Rules for Playing the Domaine Game

Hey there! I’m super excited to share with you the rules for playing the incredible Domaine game. Get ready for an awesome time full of strategy and fun!

Overview

Domaine is a fantastic board game that will test your skills in planning, strategy, and making the most of your resources. The game is designed for 2-4 players, and the goal is to have the most points at the end of the game by owning the best territories.

Setting Up

Let’s dive into how to set up your game board. Start by placing the main board in the center of the playing area. Next, each player will choose a color and take the corresponding player mat and scoring markers. Shuffle the tiles and distribute them evenly among the players. Now, everyone is ready to begin!

Gameplay

The game takes place over a series of rounds. Each round has four phases: Production, Harvest, Action, and Cleanup. During the Production phase, players will receive resources based on the territories they control. Then, during the Harvest phase, everyone will receive income points, which can be used to improve their position on the score track.

Next comes the Action phase, where players can perform various actions such as expanding their territories, building structures, moving their markers, and more. This is where your strategy really comes into play! Finally, during the Cleanup phase, players will discard any unused tiles and prepare for the next round.

Scoring

Scoring in Domaine is based on the territories you control and the structures you have built. Each round, players will earn points based on the land they own and the special actions they take. At the end of the game, additional points are awarded for majorities in certain areas and for matching terrain types.

Conclusion

Now that you know the rules of Domaine, it’s time to gather your friends and start playing! Remember to plan your moves carefully, use your resources wisely, and keep an eye on your opponents. Good luck, and may the best strategist win!

Once upon a time, the king was away, far away from his kingdom. And without him, chaos and disorder took over. The dukes, wanting to increase their power and influence, started to make their moves. They wanted to redraw borders and divide the kingdom. But here’s the question: when the king finally comes back, who will control the most valuable regions?

Pieces

Before playing your first game, you need to take out all the pieces from the cardboard frames.

• 4 Board Edge Pieces and connectors
• 9 Land Tiles
• 60 Action Cards
• 60 Knights and 16 Castles in 4 colors
• 100 Border Markers
• 47 Gold Ducats
• 4 Siegpunktanzelger
• 1 Crest Tokens (victory point markers) and one King Token

Let’s Get Started!

Hey there, are you excited to dive into the game Domaine? Let me show you what’s in store for you!

First things first, here’s what you’ll find in the box:

• 4 Board Edge Pieces and connectors
• 9 Land Tiles
• 60 Action Cards
• 60 Knights and 16 Castles in 4 colors
• 100 Border Markers
• 47 Gold Ducats
• 4 Siegpunktanzelger
• 1 Crest Tokens (victory point markers) and one King Token

Now that you know what’s included, let’s learn about the objective of the game.

The Name of the Game: Be the Castle Master!

In Domaine, your goal is to build castles and enclose them with borders. When you manage to completely enclose a castle, congratulations! You now control that Domaine.

But it doesn’t stop there. You see, forests and villages located in your controlled areas actually earn you victory points. And guess what? The player with the most victory points at the end of the game wins it all!

It’s Game Time: Setting Up

Alright, let’s get everything ready so we can start playing!

Hey there! Let’s get started on assembling the board. Take a look at the diagram below and follow along. Place the land tile with the royal city, the one with walls and a cathedral, right in the center of the board. Now, grab the rest of the tiles and shuffle them. Place them face up in any order you like to fill in the rest of the board. Don’t worry about which direction the tiles are facing, it doesn’t matter.

Next, it’s time to choose your color! Each player picks a color and collects all the pieces and the crest token that match that color. You’ll get 15 knights and 4 castles (unless you’re playing with four players, then it’s 3 castles).

Now, let’s sort the action cards. Look at the letters on the back of the cards and sort them into four piles accordingly. Once you’ve done that, shuffle each pile separately. Finally, stack the piles up in alphabetical order, with the cards marked A on top.

• First, let’s start by setting up the game board. Take the action cards and place them in one of the two boxes at the top of the board. This will be our action deck. The other box will hold the action cards that we have already used.
• Next, each player will draw three action cards from the deck. Remember to keep your hand of action cards hidden from your opponents.
• Now, it’s time to place our crest tokens on the starting space of the scoring track. Look for the space with an arrow and place your token there.
• We’ll also need to set the border markers aside for now.
• Lastly, we’ll place the gold ducats on the other side of the board. Each player starts with 7 ducats.

We should also place the king token on the scoring track. Depending on the number of players, the token will start at a different space. In a four-player game, it will start at the space marked “30”. In a three-player game, it will start at “40”. And in a two-player game, it will start at “50”.

Now, let’s focus on building our castles!

In this game, you and I have the chance to build castles and knights in a strategic way. It’s a fun and exciting way to challenge our skills! The first step is to place one of my castles on an empty meadow space. Then, I’ll put a knight on a nearby forest or meadow space. We take turns doing this until we both have placed our four castles and four knights (or three each if there are four players).

Now, remember that my castles need to be at least six spaces apart from each other, but the diagonal spaces don’t count. This is an important rule to follow, and it will make the game fair for both of us. Look at the blue castles in the illustration – they are placed correctly and give us an idea of how to strategize.

So, where should we place our castles?

Our goal is to gain control of different areas by surrounding our castles with border markers. Once one of our castles is completely surrounded, it forms a Domaine. This means I have successfully taken over that area, and it’s a big win for me!

I want to talk to you about the natural borders in the game. You see, the mountains and seas that surround the board act as boundaries. When we start the game, we need to use fewer markers to create a Domaine around a castle that’s in one of the corners of the board. But if the castle is closer to the center, we’ll need more markers to surround it.

That’s why it’s a good idea to build your first castle in one of the corners of the kingdom. If you can enclose more forests, villages, and mines with your castle, your Domaine will be worth more points.

Forests and villages give you victory points, while mines give you more ducats. So, it’s best to place your castle as close as possible to these territories. Let me show you an example to help you understand better.

Example: I used only 6 borders to create a Domaine in the right corner of the map. It includes a village, a forest, and a mine. However, Orange still needs 2 more borders to enclose a Domaine. It’s important to note that Red does not have control over any Domaine.

Red has two castles that are completely surrounded by borders. But for them to count as a Domaine, there must be exactly one castle inside. Therefore, Red needs to separate his two castles with borders and create two separate Domaines.

#image.jpg

Hey there! Let’s dive into the exciting world of board games. This game, in particular, has a pretty cool setup. Take a look:

This example sets up a legal starting position. You see, the castles of the same color need to be at least 6 spaces apart, and they have to be on meadows. As for the knights, you can find them on meadows or forests.

But hold on, there’s a special rule for two players:

If you’re playing with a buddy, you’re in for a treat! The two-player version of this game has a twist. Each player gets to choose their own color, and there’s a third neutral color. Both players take turns placing their castles and knights on the board. And then, they switch to placing the neutral castles and knights. Oh, and just like during regular play, the neutral castles need to be 6 spaces apart too.

Alright, let’s get down to the gameplay:

The player who places their castle and knight last gets to go first. Pretty cool, right? So, it’s time for your turn. Here’s what you need to do:

First, collect your ducats if you control any mines. Then, you have two options:

1. You can sell an action card to the Chancery.
2. You can play an action card.

After my turn ends, I make sure to replenish my hand by drawing 3 cards. I can do this by either picking the top card from the action deck or selecting a card from the Chancery. And of course, the game continues in a clockwise direction.

Time to sell an action card to the Chancery

This move helps me stock up my ducal reserves. To sell an action card, I simply place it face-up in the Chancery row. The card will have a number in brackets, and that’s the amount of ducats I receive for selling it. Easy as that!

Remember: If I choose to sell a card, I won’t get to draw that card for my hand refill. But not to worry! I can select any other card from the Chancery or draw from the action deck instead.

Let’s play an action card

When I want to play an action card, all I need to do is place it face-up on the discard pile next to the action deck. But wait, there’s a price! I need to pay the amount shown in red on the card (not the number in brackets). Then, I’m ready to proceed.

If you’ve ever played a card game, you know what it feels like to be faced with a decision. Do you play a card now, or do you hold onto it for later? The symbol on the card can help guide you in making that decision. Let me explain.

When you look at a card, you’ll see a symbol printed on it. That symbol represents an action you can take. There are 5 different types of actions you can choose from.

The first type of action is represented by the pointing finger symbol. This symbol means that you should point to someone else and they will have to do something.

The second type of action is represented by the arrows symbol. This symbol means that you should pass the card to the person sitting next to you. They will then have to take the action indicated on the card.

The third type of action is represented by the speech bubble symbol. This symbol means that you should say something out loud. It could be a word or a phrase, or you might have to answer a question.

The fourth type of action is represented by the thumbs up symbol. This symbol means that you should give a thumbs up to someone else, as a way of showing support or agreement.

The fifth and final type of action is represented by the thumbs down symbol. This symbol means that you should give a thumbs down to someone else, as a way of showing disapproval or disagreement.

So, next time you’re playing a card game and you see a symbol on a card, remember that it’s giving you a clue about what action you should take. Whether it’s pointing, passing, speaking, giving a thumbs up, or giving a thumbs down, the symbol is there to guide you in making your move. Have fun!

When you play certain cards, they have two symbols on them. You can choose which action you want to take from those two options. Keep in mind that you can only choose one action to perform, not both.

A. Creating Boundaries

One of the actions you can take is to place border markers to form Domaines around your castles. Here are some important things to remember when placing borders:

• I find it fascinating that borders in the game can actually contribute to creating Domaines for neighboring castles.
• The surrounding seas and mountains naturally act as borders, so there’s no need to mark the board’s edges with border markers.

I want to explain the process of placing border markers on the board. The number of border markers you can place depends on how many borders are shown on the card. You can place 1, 2, or 3 border markers accordingly. Make sure to take the correct number of border markers from the supply. Here’s how you should place the borders:

• Borders must always be placed between two territories.
• You cannot place borders between adjacent figures of the same color, such as castles and knights.
• It’s important to note that borders should never be placed within a Domaine.
• If a new Domaine is formed, it will immediately earn you the Domaine Score. The territories within the Domaine will grant you victory points based on their type:

  Ah, the Domaine! Such a fascinating place, filled with forests, villages, royal cities, and even mines and meadows. Each of these areas has its own value in terms of victory points. Let me break it down for you:

  – Forest: A humble land, worth 1 victory point.

  – Village: A bustling little community, worth 3 victory points.

  – Royal City: A majestic and grand city, worth a whopping 5 victory points.

  – Mine and Meadow: Ah, these don’t provide any victory points, unfortunately. But they still have their charm.

  Now, here’s how it works: the owner of an area adds up the victory points of all the different types of spaces within it. Then, they move their crest token on the scoring track accordingly. It’s important to note that any extra border markers within the Domaine get removed.

  Let me give you an example to make it clearer. Imagine Orange places a border to create two Domaines. In Domaine A, Orange gains 7 victory points, while Blue only gets 1. Then, the two extra borders within Domaine A are removed.

  See, it’s all about strategic placement and maximizing those victory points. Remember, though, to consider the type of space you’re claiming in the Domaine. It can make all the difference.

  So, if you’re ready to dive into the Domaine, grab your crest token, place those borders wisely, and start racking up those victory points. Happy playing!

  B. Put together the Knight pieces

  When it comes to organizing your chessboard, the placement of the Knights is crucial. They are known for their unique movements on the board, which makes them valuable pieces to have. Understanding how to position your Knights can give you a strategic advantage.

  One of the key factors to consider is the starting squares for the Knights. In the standard chessboard layout, the Knights begin on the squares b1 and g1 for White, and b8 and g8 for Black. Placing the Knights in these positions allows them to be involved in the game right from the start.

  But it’s not enough to just place the Knights in their starting squares. You also need to think about their mobility and potential influence on the board. Knights have a unique movement pattern, as they can “jump” over other pieces. This means they can reach squares that other pieces cannot. By placing your Knights on squares that control important central squares, you can exert pressure on your opponent and limit their options.

  Additionally, it’s important to consider the interaction between your Knights and other pieces on the board. Placing your Knights near pawns can create a strong defense, as the Knights can protect the pawns and also attack your opponent’s pieces. It’s like having an armored knight on your side, ready to defend your position and launch unexpected attacks.

  In conclusion, when placing your Knights on the chessboard, remember their starting squares, their unique movement abilities, and how they can interact with other pieces. By strategically positioning your Knights, you can enhance your overall gameplay and create opportunities for victory. So, think carefully about where you want your Knights to be, and let them become the hero of your chess adventure.

  If you’re wondering how many knights to put on the board, it’s actually up to you. You can choose to have one or two knights, depending on what you prefer. Here’s what you need to do:

  • When playing the game, you can only put knights on meadow or forest territories. If you want to put a knight in a forest, you have to pay 1 extra ducat. But don’t worry, you don’t have to pay this extra cost when setting up the game.
  • Remember, knights can’t be placed on cities, villages, or mines. So make sure you choose the right territories!
  • When placing a knight, it has to be next to a castle or another knight of the same color. The knight can’t be separated by a border marker from its neighbor. Think strategically!
  • Keep in mind that if you run out of knights, you won’t be able to place any more on the board. Use them wisely!

  Here’s how it works: I want to move a knight in the game of Chess. But I can only move it to the spaces indicated by arrows. I can’t move it to the spaces below the castle or the knight because there are borders that stop me from doing so.

  C. Take Over More Territory

  If you want to make one of your Domaines bigger, you can add one or two border markers from the supply. Here’s what you need to keep in mind:

  • The first territory you expand into must be next to your Domaine, either above or beside it, but not diagonally.
  • The second territory can be right after the first one or next to any other territory in your Domaine.
  • You can’t expand into a territory that has an opponent’s castle or knight.
  • You can expand into territories that don’t belong to any Domaine, no matter how many knights you have.
  • But remember, you can never expand into one of your own Domaines.

  You have to follow particular rules when expanding your empire. Here’s what you need to know:

  • You can only extend into a neighboring region that belongs to your opponent if you possess more knights in your region than your opponent does in his.
  • You have the freedom to expand in any direction you choose, even if it means expanding into multiple regions.

  Scoring following an Expansion:

  When I expand my Domaine, I can move my crest token up on the scoring track. I earn 1 victory point for each forest territory I gain and 3 points for each village (5 points for the royal city).

  If I expand into another player’s Domaine, then they have to move their crest token down the scoring track for any territories they lose. My expansion can also create “neutral zones,” which are regions enclosed by borders but not part of any Domaine because they don’t have any castles inside. Neutral zones can always be taken over by expansion from a neighboring Domaine.

  For example: If I, as Orange, expand into Blue’s Domaine, I gain 4 victory points. Purple, on the other hand, loses 6 victory points because two forests were lost to the neutral zone that was just created.

  D. Deserter

  I can’t help but wonder, what makes someone abandon their duty? What drives a person to walk away from what they signed up for, leaving behind their comrades and responsibilities? It’s a question that has puzzled me for a long time, and one that doesn’t have a simple answer.

  You might think that desertion is a simple act of cowardice, a weak-willed person running away from their problems. But it’s not always that straightforward. There are countless factors that can contribute to someone becoming a deserter. Personal reasons, mental health issues, or even a crisis of conscience can all play a role in someone making the difficult decision to leave.

  It’s important to remember that being a deserter is not an easy path. It’s a choice that comes with its own set of consequences. Deserters face legal repercussions, social stigma, and the loss of their identity as a member of a larger unit. It’s a decision that can have a profound impact on a person’s life, and one that is not taken lightly.

  So, when you’re looking at a deserter, it’s crucial to take into account the complex web of emotions and circumstances that led them to that point. It’s not a black and white issue, but a deeply personal and often painful journey.

  In today’s society, we often value the importance of loyalty and commitment. But sometimes, it’s worth pausing to consider the reasons why someone may choose a different path. After all, we are all complex individuals with our own unique experiences and struggles.

  If you’re ever faced with the question of why someone deserts, I urge you to approach it with empathy and understanding. It’s easy to pass judgment, but much harder to truly comprehend the complexities of another person’s situation. By doing so, you may just gain a deeper appreciation for the diversity of human experiences and the myriad of factors that shape our lives.

  So, the next time you encounter a deserter, remember that their story is not a simple one. It’s a tale of courage, fear, and everything in between. And perhaps, instead of condemnation, we can offer them our compassion and support.

  Hey there! So, here’s something cool you can do in the game – force a knight to switch teams! It’s called the “Change Sides” action. Let me break it down for you.

  First, you need to pick one of your Domaines. You know, those little areas on the board that belong to you. Then, choose an adjacent Domaine that belongs to your opponent. Both Domaines must have at least one knight in them.

  Now comes the fun part! One of the knights in those two Domaines is going to switch sides. Yep, they’re going traitor! But hold on, you don’t get to pick any old knight. You have to select one of your opponent’s knights. That knight is then sent back to the supply. Tough luck for them!

  So, next time you’re playing, remember this sneaky move. It can really shake things up on the game board!

  When it comes to choosing where to put your knights in the game Domaine, there are a few important rules to keep in mind. First, you can’t choose a knight in the middle of a line; it has to be at either end. Second, once you’ve chosen a knight, it must always stay connected to your castle. You can’t break that connection.

  Now, let’s talk about placing knights in specific areas of your Domaine. If you want to put a knight in a forest, you’ll need to pay an extra ducat. It’s important to remember this rule. However, for other areas of your Domaine, you don’t need to pay any extra. So choose your placement wisely and strategically!

  Let me show you an example: Imagine Orange is playing the role of Deserter and they decide to place a knight on the board. It’s up to Orange to choose which knight Blue must remove. However, Orange cannot remove the knight to the right of the castle because that would leave a lone knight behind.

  E. Alliance

  Imagine this: you’re playing a game, and you have the power to choose a territory and disrupt your opponent’s plan. How cool is that? Well, in this particular game, you can do just that.

  Here’s how it works: when you play this action, you get to select one Domaine that belongs to you and an adjacent Domaine that belongs to your opponent. Then, you get to rotate a border marker between these two Domaines by 90 degrees. This simple action has a big impact.

  From that moment on, something interesting happens. These two Domaines, the one you selected and the one belonging to your opponent, become allies in a way. They form a pact, agreeing not to expand into each other’s territory. It’s like they have drawn an invisible line that neither of them can cross.

  Isn’t that fascinating? You have the power to reshape the game board, create alliances, and disrupt your opponent’s strategy. It’s a small but mighty move that can change the course of the game.

  Example: Once the alliance is created, Orange is not allowed to expand into the lower Domaine controlled by Blue. However, Orange can still extend into Blue’s Domaine on the right because there is no alliance between those two areas.

  Mining for Wealth

  Hey there! Let me tell you about the amazing income you can earn from mines in Domaine. We’ve got four types of mines: gold, silver, copper, and diamond. Now here’s the exciting part: at the start of your turn, you get to collect some serious cash! How much exactly? Well, it depends on how many different types of mines you own. Let me break it down for you.

  Imagine you have a couple of copper mines, a handful of diamond mines, and a single gold mine. That means you’ve got three different types of mines under your command. And guess what? You get to collect three ducats! That’s a nice chunk of change in your pocket, don’t you think?

  Calling All Mine Masters

  So here’s the deal. If you manage to control 3 or 4 mines of the same type, guess what? You’ve got yourself a “monopoly” on that type of mine. And let me tell you, a mine monopoly is a BIG deal. It’s worth a whopping 5 victory points! Yeah, that’s right, you’re racking up the points just by being the boss of those mines.

  But hey, don’t forget this important note: if you somehow lose your monopoly because one of your sneaky opponents expands their territory, things get tricky. You’re gonna have to face the consequences, my friend. And that means immediately decreasing your score on the track by a whopping 5 spaces. Ouch!

  #image.jpg

  In this example, I have some mines in my domain. Specifically, I have 1 copper mine, 1 diamond mine, and 3 silver mines. At the start of my turn, I collect 3 ducats for each of the 3 different types of mines I have. The silver mines also earn me S victory points. But there’s a catch. If another player, let’s say Red, with 3 knights, expands into my left domain (where I have 2 knights) and takes one of my silver mines, marked by the arrow, I am forced to move back 5 spaces on the scoring track. It’s a setback, but that’s how the game goes!

  End of the Game

  The game can end in two ways:

  1. If any player moves their crest token onto the space with the king token. In a four-player game, reaching 30 victory points triggers an immediate win. In a three-player game, you need 40 victory points to win, and in a two-player game, you need 50 victory points.
  2. If you’re the one who draws the final card from the action deck, that means the game is almost over. Once the action deck is empty, you can no longer draw cards from the Chancery. However, you can still sell action cards on your turn. Once the last action card has been played or sold, it’s time to tally up the ducats. Each player counts how many ducats they have left. The player, or players, with the highest number of ducats gets to move their crest token 5 spaces ahead on the scoring track. The player, or players, with the second highest number of ducats moves their marker 3 spaces. And finally, the player with the most points overall is declared the winner. In the event of a tie, the player who has the most ducats remaining is deemed the winner.