Robinson Crusoe: Adventures on the Cursed Island

To set up the game, first place the main game board in the center of the table. Players then choose one of the available scenarios (for a first game, 'Castaways' is recommended) and place its scenario sheet next to the board, moving the round marker to the first space on the round track. Each player selects a character (or draws one randomly), taking their character sheet, two action pawns of their color, one wound marker (placed on the starting square of the wound track), and their unique starting invention card. The remaining invention cards are sorted: nine initial inventions (marked with two arrows) are placed face-up in the 'available inventions' area on the board, and five more are drawn from the shuffled remaining deck and added to this area. One black marker is placed on the 'shovel' invention card, covering the 'beach' terrain type. The white morale marker is placed on '0' on the morale track, and the black weapon level marker is placed on '1' on the weapon track. Adventure cards are separated into three decks by their backs, shuffled, and placed on their designated spots, with three corresponding action dice next to each. Animal cards and mystery cards are shuffled and placed in their respective decks. Two random starting equipment cards are drawn, placed face-up, and two white markers are placed on each; the rest are set aside. The starting island tile (number 8) is placed on the leftmost central hex of the map, with the camp token face-up on it. The remaining island tiles are shuffled and placed face-down next to the board. Discovery tokens are shuffled and placed face-down. All resource tokens, weather dice, additional action pawns, and other tokens are placed nearby. The 'Wreckage' card is placed in the rightmost threat slot on the board. Event cards are separated into two piles (book symbol and adventure symbol), shuffled, and a number of cards equal to half the scenario's rounds are drawn from each pile (e.g., 6 cards for a 12-round scenario). These drawn cards are shuffled together, and the resulting event deck is placed face-down on its designated spot. For a 4-player game, the 'Camp Setup' card is also placed. Finally, the youngest player becomes the first player and takes the first player token.

The primary objective of Robinson Crusoe: Adventures on the Cursed Island is for all players to cooperate and survive the harsh environment of the deserted island while achieving the specific goals outlined in their chosen scenario. Players must manage their resources, build shelters, defend against wild animals and natural disasters, and explore the island to find a way to escape or complete their mission. Failure to meet the scenario's objectives within the given number of rounds, or the death of any character, results in a collective loss for the players.

Each round in Robinson Crusoe consists of six distinct phases: 1. Event Phase: The first player draws an event card. If it's an adventure or mystery card, its bottom effect is resolved, and the card is discarded. If it's an event card with a book symbol, its effect depends on the scenario. If it's an event card with an adventure symbol, the indicated adventure token is placed on the corresponding adventure deck. If a card is drawn into a threat slot already occupied, existing cards shift left, and their threat effects are resolved. 2. Morale Phase: The first player checks the morale track. If the morale marker is to the left of '0', the player discards morale tokens; if to the right, they gain tokens. Certain inventions can modify this. 3. Production Phase: Players gain one resource of each type (food, wood) from sources on the island tile where the camp is located. Additional tokens on the tile can increase production. 4. Actions Phase: Players discuss their strategy and place their action pawns (one or two per action, depending on the action's cost) on available actions. Actions include exploring, gathering, building, hunting, and arranging the camp. Some actions require dice rolls, which can result in success, wounds, or new events. Exhausting actions require an extra pawn. 5. Weather Phase: Weather conditions are determined by rolling weather dice and checking for any weather tokens. Players must spend wood or suffer wounds based on the number of storm clouds exceeding their roof level. They also resolve any effects from the red die (animal attacks or camp damage). 6. Night Phase: Players must consume one food per character. If food is insufficient, characters suffer wounds. Characters sleeping outside the camp also suffer wounds. Perishable food spoils. All black markers are removed from character sheets, and the round marker advances. The first player token passes clockwise.

Robinson Crusoe: Adventures on the Cursed Island does not feature a traditional scoring system. Instead, the game is a cooperative experience where success is measured by the collective achievement of the scenario's objectives. Players either win together by fulfilling all conditions or lose together if any character dies or the scenario's time limit is exceeded without completing the goals.

The game concludes in one of three ways: 1. Defeat: If any character dies, or if players fail to meet the scenario's objectives by the end of the final round, the game ends in a loss. 2. Victory: If players successfully complete all the objectives of their chosen scenario before the last round ends, they achieve victory. 3. Island Becomes Inaccessible: If the camp or shelter is located on an island tile that becomes inaccessible (e.g., due to a volcanic eruption), players immediately lose.