on any part of the palace. Only the Pilli Mexica can cross or stand on the palace spaces.
3. Playing the Game
The game plays out over two distinct periods, each of which is divided into a variable number of rounds.
First Period
The first period ends as soon as the 2 following conditions are met:
- The 8 calpulli tokens on the Emperor's commands display have been used to found districts.
- At least one player has placed all 9 of her initial temples on the gameboard.
At that moment, the players will finish the round (so everyone gets the same number of turns), and then it is time for the first scoring of prestige points. Once the scoring is complete, the second period begins.
Second Period
- Take the other 9 temples of your color, which you had set aside at the beginning of the game.
Note: Any players who placed all 9 of their first temples on the gameboard will thus now have 9 new temples available to place during the second period; however, the other players will have the 9 new temples in addition to any they did not place during the first period, which means that these players will have more than 9 temples available to place during the second period.
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The first player for the second period is the same as in the first period. All the rules still apply in the second period.
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If all players agree that an available calpulli token can no longer be used to found a district, immediately remove that token from play.
This is possible (for example) when...
- There are not enough canal tiles available to carve out a district of the appropriate size.
- There is no longer a large enough land area to carve out a district of the appropriate size.
Note that you can still carve out a new district even if there are no calpulli tokens corresponding to its size.
After the first period, the 7 other calpulli tokens that were set aside will be placed on the display of the Emperor's commands in ascending order, according to the size of the district (yellow number). Then take the 9 temples you set aside at the beginning of the game, and set them before you, adding them to any you had remaining after the first period. All of these are available for you in the second period.
The second period ends as soon as the 2 following conditions are met:
- The 7 calpulli tokens on the Emperor's commands display have been used to found districts (or have been removed from play because it has become impossible to found the corresponding districts).
- At least one player has placed all of her temples on the gameboard.
At that moment, the players will finish the round (so everyone gets the same number of turns), and then it is time for the final scoring of prestige points. This means that the game ends after a variable number of rounds.
Whoever is ahead on the prestige track is declared the winner!
4. Your Turn
On each of your turns, you have 6 Action Points to spend, which is abbreviated: 6 AP.
These 6 AP diminish during your turn according to the actions that you take. As shown on Side B of the Player Aid in front of you, each of these actions costs a certain number of Action Points. You are not required to use all 6 AP on your turn; however, any AP you don't spend go to waste. During your turn, you can take any combination of the following actions, in any order, and you are welcome to take each action as many times as you want (and can afford):
| Action | Action Cost |
|---|---|
| Construct a canal | 1 AP |
| Found a district (your Pilli Mexica must be present in the district) | 0 AP |
| Construct or relocate a bridge | 1 AP |
| Build a temple (your Pilli Mexica must be present in the district) | 1–4 AP |
| Move your Pilli Mexica | 1 / 5 AP |
| Take an Action Point token | 1 AP |
| Spend an Action Point token | 0 AP |
A. Construct a Canal
Of course, the nobles did not directly participate in the construction of the canals: They left this tedious, manual task to the people. Thus, the Pilli Mexica does not need to stand alongside canals as they are placed.
At the start of the game, all land spaces of the island form a single, huge district. Over the course of the game, the players divide this district into smaller districts by constructing canals to use water (canals / lake) to surround precisely as many land spaces as they want. It is sufficient for canals to touch diagonally at a corner in order to close off a district. In this way, the number of districts will continue to increase as more are carved out throughout the game.
A district that has been carved out, but not yet founded, i.e. a district without any calpulli token in it, is not protected. Any player can reduce it further by simply placing a new canal tile, or it could even be subdivided into several smaller districts.
- Constructing a canal costs 1 AP, whether you are placing a single or double (square or rectangular) canal tile.
- You can construct a canal wherever you wish, contiguous with another, or completely separate, as long as it is on empty land spaces.
Remarks
- You cannot place part or all of a canal tile...
- on one of the 5 palace spaces.
- on another canal tile.
- on the lake.
- on a space holding up a bridge.
- in a district that has already been founded.
- You can carve out districts anywhere on the island, regardless of where your Pilli Mexica is.
B. Found a District
Founding a new district is an important act for the vitality of the city, and this official celebration can only take place if the Pilli Mexica is present in the district; he will gain prestige as the Emperor sees his completion of this important task.
You found a district by placing a calpulli token corresponding to the size of the district; this token must be available on the display of the Emperor's commands on the gameboard. These tokens show the size of the districts the Emperor wants to see founded, and they indicate the amount of prestige to be gained by doing so.
- Founding a district costs 0 AP (free action).
- In order to found a district (calpulli), two conditions must be met:
- Your Pilli Mexica must be on one of the spaces of the district you are founding.
- A matching calpulli token must be available in the display of the Emperor's commands. A calpulli token matches if its first number (yellow) corresponds exactly to the number of spaces enclosed by the lake and/or canals surrounding the district.
- When you found a district, take the calpulli token that matches its size, and place it on any empty land space in the district that you wish.
- You can always recognize a founded district by its having a calpulli token on one of its spaces (such an official act is set in stone); this token can never be moved from this space for the rest of the game. It is also forbidden to enter that space or build on it.
Remarks
- You are totally allowed both to carve out and to found a district in the same turn, or to do so in different turns.
- You can found a district that was carved out by another player.
- It does not matter whether you carve out a district by placing a canal, and then move your Pilli Mexica into it, or carve out a district around your Pilli Mexica. What matters is that your Pilli Mexica is present in the district at the moment that you place the calpulli tile in that district to found it.
- You are allowed to found a district that contains the entirety of the Emperor's palace. These 5 spaces count toward the number of land spaces in that district; however, you are not allowed to place a calpulli token on any of these 5 spaces, lest you anger the Emperor by defacing his palace.
When you found a district, you immediately score prestige points! (see Chapter 5)
C. Construct or Relocate a Bridge
As with the canals, the nobles did not personally participate in the construction of bridges, again leaving such menial tasks to the workers. Thus, the Pilli Mexica does not need to be present beside bridges that he places or moves.
- Constructing or relocating a bridge costs 1 AP.
- You can build a bridge on any canal tile, as long as both of its access ramps face land spaces (no matter whether they are empty or occupied).
Remarks
- Either or both land spaces that give access to a bridge can be occupied by buildings, calpulli tokens, or Pilli Mexica pawns. Access to the bridge can be temporarily or permanently blocked this way.
- Two bridges can span the same canal side-by-side in the same direction.
- On the other hand, bridges cannot be chained to make one long bridge; at least one land space must separate their respective ramps.
- A bridge cannot end in the lake or a canal.
- You can also relocate a bridge for 1 AP, but only once all the bridges from the supply have been constructed already on the board, and only if there is no Pilli Mexica on the bridge in question. Although you are effectively demolishing one bridge and rebuilding it elsewhere, relocating a bridge costs only 1 AP.
D. Build a Temple
Overseeing construction of a temple and consecrating it to a deity is a major event in the life of the city. The Pilli Mexica absolutely must be present in order for a temple to be built.
- Building a temple costs from 1 to 4 AP, depending on its number of levels. In order to facilitate gameplay, each temple has the number of AP required to build it engraved in its roof, so you don't need to count the number of levels. The more levels a temple has, the more AP it costs to build.
- You can build a temple on any empty land space in a district (even if it has not been founded yet), provided your Pilli Mexica is in that district, by spending a number of AP equal to the number of levels in the temple.
Remarks
- You can only build one temple on each land space. A temple can neither be built atop another temple nor to replace one. Once it has been built, you can never demolish nor "upgrade" a temple.
- You can build a temple even in a district that has not been founded, no matter how large or small it is.
- You are allowed to build a temple on a space that gives access to a bridge, which will block access to the bridge.
- You can only build a temple on a land space, but not on the 5 spaces of the Emperor's palace.
- You cannot build a temple on water.
Note: At the start of the game, the island forms one large district. Gradually, as you construct canals, you will divide this district into smaller districts that can be further subdivided and subdivided, until they have been founded. As a result, you can build a temple as early as the first turn of the game, anytime you want, regardless of the size of the district.
Building temples enables you to increase your spiritual grandeur in order to earn prestige points at the end of each period. (see Chapter 5)
E. Move Your Pilli Mexica
Your Pilli Mexica moves on land, crosses canals on bridges, and also travels by boat, navigating the canals from bridge to bridge.
On Foot
- Moving your Pilli Mexica to an adjacent empty space or bridge costs 1 AP.
- This movement is always orthogonal, never diagonal.
Remarks
- Your Pilli Mexica can backtrack during its move.
- You can never pass through or stop on an opponent's Pilli Mexica, a temple, or a calpulli token: They are impassable obstacles.
- If you move your Pilli Mexica onto a bridge you are not required to cross it in the same turn; in fact, you may choose to remain on the bridge (to block it from being crossed or moved, for example).
By Boat (from one bridge to another)
- Moving your Pilli Mexica from one bridge to the next bridge connected by water costs 1 AP.
- In order to move your Pilli Mexica along a canal, you must start this movement step on a bridge, so you can use a boat.
- A bridge is connected to another bridge if you can trace an uninterrupted line of canals and/or lake between them. The lake is very useful in this situation for traveling long distances for very few AP.
Remarks
- The boats are not really represented on the gameboard. When you use a boat, you also must use your imagination. You can always assume that there is a boat waiting for you under each bridge.
- In order to move from one bridge to another, the canals between them must form an uninterrupted path. Canals that only touch diagonally at a corner are not connected, and a boat cannot jump diagonally from one to the other.
- You cannot pause your boat ride to end your move sitting on a canal. You cannot end your movement until you reach an empty bridge.
- You can move your Pilli Mexica by boat "through" a bridge occupied by another Pilli Mexica. Because your boat can travel under bridges, the opposing Pilli Mexica is not an obstacle to continued movement; however, you cannot stop on that occupied bridge. Also, you must still spend 1 AP just as if you had stopped on the bridge and continued to the next one.
- If the canal you are using connects to the lake, your Pilli Mexica can continue his movement by using the lake; however, he must enter another canal that also connects to the lake so he can finish his move on a bridge. The lake enables you to travel long distances for just 1 AP.
- Whether you are in a canal or on the lake, you cannot interrupt your movement by disembarking onto a land space. You must disembark on an empty bridge. Similarly, you cannot start a water journey from a land space; you must start from standing on a bridge. Each water move from one bridge to another costs 1 AP. Reaching the second bridge costs 1 AP whether you are stepping onto the bridge, or passing right under it to continue along the canal.
By Using the Teleport Move
- Moving your Pilli Mexica to any empty land space or bridge you wish costs 5 AP.
- The "Teleport" move allows you to teleport your Pilli Mexica to any empty land space or bridge on the gameboard, which allows you to avoid obstacles and/or being penned in, or even just to move really quickly to any empty space on the island.
Remark
- In (only) the first round of the game, you are not allowed to pen a player in, or to surround her with Pilli Mexica, temples, and/or canals.
F. Take an Action Point Token
- Taking an Action Point token costs 1 AP.
Remarks
- You can only take a maximum of 2 Action Point tokens per turn (by spending 1 AP per token).
- If there are no more Action Point tokens available in the supply, you cannot take one at the moment.
G. Spend an Action Point Token
- Spending an Action Point token costs 0 AP, and gives you one extra AP during this turn (thus exceeding the normal limit of 6 AP).
Remarks
- As long as you have Action Point tokens, you can spend as many of them as you want during the same turn.
- Return the tokens you spend to the supply, which makes them available once again for someone to take (which could be you or another player).
- Understand that using Action Point tokens does not give one player more Action Points during the game than the others. Because taking an Action Point token costs 1 AP, you are effectively deferring the AP to a later turn, which essentially just alters the timing of spending your allotted AP.
Summary of Possible Actions (Player Aid)
Remember that during your turn, you can take any or all of these different actions, each one as many times as you want (and can), and in whatever order you wish. You have a maximum of 6 Action Points (AP) to do this, although you may have some "additional actions" available by spending an Action Point token for each additional AP you spend.
| Action | Cost | Conditions to respect |
|---|---|---|
| Construct a canal (single or double) | 1 AP | Only on empty land spaces. |
| Construct or relocate a bridge | 1 AP | Can only be placed such that it crosses the canal. |
| Move your Pilli Mexica by foot to a land space or bridge, or from a bridge to a land space | 1 AP | Only orthogonally; never diagonally. A Pilli Mexica can never cross or stop in a land space occupied by a Pilli Mexica, a temple, or a calpulli token. Only by boat can he pass under an occupied bridge. |
| Move your Pilli Mexica by boat from one bridge to another | 1 AP | Only traveling along canals and possibly the lake. Occupied bridges are not obstacles. |
| Move your Pilli Mexica (in one action) to any space on the island (Teleport) | 5 AP | To any empty land space or bridge you wish. |
| Build a 1-level temple | 1 AP | Only on an empty land space, with your Pilli Mexica present in the district (regardless of whether it is founded). |
| Build a 2-level temple | 2 AP | Only on an empty land space, with your Pilli Mexica present in the district (regardless of whether it is founded). |
| Build a 3-level temple | 3 AP | Only on an empty land space, with your Pilli Mexica present in the district (regardless of whether it is founded). |
| Build a 4-level temple | 4 AP | Only on an empty land space, with your Pilli Mexica present in the district (regardless of whether it is founded). |
| Take 1 Action Point token | 1 AP | Can take a maximum of 2 tokens per turn. |
| Take 2 Action Point tokens | 2 AP | Can take a maximum of 2 tokens per turn. |
| Spend 1 Action Point token | 0 AP | You can spend as many tokens as you want in the same turn. |
| Found a district | 0 AP | You can only found a district if the matching calpulli token is available, and your Pilli Mexica is in the district. |
5. Earning Prestige Points
Earning Points Each Time a District is Founded
Throughout the game, players score prestige points at the moment each district is founded.
- The player who founds a district immediately scores a number of prestige points equal to the blue number depicted on the calpulli token.
- If there are other Pilli Mexica pawns in the district at the moment it is founded, their owners each score a number of prestige points equal to the white number depicted on the calpulli token.
These players immediately advance their prestige marker a corresponding number of points along the prestige track that wraps around the gameboard.
B. Earning Points at the End of the First Period
Remember: The first period ends as soon as the following 2 conditions are met:
- The 8 calpulli tokens on the Emperor's commands display have been used to found districts.
- At least one player has placed all 9 of her initial temples on the gameboard. At that moment, the players will finish the round (so everyone gets the same number of turns), and then it is time for the first scoring of prestige points.
Calculate Spiritual Grandeur in Founded Districts
Each founded district grants prestige points, depending on your spiritual grandeur. To determine your spiritual grandeur, add up the number of levels in your temples in that district (not the number of temples).
Example: You have built two 3-level temples and one 2-level temple in the same district, so your spiritual grandeur in this district is 3 + 3 + 2 = 8.
- If you have the greatest spiritual grandeur in the district, you score a number of prestige points equal to the yellow number depicted on the calpulli token in the district.
- If you have the second-greatest spiritual grandeur in the district, you score a number of prestige points equal to the blue number depicted on the calpulli token in the district.
- If you have the third-greatest spiritual grandeur in the district, you score a number of prestige points equal to the white number depicted on the calpulli token in the district.
- The fourth-greatest scores nothing.
These players advance their prestige markers along the prestige track according to the points each earned in this district, and then you evaluate another founded district, and so on until all have been scored. To keep track of which districts have already been scored, flip each district's calpulli token face-down after you score it.
Remarks
- In the case of a tie, each tied player scores the full value for her place.
- If two players tie for first place, nobody scores for second place, but there is a third place.
- If three players tie for first place, nobody scores for second or third place.
- If several players tie for second place, nobody scores for third place.
- Districts that have not been founded are ignored during this first scoring.
If your Pilli Mexica is standing on one of the 4 starting spaces at the moment of the scoring, you score 5 additional prestige points (otherwise, your Pilli Mexica's location does not matter at all).
Once all the scoring is complete, flip the calpulli tokens face-up again. They stay where they are for the rest of the game.
Remember: After the first period, the 7 other calpulli tokens that were set aside will be placed on the display of the Emperor's commands in ascending order, according to the size of the district (yellow number). Then take the 9 temples you set aside at the beginning of the game, and set them before you, adding them to any you had remaining after the first period. All of these are available for you in the second period.
C. Earning Points at the End of the Second Period
Remember: The second period ends as soon as the 2 following conditions are met:
- The 7 calpulli tokens on the Emperor's commands display have been used to found districts (or have been removed from play — see Chapter 3: Second Period).
- At least one player has placed all of her temples on the gameboard.
Finish the round (so everyone gets the same number of turns), and then it is time for the final scoring.
Calculate Spiritual Grandeur in Founded Districts
The rules for scoring spiritual grandeur in founded districts are exactly the same as for the first period, and districts scored in the first period score again in the second period, along with any new ones.
Calculate Spiritual Grandeur in Districts That Have Not Been Founded
This time, the districts that have not been founded (i.e. they have no calpulli token) are also scored, according to the following rules:
- If you have the greatest spiritual grandeur in the district, you score a number of prestige points equal to the number of spaces in this district.
- If you have the second-greatest spiritual grandeur in the district, you score a number of prestige points equal to half the number of spaces in this district (rounded up).
- If you have the third-greatest spiritual grandeur in the district, you score a number of prestige points equal to half of the points for second place (rounded up).
- The fourth-greatest scores nothing.
If your Pilli Mexica is standing on one of the 4 starting spaces at the moment of the scoring, you score 5 additional prestige points (otherwise, your Pilli Mexica's location does not matter at all).
6. End of the Game
The game ends immediately after the second scoring.
The player who has the most points on the prestige track is the winner.
If there is a tie, the tied player with the most Action Point tokens remaining wins the game and becomes the Pilli Mexica favored by the Emperor.
If it is still a tie, the players tied for first all win.
7. Special Rules for 2 Players
At the start of the game, select a third color to be neutral, which gets 10 temples:
- 4 temples with 1 level
- 3 temples with 2 levels
- 2 temples with 3 levels
- 1 temple with 4 levels
At the start of the game, randomly distribute these 10 temples, comprising a total of 20 levels, according to the following rules:
- These temples cannot be placed on a space adjacent to the lake.
- There must be at least 4 spaces between these temples.
At the end of each of the two periods, take these temples into account when determining spiritual grandeur for each quarter (for 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place).
Variant: You can increase the difficulty of the game by increasing the total number of temple levels for the neutral player (making the total number of levels greater than 20).
"These special rules for 2 players were created by Peter Steinert, and are validated and published with the permission of the game designers."
Credits
Designers: Wolfgang Kramer and Michael Kiesling. A game published by Super Meeple (English edition by IELLO). Cover Illustration: Paul Mafayon. Board Illustration: Christophe Swal. Translation: Nathan Morse.