Migration: A Story of Generations Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Overview
• Rules and Exceptions
  • Setup
  • Basics
  • Expansion
  • Migration
  • End of Game
• Abilities
  • Bass
  • Oak
  • Rats
  • Sparrow
  • Fly
• Many Players
• Book II: A Saga of Conflict
  • Balance, Power and Inspiration
  • Forest Pieces
    • Wolf
    • Skunk
    • Poison Oak
  • Desert Pieces
    • Jackal
    • Lizard
    • Cactus
  • Terrain Modifiers
    • Lake
    • Mountain

Overview

In Migration, players take on the role of vast numbers of migratory Explorers, establishing Towns over generations by playing them on a hexagonal grid of land. Each Town is established or treated uniquely according to its type. Some towns give you more options or powers, while others interfere with your opponents. When all the territory is filled up, leaving no way to establish more towns, players count the points they earned from their towns (usually 1 point each). The player with the most points wins.

• Explorer: A game piece that represents a character and resides in your hand. Explorers are secret information.
• Town: A game piece that is on the board, face-up. Towns earn you points at the end of the game and often have other effects as they come into play or while they are in play.

Rules and Exceptions

Below are all the normal rules. These rules apply to every Explorer unless it specifically says otherwise. Exceptions always take priority over rules.

Setup

• Select a player who has not yet been the Founder during this series of games randomly.
• The Founder chooses one Island Plate for each player and arranges them so that they are connected.
• That player then puts a Fertile Region terrain modifier on each Interior Region, that is each Region that is surrounded on all 6 sides by other land Regions.
• Each player selects a color and secretly chooses 12 Explorers of their color. Players should make sure they have a Bass in their list. Players may look at the map before they choose their Explorers. Players conceal their choices for the duration of the game.
• The Founder then chooses which other player goes first. Play follows in a clockwise direction.

Setup terms:

• Island Plate: A series of seven contiguous hexagons that connect to form the play area for a game of Migration. There is one Island Plate that is composed of one shape of 4 hexagons and one shape of 3. This pair counts as one Island Plate. When building a map with this Island Plate, they can be placed adjacent, separated, or as an independent island separate from the rest. This island is only reachable by Bass.
• Fertile Region: A terrain modifier with the symbol of a pear. Towns established on a Fertile Region are worth an extra point at the end of the game.
• Region: One land hexagon is called a Region.

Basics

Players take turns by choosing an Explorer in their hand and playing it on the board as a Town coming from your Pioneer Spirit. Some Towns affect the area around them or have abilities that are triggered by certain events. It is valuable to keep these pieces in mind during play. See the Abilities section for more details on these special powers.

The Pioneer Spirit is a special marker that each player possesses. It moves around during play according to where you've most recently established a Town. Players may typically establish a Town only coming from their Pioneer Spirit. When a player establishes a Town, that player moves his or her Pioneer Spirit to the new town to end their turn.

At the beginning of the game, you don't have a Pioneer Spirit on the board, so you have to establish a Town that doesn't need one. In Book I, the only Explorer who can do this is the Bass. Place your Bass on any Coastal Region. Then, because you have established a new Town, place your Pioneer Spirit on that Bass. Now that you have a Pioneer Spirit on the map, you can establish any Town you want on your next turn. You may establish a Town either by Expansion or Migration.

Basics terms:

• Pioneer Spirit: This marker represents your peoples' drive to go out and explore. You need a Pioneer Spirit in order to establish a Town. When you establish a Town, move your Pioneer Spirit to your new Town to end your turn.
• Bass: See the abilities section for details.
• Coastal Region: A Region that touches the exterior edges of the map. Never an Interior Region. Coastal Regions can never have the Fertile terrain modifier.

Expansion

When you establish a Town by expansion, place one of your Explorers in a Frontier Region that is adjacent to your Pioneer Spirit. That piece is now a Town. Then move your Pioneer Spirit to that Town.

• Frontier Region: A Region that has no Towns or Wasteland on it.

Migration

Establishing a Town by Migration allows you to set a new piece farther away from your Pioneer Spirit. Although it is expensive, it is often an excellent option.

1. When you establish a Town by Migration, place one of your Explorers on a Frontier Region that is on a straight line coming from your Pioneer Spirit. This line can go over Wasteland, but can not go over Towns (see the Sparrow for an exception). After you place your Explorer there, it is a Town.
2. Then, select one of your Explorers from your hand for each Region between your Pioneer Spirit and your new Town.
3. Place those pieces face-down in those Regions. These pieces are now Wasteland. They represent waste, effort, loss of resources, and the creatures who died of dysentery on their perilous journey. You must pay one piece of Wasteland even for Regions that are already Wasteland.
4. Last, Move your Pioneer Spirit to the new Town.

All Explorers can establish a Town with Expansion or Migration.

Players continue taking turns by Expanding or Migrating until the board is filled up or all players have run out of legal moves.

• Wasteland: A piece that has been placed on the board face-down. Wasteland belongs to no one. It is not considered a Town. It does not grant points at the end of the game. Players may not typically establish Towns on Wasteland.

Players may not peek at the identity of a Wasteland piece once it is in play.

If you ever lose your Pioneer Spirit, certain Explorers have abilities to regain it. If you cannot regain your Pioneer Spirit, your turn is skipped until all other players can no longer make legal moves. If you ever can't make a legal move or choose not to, remove your Pioneer Spirit from the board. If you can't get your Pioneer Spirit back, your turn will be skipped as above.

End of Game

When no players can make legal moves, count the number of Towns each player has established (Wasteland does not count). Each player gets 1 point for each established Town. Players gain 1 additional point for each occupied Fertile Region. The player with the most points wins.

Before attempting to include Explorer abilities into their Migration game, some players might prefer to play a game using only the above rules. This ensures that players understand what is meant by the Pioneer Spirit, Expansion, Migration and scoring. Once players understand those ideas, they can add the abilities below.

Abilities

In Migration, all the Explorers have unique abilities that equip them to handle a variety of common scenarios. Unlike in chess and similar games, there is no hierarchy of power. You will find yourself in situations where you wish you had each piece.

Bass

The Bass can establish a Town on any Coastal Region without needing a Pioneer Spirit. Whenever you play the Bass, simply choose any Frontier Coastal Region and play him there. He still gains your Pioneer Spirit after you establish his Town as normal. Because he does not require a Pioneer Spirit, he is the only piece you can play on your first turn (unless you are using the Explorers from Book II). This can also help you if you ever lose your Pioneer Spirit.

Oak

At the beginning of your turn, you may move your Pioneer Spirit from anywhere to your Oak Town. After using this ability, you can take your normal turn, moving out from the Oak Town. If you lose your Pioneer Spirit, you can use this ability to regain it. It is wise to play an Oak early in order to give yourself more options late in the game.

Rats

Rats are worth two points at the end of the game. Rats win games. Establish Towns with as many Rats as you can, and force your opponent into positions where he or she cannot establish Towns with Rats.

Sparrow

The Sparrow may Migrate over Towns. When the Sparrow Migrates over a Town, the piece the player discards as a Wasteland (see "Migration" above) covers that Town, taking it out of play. If that Town had a Pioneer Spirit on it, remove that Spirit. Players should be very careful not to become a victim of their opponent's Sparrow! The Sparrow represents the best way to control your opponents' options in Book I. Remember that all Explorers may Migrate, but only the Sparrow may Migrate over Towns. If you Migrate over your own town you must cover it.

Fly

The Fly may establish Towns on Wasteland. This ability allows the Fly to pick up the spaces left over from rapid Migration or fierce battle. Often, the points picked up by the Fly make the difference between victory and defeat. Of course, he can still establish Towns normally as well.

Many Players

When playing with 3 or 4 players, remember to include one Island Plate for each player during the setup phase. Play a number of games equal to the number of players and keep track of the score each round. After each round, choose a new Founder (see Setup) who has not yet been the Founder. At the end of the series, each player will have been the Founder exactly once. The player with the highest total score at the end of those games is the winner. Feel free to count insults, seek vengeance, and gang up on the leader. The game is even balanced to handle a Kingmaker attempt, and underdogs often come up victorious.

Book II: A Saga of Conflict

The pieces explained in this manual are advanced compared to those in Book I. You are encouraged to play Book I a few times before you attempt to include the Explorers and rules of Book II into your play.

Balance, Power and Inspiration

Most players change their opinions about the value of the Explorers from Book II over time. It is common for a player to consider one piece overpowered in one situation and underpowered in another. This is because the value of each piece varies, depending on the scenario and the thinking of the player. Sometimes it helps to build your team around a certain strategy, while other times, it helps to underemphasize your favorite Explorer so that your opponent doesn't make efforts to counter it. To master Migration, you must be flexible, curious, patient and open-minded.

Forest Pieces

Forest creatures are fierce and territorial. They mark their grounds and guard them jealously. With the Forest set, carve out a generous plot of land and punish those who encroach on your property while aggressively invading and cornering your opponent's area. Watch your opponents crash into each other as they avoid your persistent threats.

Wolf

You may establish the Wolf on any Frontier Forest Region without needing a Pioneer Spirit. If you end your turn with two of your Wolves adjacent to one enemy Town, flip that Town to its Wasteland side. Compared to the Bass, the Wolf offers fewer starting positions, but can serve a persistent role later in the game. Use the Wolf to claim territory and dare your opponents to approach. When a Wolf flips an enemy Town, it loses its Pioneer Spirit.

• Forest Region: A Region with a forest symbol on it.

Skunk

As long as the Skunk has your Pioneer Spirit, opponents may not establish Towns adjacent to that Skunk. Unlike the other Forest Creatures, the Skunk provides only a temporary effect, but that effect is powerful indeed. The Skunk can outright claim an area, leaving an opponent without any moves, turning an opponent around, or simply getting that extra Region you wanted at the right time.

Poison Oak

At the end of each of your turns, remove all enemy Pioneer Spirits that are adjacent to your Poison Oak. The Poison Oak is a flexible piece that can be used to assault your enemies, sometimes grabbing multiple Pioneer Spirits and forcing those players to look elsewhere. It can also lock down an area for a long time, causing your opponents to compete with each other over what's left.

Desert Pieces

Creatures in the Desert thrive on a scarcity of resources. Where other creatures might starve, wither or die of thirst, a creature in the Desert can glean the necessary nutrients from their scant surroundings. This set excels in playing, encouraging and benefiting from Wasteland, while punishing enemy Towns for banding together.

Jackal

The Jackal is worth one point plus one extra point for each adjacent Wasteland. This piece seems simple, but can be challenging to use correctly. Maximize its use when you have a sizeable area to yourself. You can Migrate and fill up the board with Wasteland, often netting you 3+ points in a turn. However, this Explorer is hard-countered by enemy Flies, so your positioning is critically important.

Lizard

After you move your Pioneer Spirit to your Lizard Town, you may Expand or Migrate again this turn. If you do, flip him immediately after. The Lizard doesn't appear much in the spotlight and it is rarely face-up at the end of a game. However, it allows you to gain valuable angles of movement for delivering your disruptive and controlling Explorers.

Cactus

When you establish a Cactus Town, leave your Pioneer Spirit on the Town where you started your turn. All Towns adjacent to a Cactus are worth one less point. The Cactus is tremendously powerful, but also causes great danger to the user and is a high-priority target. Use it with caution. If you use your Lizard or a Lake to establish a Cactus Town, return the Pioneer Spirit to the Town where you first started the turn. A Town can never be worth less than 0 points.

Terrain Modifiers

In addition to the extra Explorers included in Book II, you will also find extra Terrain Modifiers. When the Founder is creating the map on which to play, he may choose to place any of these Terrain Modifiers on any Frontier Region. Fertile Regions must first be played on all Interior Regions and may not be played on any Coastal Regions. Then, the Founder may choose to place other Terrain Modifiers on the remaining Regions. In some cases, there won't be enough Fertile Regions to cover the number of Interior Regions. In that case, the Founder chooses which to cover. If a Terrain Modifier covers a Forest, that Region is no longer a Forest. Typically, a Region keeps its Terrain Modifier even if it has a Town or Wasteland on it.

• A Region may have only one Terrain Modifier on it at a time. If there is a Terrain Modifier on top of a Forest Region, it is no longer a Forest Region.

Lake

At the beginning of your turn, if your Pioneer Spirit is adjacent to a Lake Region, you may move your Pioneer Spirit to that Lake Region. Then take your turn as normal.

Players may not establish a Town on a Lake. If a player Migrates over a Lake, that Lake is destroyed.

Mountain

No Town considers a Town on a Mountain Region to be adjacent.

Deep Woods

Explorers may not Migrate over Deep Woods. However players may establish Towns in the Deep Woods. Deep Woods count as Forest Regions.

• This is true even when there is a Town on Deep Woods.

Desert

Towns established on the Desert are worth 1 less point. A town can not be reduced to less than 0 points. The Founder may place a Desert Region in the ocean adjacent to the land. If the Founder does, he or she may place new Fertile Regions on newly created Interior Regions.

Oasis

Any player may establish any Town on a Frontier Oasis Region without needing a Pioneer Spirit.