Objective of the Game

In Tadsch Mahal, players assume the roles of Indian princes seeking to gain the most political and economic influence in India by building magnificent palaces and skillfully using influence cards over twelve rounds, each representing an Indian province. The goal is to have the most victory points at the game's end by establishing palaces, gaining influence over courtiers, and collecting valuable goods.

Game Components

• 1 game board depicting the 12 Indian provinces
• Influence cards in five different colors
• Commodity tiles
• Palaces in various player colors
• Elephant tiles used to mark palace construction areas
• 6 Courtiers' tokens representing the players' areas of influence

Setup

1. Each player receives a number of palaces in their color, some starting cards, and a set of elephant tiles.
2. Shuffle the influence cards, and each player gets a starting hand of five cards.
3. Commodity tiles are randomly placed on each province field on the board.
4. Each player receives two starting cards laid open before them (two different courtiers).

Round Overview

Tadsch Mahal consists of 12 rounds, each focusing on a different province: 1. Influence Phase: Players take turns playing cards from their hand to gain influence over courtiers or the Maharaja. Each person can only be challenged once. 2. Influence Acquisition: By playing cards, players accumulate influence in the form of courtiers' tokens or build palaces. Courtiers include the Vizier, General, Prince, Monk, and others. 3. Palace Building: If a player holds majority influence in a province, they may place a palace on that province's field (if it's not already occupied). 4. Scoring: Players earn victory points for palaces, collected commodities, and certain courtiers. - Connections: Players receive additional points for connected provinces. - Commodities: Sets of different goods provide bonus points at the end of the game.

Strategic Tips

• Balancing between immediate influence and long-term commodity collection is crucial. Attempt to establish a strong position through connections in early rounds.
• Pay attention to card colors and symbols to strategically accumulate influence in desired areas.
• The timing of passing during turns is critical: passing early may conserve cards for future advantage, while passing late can secure immediate gains.

End of the Game

The game concludes after the twelfth province scoring, players tally their victory points based on palaces, collected goods, and any palace connections.

The player with the most victory points wins Tadsch Mahal.