Objective of the Game:
Cuba is a strategic board game where players take on the roles of entrepreneurs and landowners on the island of Cuba. The goal is to earn the most victory points by selling and exporting goods, constructing buildings, and accumulating influence.
Setup:
- Each player receives a player board representing their individual plantation and a set of character cards (working characters).
- Place the main board in the center with the building spaces, ship spaces, and the law area.
- Organize the resource cards and building cards nearby.
- Players start with a specific set of resources like money, rum, cigars, and sugar.
Game Rounds:
The game is played over several rounds, each consisting of fixed phases:
1. Planning Phase:
- Players secretly choose from their character cards (worker, overseer, architect, trader, mayor) which they want to activate for that round.
2. Action Phase:
- Starting with the first player, players reveal one of their selected cards and perform the associated action:
- Worker: Chooses a tile on the plantation where they can produce or harvest resources.
- Overseer: Similar to the worker but can also perform ship actions.
- Architect: Builds a building to gain additional abilities.
- Trader: Sells goods at local market prices.
- Mayor: Gathers "votes" for Parliament to influence the passage of laws.
3. Legislation:
- Laws are debated and voted upon, affecting the rules for the next round.
4. Production Phase:
- Based on the workers and buildings chosen, players produce resources and process them.
5. Export Phase:
- Players can load goods onto ships to gain points and opportunities for international market sales.
Winning the Game:
The game ends after a specified number of rounds (usually 6), and victory points are tallied from: - Building points from constructed structures. - Influence Cards from the Parliament. - Yellow Investment markers (in an advanced game). - Export Income from the export phase.
Strategic Tips:
- Plan your plantation efficiently to ensure productive output.
- Use the Parliament to pass laws that benefit your strategy.
- Focus on profitable ship actions for long-term advantages through exports.
Summary: Players must strategically plan their resource management and selection of actions to maximize benefits from evolving game dynamics.
