Map Game

Game that could be played on a real map. Recommended for 3-5 players, but could be played basically with any number of people (as long as everyone could fit around the map, but as turn are sequential, huge number of players could lead to long wait times).

Some examples with pictures: https://github.com/petrukhnov/map-game/wiki/Examples

This is work in progress. Feel free to add comments, issues, pull requests, map photos before/after play.

Rules

Prerequisite

• map (will be destroyed during game)
• 4 pens:red, green, blue, black
• ruler (millimeter scale, 20-30)
• dice (d6)
• paper for taking notes (A4 sheet would be enough for 1 game)

Game preparation

• Find out map type and extra marks on it, that will affect gameplay
• Apply random rules (optional)
• Every player roll dice for 5 missions
• Players throw d6, and one with lowest value, become Scout. Players could use any other way of selecting Scout.

Map type

Basic map usually contain grid and roads. Grid could be helpful while setting up colonies and events during game. Things like lakes, parks, different road colors (highways) could add extra features.

Agree and write down what each color on this map means. To prevent further speculations.

Optional (adds some randomness to the game)

Throw d6 3 items, each result add rules:

1. Crossings. No need for bridges (except crossing rails).
2. Settled up. Connect all colonies with railway before game start. Ignore intersection requirements.
3. Production boost. Double length when building d6: (1-2: cables, 3-4: pipes, 5-6: fibre)
4. Trade agreement. All connections through other colonies counts as direct.
5. ???
6. ???

Missions

Player roll d6 for generating mission. Each player should have 5 missions. Player who completes 3 own missions - become a winner.

• Build rail connection to other colony.
• Build rail connection to structure (1-2: solar, 3-4 well, 5-6 mine).
• Connect 2d6 lines to colony (2.5cm side size).
• Build 6d6 cm transportation system (all types count).
• Build 2d6 bridges.
• ???

Play order

• Scout generate random event.
• Every player make turn clockwise (aka build aka draw) starting from player left to scout. Repeat 3 times.

Generating random event.

Scout take dice, raise it 10cm above place he want to search and release. Place where dice fells will define location of event, and value - type. Draw line around dice. And add mark inside (e.g. by proper color). If dice overlap with other created objects (except transportation lines), move it 0.5 cm outside towards nearest side.

Types:

1. Nothing.
2. Outpost.
3. Solar array.
4. Mine.
5. Well.
6. Anomaly.

TODO illustration for anomalies, etc.

Map objects

• Colony. This is player base, from where he could lay out all transportation systems.
• Connection hub. Similar to colony, but smaller size.
• Solar array (power plant). +1cm cables for each connected. Require direct fibre and cable connection to colony to enable bonus.
• Extraction well. +1cm pipes for each directly connected to colony. Require direct pipe, fibre and cable connection to colony to enable bonus.
• Automated mine. +1cm rails for each connected. Require direct rail, pipe, fibre and cable connection to colony to enable bonus.
• Bridge.
• Anomaly (everything is disconnected in its area, permanent).
• Transportation lines build by player.
• Various lakes, parks, etc marks originally existed on map.

Making 1 turn

TODO illustration for various lines

Throw d6, draw transportation lined based on dice result and bonuses that colony may contain. E.g. 2 solar arrays connected and player roll 5, so he could build 7 (5+2) cables, or 2.5 (5/2) cm rails, etc.

Player could build:

• Railway (black). Divide dice result by 2. Draw 2 parallel lines for result value.
• Power cables (red).
• Water pipes (blue).
• Optical fibre (green).
• Bridges (black), Require dice result 3+. Internal length is max 0.9 cm. External - 1.5 cm. Width 2mm outside crossing line. Bridge could cross only 1 line, except case, when multiple lines are closer than 0.5 cm to each other. TODO: bridge illustration
• Hub. If original roll was 6, player could attempt to roll again. If 6, he could build hub in any place that directly connected to colony by rails. If <6, then he skip his turn.

To build cables, pipes or fibre - throw dice, and draw line, up to number on dice centimeters long. Lines can't cross each other. New lines can't go less than 1mm close to each other. To build cables, pipes or fibre: highway or railway directly connected to your colony is required within 4cm.

Player don't get any bonuses while drawing lines. (e.g. connecting mine doesn't add 1 cm to rails on this turn).

Player could extend line by 3mm if it will connect to structure.

To build railway, you need to build 2 lines simultaneously (d6 /2), with distance 0.5 cm.

Variations

Longer play

After player complete mission, he roll for next one. Game lasts 500 turns (or 1 hour). Winner is one who completed most missions. If equal, player who completed mission last - wins.

Cooperative play

Players have 100 turns to complete 10 missions. (~4 players, for other amount of players - adjust).

1 player

Challenge

You have 50 turns to complete all 5 tasks. Put 3 random colonies on map.

Sandbox

Just keep taking new missions, until map is full (look how many lines and stuff you have, take a picture!)

Playing with kids

Some rules could be hard to follow for kids. Here example of simplified rules for them. Adults could still play with full rules, making game fun for everyone. Could be explained as super power that only young people could have.

• Don't need bridges. Lines could cross others.
• 2 dice (or double value)