Instructions Thurn und Taxis

Objective

In Thurn and Taxis, the objective is to successfully establish a postal service empire in the 17th century. Players build routes between cities to create a mail delivery network.

Game Components

• A game board with a map of German-speaking Europe
• Various city cards (two for each city)
• Post office markers in player colors
• Carriage tiles
• Bonus cards
• Player markers in various colors

Setup

1. Each player selects a color and receives the corresponding post office markers and a player marker.
2. Player pieces are placed on the "0" tile of the score track.
3. Carriage tiles are organized and laid out in increasing order.
4. City cards are shuffled, and a deck is prepared from which five cards are laid face-up.
5. Players randomly determine who starts.

Gameplay

The game is played over several rounds. Each player's turn consists of the following steps:

1. Draw a Card\ The player draws a city card from either the open display or blindly from the draw stack.

2. Route Building\ The player places a city card in their existing route display. The aim is to build contiguous stretches.

3. Complete and Score a Route (optional)\ The player may choose to complete a route by placing post office markers on each city in that route. The more unique cities in the route, the more valuable it is.

4. Take a Carriage\ Upon completing a route, the player may take a carriage, fulfilling the minimum city requirements for it. The carriages are numbered and provide victory points.

5. Claim a Bonus\ Players can claim bonus cards by meeting specific conditions throughout the game, offering additional points.

6. Check Hand Limit\ Players can hold a maximum of 3 cards in their hand.

End of Game

The game concludes when: - A player has placed their last post office marker. - A player has claimed the highest-level carriage (level 7).

The game continues until all players have had an equal number of turns, after which the final scoring takes place.

Final Scoring and Winner

At the end of the game, players tally their victory points: - Points from collected carriages - Bonus points from cards acquired during gameplay - Deductions for unused post office markers

The player with the most points wins the game.

Strategic Considerations

• Route Planning: Ensure contiguous cities to maximize route length.
• Card Management: Choose cards that will benefit your strategy while denying useful cards to opponents.
• Timing of Scoring: Decide strategically when to complete a route versus holding out for a larger score.
• Bonus Cards: Plan routes to secure valuable bonus cards.

Good luck establishing your postal empire!