Objective
In Hansa Teutonica, the goal is to become the most influential Hanseatic merchant family by building a network of trade routes, establishing offices (Kontors), and improving your trading abilities.
Setup
- Board Setup: Place the game board in the centre of the table. The board shows a map of Northern Germany with several cities and the trade routes connecting them.
- Player Pieces: Each player receives pieces in their color, consisting of cubes ("merchants") and disks ("Kontors").
- Ability Tables: Each player receives a player board that tracks and can enhance their trading abilities.
- Bonus Markers: Place the bonus markers face down on the designated areas of the board.
Rules
- Turn Structure: A player's turn consists of a limited number of actions, initially two but can be increased to five through skill enhancements. Possible actions include:
- Placing merchants on empty spaces along trade routes
- Displacing another merchant to claim a route
- Completing a route and establishing an office in one of the two cities connected by the route
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Enhancing trading abilities on their personal board
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Building Trade Routes: To complete a trade route, place your merchants on all spaces along a line between two cities.
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Establishing Offices: Once a trade route is filled entirely by your merchants, you can establish an office (Kontor) in one of the two cities it connects.
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Improving Abilities: Players can enhance their abilities to increase the number of actions per turn (up to 5 maximum), construct more effective trade routes, or unlock additional merchants from their stock.
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Winning Conditions: The game ends when a player fulfills certain criteria, like achieving a set number of points. Points are earned by establishing offices, improving abilities, and collecting bonus markers.
Strategic Tips
- Economic Play: Choose whether to focus on specific routes or cities for faster bonuses.
- Prioritize Skills: Early investment in increasing actions or merchant stock is a common strategy.
- Displacement Tactics: Use the ability to displace opponents strategically to maximize your presence on the board, gaining extra points or bonuses in return.
Hansa Teutonica is a strategy-heavy board game where planning and tactful responses to opponents' moves are crucial. Every decision should be carefully weighed to ensure you emerge as the most successful merchant.
