Zhanguo: The First Empire

To set up the game, place the main game board and the court board. Choose between the printed unification board or the alternative double-sided unification board (straight or curved side). Place the round tracker on space 1. Separate the nine mausoleum tiles by symbol (elixir, wall, region) and randomly place them face-up on their corresponding spaces on the main board. Shuffle the seven wall tiles and randomly place six face-up on the designated wall sections, returning the seventh to the box. For 3-player games, do not use spaces marked with '4'. Separate emperor tiles by zone and place them face-up on the main board according to the number of players (discarding one for 3 players, two from different zones for 2 players). Shuffle palace tiles and place them face-up on their corresponding zones (do not use '4' spaces for 3 players, discard remaining). For 4 players, randomly place 8 governor tiles and 2 empty tiles; for 3 players, 5 governor tiles (no empty tiles); for 2 players, 3 governor tiles and 2 empty tiles. Place these face-up on the main board, discarding any unused. Reveal master alchemist cards equal to the number of players. Place the specified number of unification tokens (9 for 2 players, 11 for 3, 13 for 4) on the main board, discarding unused. Place large unification tokens on their corresponding spaces. Place the 40/80 VP token at the end of the scoring track. Create a reserve of worker tokens. Each player receives a player board and places 7 governors, 6 palaces, 6 walls, and 8 Terracotta Army soldiers on their designated spaces. The 9th Terracotta Army soldier starts unlocked at the mausoleum entrance. Place 4 officials of each type (alchemist, architect, general) on their spaces. Place 5 alchemist cards in the reserve. Place 5 agitation markers on the '0' position of each region track. Place the boat on its starting space and player scoring markers on '0'. Determine the first player and place turn order markers clockwise.

The objective of Zhanguo: The First Empire is to follow the emperor's grand plans for unifying China and securing his immortality. Players must strategically construct magnificent palaces and the Great Wall, send governors and officials to control regions, and embark on a quest for the elixir of immortality. By successfully completing these tasks, players earn victory points and ensure their family's esteemed position within the Terracotta Army, ultimately vying to be the most influential in the new Chinese Empire.

A game of Zhanguo is played over five rounds, with each round comprising three distinct phases. Phase 1, 'Draw Cards', involves each player drawing two unification cards from each of the three unification decks, totaling six cards. These cards feature a capacity, an action linked to one of six court actions, a unification symbol, and a value from 1 to 120. Players must always reveal the types of cards they hold, but not their specific values. Phase 2, 'Play Cards', is where players, starting with the first player, play one card from their hand per turn, for a total of six turns. A played card can trigger either a 'Unification Action' or a 'Court Action'. Phase 3, 'Unification Rewards', occurs after all six cards have been played, where players compare their collected unification tokens to determine who receives rewards based on majority in each unification domain.

Victory points are accumulated throughout the game and at the end. Instant points are gained for certain actions, such as constructing palaces (6 VP + palace tile VP) and validating mausoleum objectives. At the end of the game, players sum all points marked on the scoring track. Additional points are awarded for governor majorities in each region (10, 15, or 20 VP for 2, 3, or 4 players respectively, with ties splitting points rounded down). Progress on the alchemist track, determined by the boat's position, grants points based on collected alchemist cards. The position of your Great Wall sections also contributes to your final score, with specific conditions yielding points. Finally, remaining Terracotta Army soldiers at the mausoleum entrance provide 2, 5, or 9 points for 1, 2, or 3 soldiers respectively.

The game concludes after the fifth round. At this point, players proceed to final scoring. First, all victory points accumulated and marked on the scoring track throughout the game are tallied. Then, additional points are awarded based on several end-game conditions: majorities in each region for governors, the progress made on the alchemist track (influenced by the boat's position), the final placement and conditions met by the Great Wall sections, and the number of remaining Terracotta Army soldiers at the mausoleum entrance. The player who has amassed the highest total number of victory points after all these calculations is declared the winner of Zhanguo: The First Empire.