Myrmes

To set up the game, first place the main game board on the table. Each player selects a color and places their player marker on space 10 of the victory point track. The season marker is placed on the winter space of the season track. The four colored dice are placed on their corresponding season spaces (spring, summer, autumn). Prey tokens are shuffled and placed face-down on the designated spots on the board, varying by player count. Special colony tiles (aphid nests and hunting grounds) are kept in separate piles. Objective tiles are sorted by point value (6, 9, 12 points), shuffled, and two of each type are placed face-up in their designated areas on the board, with the rest returned to the box. Each player also receives their individual ant colony board, starting niñera ants, and initial resources as specified by the rulebook.

The primary objective of Myrmes is to accumulate the most victory points by the end of the game. Players achieve this through various actions such as collecting resources (food, stone, soil), expanding their ant colony, completing personal and shared objectives, and successfully surviving the winter phases. Strategic planning and adaptation to the changing seasons and opponent moves are crucial for maximizing point generation and securing victory.

A game turn is divided into several phases, starting with the dice roll. Players roll the four colored dice, which determine the available actions for the round. Actions include moving worker ants on the main board to collect resources (food, stone, soil), building tunnels to expand the colony, creating new niñera ants, or training warrior ants. Players must strategically choose which actions to take based on their current needs, the resources available, and their long-term objectives. The order of actions can be crucial, and some actions may be limited by the number of niñera ants available or the current level of the colony.

Victory points are accumulated throughout the game and at its conclusion. During gameplay, points are primarily earned by collecting certain resources, completing objective tiles (which offer varying point values), and successfully hunting prey. At the end of the game, additional points are awarded based on the size and development of a player's colony, the number of special tiles acquired, and any remaining resources. The player who has the highest total of these points is declared the winner.

The game concludes after three full years, which means after the third winter phase has been completed. The winter phase is a critical period where players must pay a certain amount of food to sustain their colony, with the required amount increasing each year. Failure to pay sufficient food results in negative victory points. Once the food payment for the third winter is resolved, players calculate their final scores by summing up points from objectives, colony development, and remaining resources. The player with the highest total score wins.