Endeavor

To set up Endeavor, each player receives a player board where they track their development in technology, population, money, and military, starting each of these tracks at zero. The main game board is composed of several regions representing different parts of the world (e.g., Europe, Africa, South America, Caribbean, India, China). Each region has a deck of discovery cards, with the top card of each deck being a 'Governor' card. Additionally, there are stacks of building cards (Shipyard, Market, Workshop, Barracks, Bank, Guild Hall, Fortress, Cartographer, Docks, University, Theater, Trade Office, Parliament, Museum) of different levels, and tokens for extra actions. The 'Abolition of Slavery' card is shuffled into one of the region decks, typically in the later half, to signal the game's end.

The primary objective in Endeavor is to accumulate the most victory points by the end of the game. Players achieve this by strategically colonizing regions on the game board, establishing lucrative trade routes, and developing their civilization through advancements in technology, population, money, and military. Controlling regions and collecting specific cards also contribute significantly to the final score.

A player's turn in Endeavor consists of several phases. First, players construct a building from the available stacks, which provides an immediate benefit or an action space. Then, players gain resources (population, money, etc.) based on their current positions on the development tracks on their player board. After this, players perform actions using their available workers. Actions include navigating to new regions, occupying cities in discovered regions, or trading. Occupying cities often grants immediate benefits or influence in that region. The game also features 'dummy players' in a two-player game, which perform actions to simulate a larger player count, primarily occupying cities in regions where a human player has already established a presence.

Victory points are awarded in several ways throughout and at the end of the game. Players earn points by advancing their markers on the four development tracks (technology, population, money, military). Occupying cities on the game board also grants points, and players receive additional points for having the most influence (workers) in a particular region. Certain cards, especially those acquired through trade or discovery, can also provide victory points. The 'Abolition of Slavery' card, when drawn, can significantly impact scoring by turning 'Slavery' cards into negative points, encouraging players to adapt their strategies.

The game concludes after seven rounds, or immediately when the 'Abolition of Slavery' card is drawn from its designated region deck. Once the game-ending condition is met, players proceed to final scoring. All points from development tracks, occupied cities, regional control, and collected cards are tallied. Any 'Slavery' cards still held by players or on the board are flipped to their negative point side and deducted from the total. The player with the highest total victory points is declared the winner.