Welcome to the Century: Spice Road Game Rules

Hey there! Ready to dive into the exciting world of Century: Spice Road? I’m here to guide you through the game rules so you can start playing in no time. Let’s get started!

Components

First things first, let’s take a look at what you’ll find in the game box:

• A game board
• Player mats
• Resource cubes
• Trade route cards
• Merchant cards
• Victory point cards
• Action cards
• Coins
• Guidebook

Objective

The objective of Century: Spice Road is to become the most successful spice trader by earning the most victory points. You can do this by acquiring and trading different spices.

Setting Up

Now that we know the goal, let’s set up the game:

1. Place the game board in the center of the table.
2. Give each player a player mat, matching cubes, and starting cards.
3. Shuffle the trade route cards and place them face-up on the board.
4. Shuffle the merchant cards and place them face-down as a draw pile.
5. Shuffle the victory point cards and place them face-down as a draw pile.
6. Shuffle the action cards and place them face-down as a draw pile.
7. Give each player coins according to the number of players.

Gameplay

Now we’re ready to start playing!

Each round, you’ll take turns performing two actions. On your turn, you can either:

• Play a card from your hand and perform its action
• Recruit a merchant from the trade route
• Take back all your played cards and gain coins
• Spend spices to upgrade your cards

You can always refer to the guidebook for more details and specifics on the different actions and card effects.

Scoring

At the end of the game, calculate your final score:

• Count the victory points on your collected victory point cards.
• Add any bonus points from upgraded cards.
• Subtract one point for each two coins you have.
• The player with the highest total score wins!

Conclusion

There you have it! The rules of Century: Spice Road are now at your fingertips. It’s time to gather your spices, make strategic moves, and become the ultimate spice trader. Have fun!

1. First, we need to shuffle the orange-backed scoring cards. Then, we put five of these cards face-up in a row next to the stack. (B)
2. The next step is to put twice as many gold coins as there are players playing above the leftmost scoring card. (C) We also place the same number of silver coins above the second card from the left. (D)
3. Now, let’s take a look at the purple-backed trader cards. Among them, we have 10 starting cards with a violet frame on the front. (E) Each player receives a “2 Tumeric” (yellow) card and a conversion card as their starting hand. We can return the other starting cards back to the box.
4. To complete the setup, we mix the remaining purple-backed trader cards and form a face-down stack. (E) Then, we place six of these cards face-up to the left of the stack in a row. (F)

I’m gonna show you how to play the game Century: Spice Road. First, let’s sort the spices. We have yellow (turmeric), red (saffron), green (cardamom), and brown (cinnamon). Put them in the spice bowls in ascending order of value on table G.

Next, we need to distribute the caravan cards. Make sure to take as many cards as there are players, including the one with the purple start player symbol. Shuffle the cards and give one to each player. The player with the card that has the start player symbol is the first player. The turn order goes clockwise.

Now, let’s talk about the spices each player receives. The first player gets 3 turmeric. The second and third players get 4 turmeric each. And the fourth and fifth players get 3 turmeric and 1 saron each.

That’s it for setup. Now we can start playing the game!

When playing Century, each round consists of multiple turns. I get to take one action during each turn, and the turns go in a clockwise direction, starting with the player at the beginning.

When it’s my turn, I have a few options on what I can do:

• Play a card: I can choose a card from my hand to play.
• Acquire: I can get a new trader card.
• Rest: I can gather up all the cards I’ve already played and bring them back into my hand.
• Score: I can claim a score card.

Play A Card

If I want to play a hand card, I simply place it face-up in front of me and then activate its effect. There are three different types of trader cards that I can choose to play:

Spice Card

When you use a spice card, you can take spices of the right color(s) from the stock and put them on your caravan.

Let’s say you play a spice card and I'll show you what happens next. In this example, the player takes 1 turmeric and 1 saffron and adds them to his caravan.

Conversion Cards

When you play a conversion card, you can trade spices from your caravan for a more valuable spice. For example, you can turn yellow turmeric into red saffron, green cardamom, or brown cinnamon, depending on the card.

The number of conversions you can make is indicated on the card, but you don’t have to use all of them. In the example, you could have turned turmeric into saffron, and then saffron into cardamom.

Here is the order in which you can convert spices:

Trading Cards

Trading cards have been an integral part of the gaming world for many years. These collectible cards, often featuring popular characters or sports personalities, have captivated the hearts of enthusiasts and collectors alike.

When I think about trading cards, it’s like entering a whole new universe. You never know what you’ll find when you open that pack. The anticipation builds up as you carefully peel back the wrapper, revealing the glossy treasures hidden inside. Each card holds a story, a piece of a larger narrative that unfolds with every new addition to your collection.

Trading cards are a unique phenomenon. They serve as tangible tokens of our cherished memories and interests. We hold them in our hands and imagine the worlds they represent. The characters, the teams, the moments frozen in time – all come alive through these small, colorful rectangles.

What attracts me to trading cards is the thrill of the hunt. It’s like searching for buried treasure, except instead of digging in the sand, you’re tearing open a foil pack. You never quite know what you’re going to get, and that’s part of the magic. The excitement builds as you flip each card over, hoping to uncover a rare gem, a card that will leave your friends in awe and envy.

But trading cards are more than just a game. They provide an opportunity for connection and camaraderie. When I sit down with fellow collectors, we share stories and swap cards. We marvel at each other’s finds and discuss the value and significance of our collections. Trading cards bring people together, bridging gaps and fostering a sense of community.

Whether you’re into superheroes, athletes, or classic cartoons, there’s a trading card universe waiting for you. It’s a world where imagination meets reality, where memories are preserved in ink and paper. So go ahead, join the hunt, and start building your collection. You never know what wonders await you in those little cardboard treasures.

If you play an exchange card, put the spices on top of the arrow A back into the bowls and take the spices below the arrow B from the stock and put them in your caravan. You can do this exchange as many times as you want, as long as you have enough spices.

Let’s say Tom has 6 turmeric and plays a card that allows him to exchange 2 turmeric for 1 cardamom. Now he can exchange 2, 4, or all 6 turmeric for 1, 2, or 3 cardamom.

To get a trader card, you need to put one of your spices on each card to the left of the one you want. Then, take any spices that are already on the card you chose and put them in your caravan. Finally, pick up the card and add it to your hand.

Remember, the card all the way on the left is free to acquire.

Example: So, here’s what I’m thinking – I want that 4th trader card from the left, right? To make it happen, I need to place one spice on each card to the left of it.

But we can’t forget about sliding those trader cards! We want to create some space on the right side of the train stack, so let’s slide those cards and close up the gap.

Hey, here’s a neat trick! Draw the top card from the deck and put it in that new free space. Goodbye, empty spot!

Rest

When it’s time to rest, we gather up all the cards we’ve played before and bring them back into our hand. It’s like building up our resources throughout the game – expanding our options as we go!

Score

To score points, I need to collect all the spices shown on the scoring card and place them in my caravan. Once I have all the required spices, I can take the scoring card and put it in front of me. I then need to slide the other scoring cards to close the gap and create a free space on the right side. Next, I draw the top card from the deck and place it in the free space.

If I choose to take the first or second card from the left, I can also take a gold or silver coin from above it. However, if I take the last gold coin, I have to move any remaining silver coins from above the second card to the first card.

Caravan Size

After my turn, I need to make sure that I don’t have more spices in my caravan than I can transport. If I do, I must return spices of my choice to the bowls until I reach my limit.

My caravan can only transport up to 10 spices at a time.

Spice Limit

Well, guess what? There’s no shortage of spices here! If your bowl is empty, don’t worry, because you have plenty of options to choose from. You can use a different kind of spice or even mix a few together to create a whole new flavor.

It’s like having a secret ingredient that can completely transform a dish. You see, spices are like magic – they have the power to take any recipe and elevate it to a whole new level. Plus, they’re super versatile. You can use them in savory dishes, like soups and stews, or in sweet treats, like cookies and cakes.

So, let your imagination run wild! Experiment with different combinations of spices to create your own unique flavors. Maybe you’ll discover a new favorite blend that will become your signature spice mix.

And here’s the best part – there are no rules! You can trust your taste buds to guide you. If you like a little kick, add some chili powder. If you prefer something subtle and earthy, try a pinch of cumin. The possibilities are endless.

So, the next time you find yourself with an empty spice bowl, don’t despair. Embrace the opportunity to explore new flavors and create something truly special. Your taste buds will thank you!

Game Over

Once you’ve collected your fifth point card (or sixth card in games with 2 or 3 players), the game comes to an end. It’s time to tally up your points!

But that’s not all. Your gold coins are worth a whopping 3 points each, while your silver coins earn you 1 point each. And don’t forget about your spices! Any spices that are better than turmeric (that yellow one) score you an extra point for each wooden cube.

So, who takes home the victory? The player with the highest score, of course! However, should there be a tie, the player who took their turn later in the game claims the glory.