Yspahan

To set up Yspahan, place the main game board, the action board, and the camel track in the center of the playing area. Each player chooses a color and takes their corresponding player board, 10 gold coins, and 10 building pieces. The remaining gold coins, camel pieces, and colored cubes are placed in their designated areas on the main board or within easy reach of all players. The special action cards are shuffled and placed face down, and the starting player is determined.

The primary objective in Yspahan is to accumulate the most victory points by the end of the game. Players earn victory points through various means, including constructing shops (buildings) in different districts on the main board, establishing control over these districts, successfully sending caravans (moving camels along the track), and having leftover gold coins at the game's conclusion. Strategic planning and efficient resource management are key to maximizing your score.

A turn in Yspahan begins with the active player rolling nine dice. These dice are then grouped by their numerical value (e.g., all 1s, all 2s, etc.). The active player chooses one of these groups to determine the available actions for the round. Each player, in turn, then selects an action from the action board corresponding to the chosen die value. Actions typically involve placing colored cubes on the main board to construct buildings, moving camels along the camel track to form caravans, or gaining gold coins. The number of dice in the chosen group often dictates the strength or quantity of the action.

Scoring in Yspahan occurs at two main intervals: at the end of each 'week' (which consists of three rounds) and at the very end of the game. During weekly scoring, players earn victory points based on their majority control of buildings in specific districts and the progress of their camels on the caravan track. At the end of the game, a final scoring round takes place, where players receive additional points for their overall district control, the final positions of their camels, and any remaining gold coins they possess.

The game of Yspahan concludes after three full 'weeks,' which means a total of nine rounds of play. Once the ninth round has been completed and all actions for that round have been resolved, the final scoring phase is initiated. After all victory points from district control, camel positions, and leftover gold have been tallied, the player who has accumulated the highest total number of victory points is declared the winner of Yspahan.