Objective of the Game

In El Grande, players take on the role of powerful nobles in medieval Spain. The objective is to strategically place Caballeros (knights) and maneuver for influence across the regions of Spain to gain the most points.

Game Components

• 1 Game Board depicting a map of Spain, divided into nine regions
• 5 Grande Figures in different colors
• 155 Caballero Pieces (30 per player color)
• 65 Power Cards (13 per player)
• 45 Action Cards
• 9 Region Cards
• 1 Castillo (scoring tower)
• Scoring Track
• 5 Scoring Markers

Setup

1. Each player chooses a color and receives:
2. 30 Caballeros
3. 1 Grande
4. 13 Power Cards
5. 1 Scoring Marker
6. Players place their Caballeros in front of them as a reserve.
7. Shuffle the Power Cards and keep them face-down.
8. Shuffle the Region Cards and each player draws one. They place their Grande and two Caballeros in the drawn region.
9. Place the Castillo in the center of the board.
10. Arrange the Action Cards in order according to rounds and place them visible.
11. Each player draws five Caballeros and places them on their "court" depicted on the board.

Gameplay

El Grande is played over nine rounds, each consisting of the following steps:

1. Determine Starting Player: In each round, players secretly select a Power Card. The highest value determines the starting player, who then chooses an Action Card first.

2. Choose an Action Card: Starting with the start player, each player selects an available Action Card. Each card provides unique benefits and strategic opportunities.

3. Deploy Caballeros: Based on the chosen Power Card, the player moves a number of Caballeros from their court onto the board.

4. Control Regions and Score: Scoring occurs during rounds 3, 6, and 9. Players score points based on their majority in regions. The player with the most Caballeros in a region scores the highest points, the second player scores less, and so forth.

5. Special: The Castillo

6. Before a scoring round, players secretly place some Caballeros into the Castillo.
7. After all Caballeros are placed, the Castillo is revealed and contributes to region scoring.
8. Be aware that moving Caballeros to the Castillo can alter control across the board.

Winning the Game

The player with the most points on the scoring track at the end of the 9th round is the winner.

Strategic Tips

• Timing: Smart use of Action Cards can provide advantages in later rounds.
• Power Card Management: Reserve higher Power Cards to secure the start player position in crucial rounds.
• Spread your Influence: Being present in multiple regions allows flexibility to react to opponents.
• Use Castillo Wisely: Deploy Caballeros in the Castillo to unexpectedly influence a critical region.

Enjoy playing El Grande!