Objective
In Clans of Caledonia, players take on the role of various Scottish clans developing and expanding in the 19th century. The goal of the game is to have the most victory points by the end of the last round. Victory points can be earned in several ways, such as through income from production, fulfilling export contracts, and influence over the Scottish trade board.
Setup
-
Game Board and Tiles: Place the modular game board in the center of the table. Distribute goods, money, and workers in an easily accessible place as a general reserve. Shuffle the Export Contract Cards and deal four cards face-up.
-
Starting Setup: Each player selects a Clan and receives the corresponding starting resources. The starting resources include specific workers, buildings, and money. Each clan has a special ability that influences the course of the game.
-
Market and Scoring Tracks: Set up the market table and scoring tracks. These show the current price of goods and the players' progress regarding each type of scoring.
-
Turn Order and Round Markers: Set up the turn order cards accordingly, two per player at the edge of the game board.
Gameplay
The game proceeds over five rounds, each divided into six phases:
-
Round Start: Fill all open export contract cards to four.
-
Action Phase: Players take turns performing one action each until all have passed. Possible actions include:
- Produce: Build production buildings or fields to produce resources like wheat, cheese, or sheep.
- Export: Fulfill an export contract by delivering the requested goods.
- Deploy: Deploy new workers or expand your production chains by constructing new buildings or rural properties.
-
Market: Buy or sell goods on the market to benefit from price fluctuations.
-
Production: All production buildings and fields yield their corresponding outputs.
-
Export Contracts: Players can obtain new export contracts if they have delivered resources in sufficient quantity.
-
Development Card: This (one per round) provides bonus victory points at the end of the round based on specific goals.
-
End of Round: Discard excess unused grain and prepare the playing field for the next round.
End of Game Scoring
After five rounds, the final scoring takes place, accounting for: - Fulfilled export contracts. - Remaining goods and money (converted at the exchange rate). - Majorities in specific regions of the game board.
Strategic Tip
Since each Clan has individual abilities, you should try to use them strategically from the start and build your strategy around your clan's strengths. Also, keep an eye on the market; prices fluctuate according to supply and demand.
Clans of Caledonia combines economic strategy with worker placement and resource management; thus, planning your actions efficiently to create synergy effects is crucial to maximize points!
