The Voyages of Marco Polo: The New Characters
The Voyages of Marco Polo: The New Characters Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components and Setup
Game components:
- 1 City Bonus marker
- 1 token for Fratre Nicolao
- 4 Character tiles
- 4 different contracts
- 15 different gifts
Setup:
- Shuffle the 4 new Characters with those of the base game. As usual, reveal as many characters as there are players plus 1 (see page 15 of the base game rules). Note: If you wish, you can simply play with the 4 new characters.
- Shuffle the 15 gifts to prepare a facedown gift pile next to the game board.
- Shuffle the new City Bonus marker with those from the base game and place them randomly on the 6 small cities (see page 15 of the base game rules). The remaining City Bonus marker is placed in the box, as it is no longer needed. We recommend that you use the City Bonus marker D (the one with the "?").
- Shuffle the 4 new contracts with those of the base game. Then prepare 5 piles of 6 contracts each, as usual (see page 3 of the base game rules). The special pile will simply be 4 contracts larger.
Gifts
What are these?
When a player receives a gift, he draws the top gift of the gift pile and looks at it.
- If the gift has a lightning bolt, the player must immediately take the depicted bonus, or perform the depicted action. The player then discards the gift faceup next to the gift pile.
- If there is no lightning bolt, the player keeps the gift in front of himself. He can use this gift at any time (but only during his turn). After he has used the gift, he discards it faceup next to the gift pile.
Example: Red just drew this gift from the gift pile. It has a lightning bolt on it. Red immediately takes 2 camels and discards the gift.
What happens when the gift pile is empty?
If the gift pile is empty, simply shuffle the discarded gifts to create a new gift pile and continue playing.
The New Symbols
What do these mean?
- Group symbol (three figures): All players receive something, not just the active player. The active player receives the larger of the depicted rewards (e.g. goods or money). All his opponents each receive what is depicted after the group symbol.
- 2 goods symbol: Take any 2 goods from the supply. The goods may be identical.
- +1 trading post symbol: Place a trading post in a small or large city that you move through while traveling (i.e., without stopping there). May only be used once.
- Black die / 3 coins symbol: Take 1 black die or 3 coins.
- X symbol: Change 1 of your dice to the value of your choice. May only be used once. Important: The player must still pay to use an action space that is already occupied. He must also pay for his travel costs.
- Dice over occupied action space with X symbol: Place dice at an occupied action space without paying. May only be used once. Important: As always, a player may not place a die on an occupied City card.
The New Characters
What do they do?
Khan Arghun
Important: If this character is available, take 6 City cards from those returned to the box, and place them faceup with the available characters. The player who takes Khan Arghun begins the game with these 6 City cards facedown in front of him.
Once per turn, you may use 1 of these City cards. This counts as a bonus action (see page 12 of the base game rules). By using a card, you perform the action depicted on the City card as though you had placed a 6 value die on it. No die is required. After you have completed the action on the City card, discard it to the box.
Gunj Kökochin
You have 2 additional action spaces that only you may use. To use them, simply place 1 of your dice on one of the action spaces. This counts as your turn's action. This die will be retrieved and rolled at the beginning of the next round, as usual. This means that these action spaces are available to be used in each new round.
- 1st action space: Take 2 camels and 2 goods of your choice. Each of your opponents take 1 good of their choice. These goods are taken from the supply, as usual.
- 2nd action space: Move your figure 1 space on the map (see page 1 of the base game supplement).
Altan Ord
You receive a bonus each time you place a trading post. When you place your 1st trading post, you receive 1 point. When you place your 2nd trading post, you receive 1 point and 1 coin. When you place your 3rd trading post, you receive 1 point, 1 coin, and 1 camel, etc.
Note: The bonus for each trading post is printed on the card as a row of icons numbered 1 to 7 (the first three are described above); the printed icons are not reproduced in this transcription beyond the text.
Important: When you place your 8th or 9th trading post, you do not receive any additional bonus. You receive the 5/10 points, as usual.
Fratre Nicolao
At the beginning of each round, you draw 3 gifts. Choose 1 of these gifts to take and discard the other 2 faceup. (See page 1 of these rules for a description of how gifts are used.)
Important: You also receive this token, which allows you to instead take 2 of the 3 drawn gifts once during the game. Once you have used this token, discard it to the box.