EARLY AMERICAS
INTRODUCTION
Card & Board Game for 2-5 players.
Colonization of the New World Theme.
GAME END
The game ends at the end of the turn when one of the following occur:
1. All Regions have 1 or more cities
2. All Regions are occupied and a War action is performed
3. One player has 7 or more Advances
4. One player controls 10 or more Regions
5. One player has 12 or more Cities
If the game ends at the end of your turn gain 7 VP.
VICTORY
At the end of the game the player with the most VP wins.
VICTORY POINT TRACK
Use a Track to record Victory Points (VP).
Each player uses a marker on the track of a unique color.
PLAYER PIECES
Each player has a set of pieces of a unique color.
A set consists of:
1. Colonists (50)
2. Soldiers (25)
3. Cities (12)
4. VP Track Marker (1)
5. Mat Tokens (14)
6. Exploration Markers (17)
PLAYER MATS
Each player gets a Player Mat.
Mats contain the Following information:
1. Spaces to show which Advances you have (Use Mat Tokens)
2. Your Nationality and its Special Abilities
3. A space to place Colonist & Soldier pieces that are currently
located in your Homeland.
THE MAP
This is a Map of the Americas divided into 17 Regions:
# Region Export Modifier
1. Caribbean +1
2. Caracas -
3. Brazil +1
4. New Granada -
5. Peru +1
6. Rio de Plata -1
7. Chile -
8. Panama -1
9. Guatemala -
10. Mexico +1
11. Guadalajara -1
12. Louisiana -
13. Florida -1
14. Carolinas -
15. Virginia +1
16. New England -
17. Canada +1
MAP NOTES
Peru cannot be explored until Brazil or New Granada or Rio de la Plata is explored.
Chile cannot be explored until Rio de la Plata is explored
INDIAN TOKENS
At the start of the game a random Indian Token is placed into each of the 17
Regions. Each token has a value 1-5. This is the Resistance Number.
Resistance Tokens
1 2
2 3
3 5
4 4
5 3
CONQUEST AND SLAVER TOKENS
There are 5 of each of these.
THE DECK
Players share a Common Deck
Each card has multiple uses:
1. Primary Action
2. X Value
3. Expedition Option
4. Muster Option
TERMINOLOGY
Unit = Colonist, Soldier, or City (Not Exploration markers).
Occupation = Having a Unit in a Region.
Known Region = Any Region you occupy or have an Exploration Marker in
Control = Being the only player occupying the said region.
EXPLORATION MARKERS
If you have an Exploration Marker (EM) in a Region and then you later
move a unit into that region you may remove the EM.
If your last Unit in a Region is removed place an EM there to show you
still know of it.
LOSING UNITS
If you are forced to lose Units and you have none instead lose 2 VP for each
such unit.
SET UP
Each player picks a nationality and gets their set of pieces.
Shuffle the deck.
Each player starts with a hand of 3 cards.
All players start with aa Exploration marker in the Caribbean.
TURN SEQUENCE
Players take turns.
Each turn is divided into 4 Phases:
1. Draw Phase
2. Score Phase
3. Action Phase
4. End Phase
DRAW PHASE
Draw 3 cards from the top of the deck.
If the deck ever runs out, shuffle the discard and draw from it.
SCORE PHASE
Gain 1 VP for each territory you control
Gain 1 VP for each city you have on the Map.
Gain 2 Colonists or 1 Soldier piece in your Home Country.
ACTION PHASE
You may conduct as many actions as you have cards to play.
Most actions require the playing (discarding) of a pair of Cards:
One card for the desired action and a second card for its X value.
Some Actions do not require an X value and so don’t use up a second card.
You get 1 Optional Free Action on your turn during this phase.
A Free Action does not use up a card.
There are 3 possible types of Free Actions to pick from:
1. Free Transport
2. Free Build
3. Free Export
These function as described below in the Primary Actions Explanations List.
END PHASE
Max hand size is 5 cards.
Discard excess cards.
TRADE
Players may at any time trade cards with each other from their hands.
EXPLANATIONS LIST OF ALL PRIMARY ACTIONS ON CARDS
1. Expedition (Exploration) Option = Place one of your Exploration Markers in a
Region that currently does not contain one. If you are the first player to explore a
Region you may play an X value card to gain X VP.
2. Transport = Move X Colonists or Soldiers from your Homeland to a
Known Region OR from one region you occupy to another that is known to you.
3. Build = Convert 10 Colonists in a Region into a City.
4. Export = Gain X VP. You must designate a region you are exporting from that you
occupy. You may only export once per turn from that region. X is -1 for every other
player occupying the region. Some regions (see Map or Table) have a natural +1 or -1
modifier to Exports.
5. Immigrants = Gain X+2 Colonists in your Homeland.
6. Regulars = Gain X Soldiers in your Homeland.
7. Militia = Convert X of your Colonists in one region into Soldiers
8. Privateers = Play on opponents turn when he is doing an Export (Extra or Free):
Steal the VP he would have gained. You must play an X of equal or greater value.
9. Hardships = Target opponents Region loses half of its Colonists and soldiers
rounding up.
10. Raid = Remove 1 enemy Soldier or 2 Colonists from a region you occupy or
a region adjacent to one you occupy with Soldiers.
11. War = Attack the Enemy in a Region you occupy or one that is adjacent. Gather
up all soldier pieces of his and yours in the region(s) in a cup and draw one out at random:
The player drawn wins the War! All opposing soldiers in the cup are lost.
If the Attacker wins, all opposing Colonists in the target space are removed and
any opposing cities there are converted to the winners color. If the attack was into
an adjacent region and the attacker won he may redistribute his soldiers between
the 2 regions. The defender always gets 1 extra Bonus Soldier in the Cup and 1 more Bonus
Soldier for each City he has in the attacked Region. Bonus soldiers "disappear" at the end
of the resolution of the war action if the defender wins.
12. Black Slaves = Gain X Colonists in a Region of your choice. Lose X VP.
Gain a Slaver Token if you do not already have one.
13. Indian Allies = Gain 1 Soldier in a Region you occupy that has an Indian Token.
14. Indian Raids = Opponent loses 1 Colonist in region he occupies with an Indian Token.
15. Conquest = Remove an Indian Token from a region you occupy. Lose X Soldiers
from the region. Gain 2X VP. X = to the Resistance value of the Indian Token.
Gain a Conquest Token if you do not already have one.
16. Indian Trade = Gain 2 VP if you occupy a region with an Indian Token.
17. Indian Revolt = Opponent loses 1 Colonist in a region without an Indian Token.
18. Missionaries = Gain 1 Colonist in any Region you occupy.
19. Discovery = Gain X+1 VP.
20. Slave Rebellion = Target Player with Slaver Token loses 1 Colonist in any
Region he occupies.
21. Indian War = Opponent loses 1 Soldier in region he occupies with an Indian Token.
22. Plantation Exports = Player with Slaver Token gains X VP.
23. Encomienda Exports = Player with Conquest Token gains X VP.
24. Naval Escort = Play to Negate a Privateer or Sea Hazard Card.
25. Treaty = Negate a War or Raid
26. Sea Hazard = Play on opponents turn to negate a Transport or Export or Expedition or
Discovery Action (This is nasty: all cards used in the targeted action are lost, as well
as all units being transported)
27. Salvage = Gain 1 VP. Shuffle the deck and draw 1 card. (Gain 2VP if you occupy Florida)
28. Advance = Discard Additional Cards with a combined X Value of 12 or Higher:
Gain 1 Advance from the Advance List. (17 or higher for a second level Advance)
29. Muster Option = Discard this card to add one soldier piece to the cup in a War.
This Soldier will remain in your possession if you win.
30. War in Europe = All players discard their Hands. Draw 2 cards.
31. Atrocities = Target player with Conquest or Slaver Token loses 2 VP.
32. National Will = This card can be used as described by the Nations Special Ability.
33. Region Cards = Note there is one card for each region. The card can be used for any
function that targets a region (Exploration, Muster, Transport, Raid, War, Slave Rebellion, etc.)
except the indicated region must be the one named on the card.
ADVANCE LIST
There are 7 available Advances.
Each player can take each Advance once.
1. Trade Companies = Hand Size +2.
2. Religion = Gain 1 extra Colonist on each of your turns in your Homeland.
3. Military = Gain 1 extra Soldier on each of your turns in your Homeland.
4. Ship Technology = All your Transport Actions get X+2.
5. Fortifications = Regions you occupy gain 5 Bonus Soldiers to the cup when you are defending.
6. Industry = In Score Phase Cities earn 2 VP per turn.
7. Politics = Draw 1 extra card per turn in Draw Phase.
To indicate you own an advance place a mat token on the space on your player mat for
that advance.
COMMON DECK CARD LIST NOTATION
Copies = Number of Copies of that card in the deck
Value = The X Value of the Card
E = This card can be used alternatively for the Expedition Function
M = This card can be used alternatively for the Muster Option
COMMON DECK CARD LIST
Action Copies Value Notes
Transport 2 8 E
Immigrants 4 7 -
Regulars 2 6 M
Militia 2 5 M
Privateers 3 4 E
Hardships 3 3 -
Build 1 2 -
Export 2 1 -
Raid 3 5 M
War 2 10 M
Black Slaves 3 5 -
Indian Allies 2 3 M
Indian Raids 2 1 M
Conquest 2 9 Z
Indian Trade 2 2 -
Indian Slaves 2 2 -
Indian Revolt 1 4 -
Atrocities 2 3 -
Missionaries 2 1 -
Discovery 2 9 Z
Slave Rebellion 1 4 -
Indian War 1 4 -
Plantation Exports 2 8 -
Encomienda Exports 2 7 -
Naval Escort 1 6 Z
Treaty 1 8 -
Sea Hazard 1 10 Z
Salvage 1 5 Z
Advance 4 10 Z
War in Europe 1 5 -
National Will 4 6 -
Caribbean 1 2 -
Caracas 1 3 -
Brazil 1 8 -
New Granada 1 9 -
Peru 1 9 -
Rio de la Plata 1 10 -
Chile 1 1 -
Panama 1 2 -
Guatemala 1 3 -
Mexico 1 4 -
Guadalajara 1 7 -
Louisiana 1 8 -
Florida 1 9 -
Carolinas 1 10 -
Virginia 1 5 -
New England 1 6 -
Canada 1 6 -
PORTUGUESE SPECIAL ABILITIES
The Portuguese go first.
The National Will cards can be used as Exploration or Treaty cards.
SPANISH SPECIAL ABILITIES
The Spanish go Second.
The National Will cards can be used as Conquest or Encomienda
Export cards.
FRENCH SPECIAL ABILITIES
The French go Third.
The National Will cards can be used as Indian Trade or
Indian Ally cards.
DUTCH SPECIAL ABILITIES
The Dutch go Fourth.
The National Will cards can be used as Export or Transport cards.
ENGLISH SPECIAL ABILITIES
The English go Fifth.
The National Will cards can be used as Immigration or Privateer cards.
OPTIONAL SECOND ADVANCE LIST
In this option players can take a second level in each of the 7 available Advances.
Each player can take each second Advance once.
1. Trade Companies = Get 1 Free Export Action on your turn. (This is a second free action)
2. Religion = Gain 1 extra Colonist on your turn in any target Region you occupy.
3. Military = As your free action you may conduct a War, Conquest, or Raid.
4. Ship Technology = Get 1 Free Transport Action on your turn. (This is a second free action)
5. Fortifications = As a Defender, if you lose a War action, immediately draw a second soldier
from the cup: If its yours, you win! However, if you lose this second chance, you lose, and
there is no third draw.
6. Industry = Cities only require 8 Colonists for their formation.
7. Politics = You may use National Will cards for: Treaty; or to rid yourself of a
Conquest or Slaver Token, or to steal 2 Colonists of an opponent in a region you
occupy (remove them and replace them with 2 of your own).
To indicate you own a second level of an advance, place a second mat token on the space
on your player mat for that advance.
