Empires: Age of Discovery

To set up the game, first place the discovery tokens face down on their designated spaces on the game board, and then place the trade good tokens face up on their respective regions. Each player receives a player board, starting money (e.g., 10 Spanish dollars for England, 11 for France), and a set number of workers (colonists) placed in their 'Available Workers' area. Merchant ships are placed on the 'Merchant Shipping' track, and capital building tiles are stacked on their designated spaces. The score track is set up with player markers at zero. The game is designed for 2-5 players, with specific adjustments for a two-player game, such as placing two captains in the discovery box for each player.

The primary objective of 'Empires: Age of Discovery' is to accumulate the highest number of victory points (VP) by the end of the game. Players achieve this by exploring and discovering new territories, establishing colonies, recruiting specialists, constructing capital buildings, and engaging in trade. Each action and acquired asset contributes to a player's overall VP total, encouraging strategic planning and adaptation throughout the game.

A turn in 'Empires: Age of Discovery' involves players taking turns placing their workers on various action spaces on the game board. These actions include 'Initiative' (to determine player order and gain money), 'Colonist Dock' (to recruit colonists and missionaries), 'Trade Goods' (to acquire trade goods like cocoa, coffee, gold, or fur), 'Merchant Shipping' (to gain merchant ships, which act as wildcards for trade goods), 'Capital Buildings' (to construct buildings that provide ongoing benefits or immediate VPs), 'Specialists' (to recruit missionaries, merchants, soldiers, captains, or builders), and 'Warfare' (to declare war or engage in battles). Workers placed on action spaces are committed until the end of the round, after which they return to the player's 'Available Workers' area.

Victory points are awarded in several ways. Players earn VPs for each discovered territory they control, with additional points for having the most colonists in a region (dominance). Capital buildings provide immediate VPs upon construction or ongoing benefits that can lead to VPs. Trade goods can be converted into money, which is also a source of VPs at the end of the game. Specialists, such as builders, can increase the VP value of colonies. The game features different 'ages,' and the cost and benefits of actions and buildings can change between ages, influencing strategic decisions.

The game concludes after a predetermined number of 'ages,' typically three. Each age consists of several turns, and the game progresses along a turn track. Once the final turn of the last age is completed, players tally their total victory points from all sources: discovered territories, colonized regions (including dominance bonuses), capital buildings, and remaining money. The player with the highest total victory points is declared the winner of 'Empires: Age of Discovery'.