Tapestry

To set up, place the double-sided main board in the center of the play area, using the large map side for 4-5 players or the smaller side for 1-3 players. Shuffle the technology cards (orange back) into a face-down pile, dealing three face-up in a row. Shuffle the tapestry cards (yellow back) into a face-down pile. Place the territory tiles (small hexes) and space tiles (large hexes) in face-down groups near the board. Place the landmark board and populate its outlined spaces with the corresponding landmark pieces, setting any leftover landmarks aside. Each player takes an income mat, placing matching colored building pieces on the income tracks, and four resource tokens on the '0' space of the resource track. Each player is dealt a random capital city map (or chooses from a pair based on player count), placing it to the right of their income board with 10 outpost tokens. Players are dealt two random civilization mats, choosing one to keep and placing it to the left of their income board with their player tokens. Place one player token on the first space of each of the four advancement tracks (Science, Military, Technology, Exploration) and one on the '0' space of the victory track. Place the green science die above the science track and the two conquer dice above the military track. Provide each player with a reference guide and randomly determine the first player.

In Tapestry, your goal is to lead your civilization through five main eras, from humble beginnings to advanced societies. You will collect and manage resources to advance your people along four distinct tracks: Science, Military, Technology, and Exploration. These advancements will allow you to discover new lands, develop new technologies, and expand your capabilities. The ultimate aim is to accumulate the most victory points by the end of the game, which are earned through various actions, track progression, and the strategic development of your capital city with buildings and wondrous landmarks. The player who best weaves the story of their civilization's progress will emerge victorious.

The game is played over a series of turns, starting with the first player and proceeding clockwise. On your turn, you must choose to perform one of two main actions: either an Income Action or an Advance Action. The first turn of the game for every player must be an Income Action. An Income Action allows you to collect resources and advance to a new era, which will be explained in detail below. An Advance Action involves selecting one of the four advancement tracks (Science, Military, Technology, or Exploration) on the main board, paying the required resource cost to move your player token one space to the right on that track, and then resolving the benefits of the new space you landed on. You can continue taking Advance Actions until you decide to take an Income Action, typically when your resources are low or you wish to progress to the next era.

Victory points are a crucial element of Tapestry and are scored in several ways. You gain points by advancing your player token along the victory track on the outside of the main board. Completing specific achievements, such as completing an entire advancement track or conquering certain territories, will also award victory points. Filling in rows and columns on your capital city map with buildings and landmarks contributes to your score. Additionally, many tapestry cards and civilization abilities provide unique scoring opportunities or bonus points based on various game elements. When scoring points, you advance your player token on the victory track. If you pass 100 points, you bank them by placing a player token on the 100-point space and continue counting from 0, advancing the banked token each time you complete another loop.

The game concludes once all players have completed their fifth and final Income Turn. During this last Income Turn, players will activate their civilization abilities, upgrade one technology card if possible, and score victory points one last time from all exposed victory point icons on their income tracks, skipping other income action steps. Once all players have finished their fifth Income Turn, the game immediately ends. The player who has accumulated the most victory points, as indicated by their position on the victory track and any banked points, is declared the winner. In the event of a tie, the tied player with the most remaining total resources (food, workers, coins, and culture) wins. If there is still a tie, the tied players share the victory.