Welcome to the Inca Empire Game!

I’m excited to take you on a journey to the grand and mysterious Inca Empire. In this game, we’ll explore the rich history and fascinating culture of this ancient civilization. But first, let’s go over the rules so that we can begin our adventure!

Rule #1: Know Your Cards

When playing the Inca Empire Game, it’s essential to understand the cards that are at your disposal. Each card represents a different aspect of the Inca Empire, such as buildings, resources, or historical figures. Take some time to familiarize yourself with these cards so that you can make informed decisions during the game.

Rule #2: Strategic Placement

The placement of your cards is crucial for success in this game. It’s not just about placing them randomly; you need to think strategically. Consider the benefits of placing certain cards next to each other. Some cards may interact with each other, providing additional advantages or bonuses. Pay attention to these combinations, as they can help you gain the upper hand!

Rule #3: Manage Your Resources

Resources play a vital role in the Inca Empire Game. You’ll need them to construct buildings, trade with other players, or make crucial decisions. Keep a close eye on your resources and plan your moves accordingly. Don’t forget to also consider your opponents’ resources and anticipate their moves. Managing resources well can often be the key to victory!

Rule #4: Take Risks

In the Inca Empire Game, fortune favors the bold. Don’t be afraid to take calculated risks. Sometimes, a daring move can lead to significant rewards. Assess the potential outcomes, weigh the risks and benefits, and make your decision. Remember, the Inca Empire was built on ambition and audacity!

Rule #5: Embrace the Unknown

The Inca Empire was shrouded in mysteries and secrets. In this game, you’ll encounter unknown elements and unforeseen events. Embrace the unknown and adapt to the ever-changing game dynamics. Flexibility and quick thinking will be your allies on this exciting journey through the Inca Empire!

Rule #6: Have Fun!

Above all, the Inca Empire Game is about having fun and immersing yourself in the wonders of this ancient civilization. Enjoy the game, appreciate the history, and connect with your fellow players. Let the spirit of the Inca Empire guide you as you embark on this unforgettable adventure!

Now that you know the rules, it’s time to start playing. Get ready to unravel the mysteries of the Inca Empire and become a true ruler of this legendary civilization. Enjoy the game, and may the glory of the Inca Empire be with you!

• 1 Game board
• 32 Sun Event cards
• 4 Construction Cost cards
• 4 Turn Order tiles
• 240 Wooden sticks
• 4 colored Inca figures
• 1 black Inca figure
• 45 Local Culture markers
• 73 Labor Tokens
• 20 City markers
• 20 Garrison markers
• 20 Terrace markers
• 20 Inca temples
• 1 Sun Event board
• 4 Invasion markers
• Instructions

Object of the Game

The goal of the game is to have the most victory points (VP) when Pizarro arrives in the Inca capital at Cuzco.

Setup

To begin, place the Game board in the center of the table with the side that matches the number of players facing up.

Ready to set up the game? Let’s get started!

First, grab the Sun Event board and place it next to the Game board. Make sure the side that matches the number of players is facing up.

Now we can move on to the next step!

Hey there! Let’s get started on setting up your game board. We’ll need to place the Labor tokens, City, Garrison, Terrace markers, and wooden temples in a bank near the board.

Hey there! Let’s get started by shuffling the Construction Cost cards and giving one to each of us. This card will tell us where we’re starting and what color we are. Keep your card in front of you so you can refer to it throughout the game. It shows how much improvements cost and how many victory points you’ll earn.

When we play the game, each of us gets our own set of pieces, which include wooden sticks and an Inca figure. We each choose a color for our pieces.

Before we start the game, we all put our Inca figure on the starting space of the score track. Then, we place one of our wooden sticks on the road that connects Cuzco to our starting position.

When I took a look at the game board, I noticed something interesting – little markers hidden in each region. These markers are called Local Culture markers, and they add a special touch to the game. I decided to investigate further and found out that each region, apart from the starting regions near Cuzco, has its own Local Culture marker.

Curious to see what these markers held, I revealed the ones next to the starting regions. This simple act of turning them over made me feel like I was unlocking some hidden secret. It felt like a small discovery that would reveal more about the game.

As I looked at these markers, I realized that they were more than just symbols; they represented the character and uniqueness of each region in a subtle way. They added depth and flavor to the game, giving it a sense of place and culture.

It’s amazing how such small details can elevate a game and make it more immersive. By including these Local Culture markers, the creators of the game have allowed players to not only explore the physical aspects of the board but also dive into the rich history and traditions that each region holds.

So, if you’re looking for a game that goes beyond the surface and truly immerses you in a world of culture, then you’ll love Cuzco. With these Local Culture markers, you can experience the game on a whole new level and unravel the secrets of the ancient Incan civilization.

Hey there! Let’s get started on this exciting game. Here’s what you need to do:

I’m going to shuffle the Sun Event cards for you. Then, I’ll give each player 3 cards. Keep these cards face down and hold them in your hand. The remaining cards will be placed in a pile on the game board.

Let’s get started by placing the black Inca figure on the first field of the Era track. This track is divided into different eras, and we will be starting with the first era, which is represented by the upper field.

So here’s what we need to do. We’re going to shuffle these Turn Order tiles, right? Each of us gets one of those tiles, but we’ll keep it facedown. Once we’re all set, we can turn our tiles face up and put them in front of us where everyone can see.

Ready to switch things up? Let’s talk about some adjustments you can make to a game when playing with three people.

Firstly, when you have three players, the dynamics change quite a bit. You’ll notice that the game becomes more strategic, as you have fewer opponents to keep track of. With only two other players, you can more easily predict their moves and plan your own accordingly.

Next, consider the pacing of the game. With fewer players, the game can move quite quickly. Turns come around faster, and decisions need to be made swiftly. It’s important to stay alert and think on your feet to keep up with the action.

Another aspect to think about is the potential for alliances. With an odd number of players, forming partnerships can be tricky. It may be tempting to team up with one person against the other, but be careful – alliances can backfire, and you may find yourself on the losing end of a double-cross.

Lastly, adaptability is a key trait in a game with three players. You need to be able to adjust your strategy on the fly, as the game can quickly shift in unexpected ways. Stay flexible and open-minded, and be prepared to change your approach at a moment’s notice.

So, if you’re ready for a game with three players, keep these tips in mind. Embrace the strategic nature, stay alert and adaptable, and most importantly, have fun!

In the game, there are a few things you need to keep in mind when playing with 3 players. Follow these steps to ensure you set up the game correctly:

• First, use the side of the game board that is designed for 3 players.
• Second, use the side of the Sun Event board that is meant for 3 players.
• Next, only use the Turn Order tiles that have numbers 1-3.
• You should also remove specific Sun Event cards from the game: 1x Annual Pilgrimage, 1x Great Pilgrimage, 1x Local Pilgrimage, 1x Rural Unrest, and 1x Wilderness Road.
• Additionally, take out the 6 local cultural markers (one of each type) from the game.
• Finally, set up the rest of the game as described in the instructions.

Game Play

In the Inca civilization, life was divided into three main aspects: Government represented by the Inca Phase, Religion represented by the Sun Phase, and the People represented by the People Phase.

The Sapa Inca, who was considered the divine emperor, is responsible for distributing points during the scoring phase.

• The game is divided into four eras.
• Each era is then further divided into several rounds.
• And each round consists of multiple phases.

To keep track of progress, a black Inca figure is used. It indicates the current round and phase being played. Once every player completes a phase, the Inca figure moves down one space. When it reaches the bottom-most space, it is then moved back to the top-most space in the next column, signaling the start of a new round.

Note: Sometimes certain phases are repeated or skipped during a single round. The position of the black Inca figure determines which phase is played.

Let me break down the different phases for you:

Each round follows this order:

• Hincaphase
• Sun Phase
• People Phase
• Sapainca Phase

Important: When it comes to scoring, players move their Inca figure on the scoring track to mark their VP. Each step corresponds to 1 VP. If the Inca figure ends up in a field where other Inca figures are already present, it is placed on the outside, next to the other playing pieces.

In case of a tie, the player whose Inca figure is located on the inside of the scoring track wins.

Welcome to the Inca Phase

I’m here to explain the Inca Phase, which is all about the activity and production of the empire. You see, each person in the empire contributes their labor, and this is represented by labor tokens. These tokens are like a tax on our time, called “mit’a”, and we give a specific amount of our time every year.

Now, at the beginning of each era, there’s a smaller supply of labor tokens. This is because, in the early days of our empire, we had plenty of local resources available for growth. But as we expanded and our empire got bigger, we needed more resources to maintain it, which meant fewer resources were left for growth.

How Players Get Labor Tokens

During the Inca Phase, players receive labor tokens based on the current era we’re in. The era determines how many tokens we get. So, as the game progresses and we enter new eras, the number of labor tokens we receive will change.

But that’s not the only way to get labor tokens. We can also get them from conquered regions and terraces. So, whenever we conquer new territories or build terraces, we’ll gain some extra labor tokens to help us out.

Helping Each Other

Here’s a neat thing about the Inca Phase: we can actually help each other. We’re all part of the empire, after all. So if one player is in need of some labor tokens, another player can step in and offer their assistance. It’s all about teamwork and supporting one another to keep our empire thriving.

Once all the players have received their Labor tokens, it’s time for the leading players to lend a hand to the trailing ones. This support comes in the form of Labor tokens, of course.

Now, let’s break it down for each era. In the Second Era, known as Early Empire from 1471 to 1493, the leader on the scoring track has to give one of their Labor tokens to the player in last place.

Moving on to the Third and Fourth Eras, known as Middle and Late Empire respectively, things get a little more interesting. The player in first place now has to give two Labor tokens to the player in last place. As for the player in second place, they have to give one Labor token to the player in third place (in a 3-player game, you can ignore the second place support).

Now that we’ve covered that, let’s talk about the Sun Phase. But before we do, take a look at this image! Isn’t it beautiful? It shows you exactly how to play Inca Empire.

Okay, back to the Sun Phase.

Hey there! Let’s talk about the Sun Phase and how it impacted the Inca people. The Inca lived in a land of extreme diversity, with deserts on one side and towering mountains on the other. The weather played a big role in their daily lives, especially when it came to farming and fishing. The Sun Events were all about these extreme situations, some good and some not so good.

Figuring out the order of turns

First things first, we need to decide who goes first. Each player gets a Turn Order tile. We’ll start with the player who’s furthest behind on the scoring track and work our way up to the person in first place. The player in last place gets the number one tile, the player in second-to-last gets number two, and so on. Just a friendly reminder: if there’s a tie, the position of the Inca figures breaks it. An Inca figure on the outside comes after an Inca figure on the inside. Now we’re all set to go!

Note: The Turn Order remains the same in the first era (1438- 1471) because there is no Sun Phase.

Here’s how the Turn Order tiles are distributed: I get the “1” tile because I’m in last position. Brown and I have the same number of points, but since Brown is on the outside, he comes after me on the scoring track. Brown gets the “2” tile and I get the “3” tile. Orange gets the “4” tile.

Let’s Play Sun Event Cards

Now it’s time to choose Sun Event cards. We go in turn order, and each of us picks one of our cards and places it face down in the quadrant we want on the Sun Event board. As soon as we do that, we draw a replacement card from the Sun Event deck and add it to our hand.

Note: During each phase of the Sun, only one new card can be placed in each quadrant. This card is added to any existing cards from previous Sun phases, if there are any. If we run out of Sun Event cards, we need to shuffle the discard pile and create a new draw pile.

Discover and handle all Sun Event Cards

Note: The cards are always positioned between two lines that match a player’s color. This indicates that they impact the actions of both players!

The People Phase: Work for the Empire

In this phase, I get to witness the hard work of my people as they strive to improve our empire. The mit’a we collected during the Inca Phase now plays a crucial role in building Roads, Terraces, Garrisons, Cities, Temples, or conquering new Regions.

To ensure progress, I must follow these steps in any order I prefer. I can even construct up to two Roads without any Labor cost.

Building Roads

Here’s what I need to do to build roads:

• I must connect all my roads to my starting region, creating one interconnected network (refer to example 2).
• I can place one of my wooden sticks on a connection between two locations.

Note: Before we begin, it’s important to remember that you must complete one action before moving on to the next. So, while you can play the two actions in any order, make sure to finish one before starting the other. For example, you can’t build one Road and then interrupt that action with a Construction action.

Important: If you make a connection with a site that borders a region containing an undisclosed Local Culture marker, the marker will be revealed. Let’s take a look at example 1 to understand better.

• 
  I will reveal any undisclosed Local Culture Markers in regions that are connected to the road system. This applies to sites that border the road.
• 
  All of your roads should be connected to your starting region. You can have branches, so feel free to explore different paths.
• 
  Hey there! Did you know that you can’t build a road between two sites that are next to a region that hasn’t been conquered? Pretty interesting, right? So, keep that in mind when you’re playing!

Busy Building

There are a few actions you can choose from when you’re busy building.

Starting a City

Inca Cities were typically constructed on the grounds where cities had previously stood. This is why many of the City sites in the game have names that originated from civilizations that existed before the Inca. As a player, I can turn in six Labor tokens and place a City tile on a city site (blue) on the game board. However, I can only do this if the city site is connected to my road system and is located in a conquered Region. It’s pretty neat that founding a city right away earns me 4 VP!

Let’s talk about building a Garrison next.

A Garrison is like a little supply station along the Road system. It’s stocked with food and drinks, which can come in handy during military operations or when there’s a crisis like a bad harvest or El Nino. To set up a Garrison, all you need to do is trade in four Labor tokens and choose a Garrison site (marked in orange) along your road network. The chosen site should be connected to your conquered regions. When you build a Garrison, you earn an instant 3 VP!

Now, let’s talk about conquering a region.

The Inca were able to expand their empire rapidly over the course of just a century. They didn’t just rely on military force, though. They also used coercion, which involved negotiating with other groups under the watchful eye of thousands of Inca warriors. In the game, when I want to conquer an area, I have to turn in Labor tokens that match the resistance of the local culture. I take the Local Culture marker and place it in front of me. When I conquer a region, I get victory points equal to the number on the Local Culture marker. But here’s the catch: when I conquer a region, any adjacent regions also have their Local Culture markers revealed.

Here’s an important condition: if I want to conquer a region, I have to have at least one road that connects to a site next to the region I want to conquer.

Time to Build a Temple!

When the Inca conquered new territories, they allowed the people living there to continue worshiping their own gods. However, they also required them to add the Sun god to their religious hierarchy. To symbolize this, temples dedicated to the Sun god were built in each new city added to the empire. These cities often had existing temples from previous empires, which were considered important sites.

In the game, you can build a temple by turning in five Labor tokens and placing a Temple marker on a City marker connected to your road system. It doesn’t matter if you didn’t found the city yourself, you can still build a temple there.

Building a temple immediately earns you 4 victory points (VP). If you choose to build a temple on a Significant City Site, you will receive bonus points as indicated on the board next to that location.

Now, let’s talk about building a Terrace.

Terraces, oh boy! Let me tell you, they’re a pretty big deal. The Inca folks, famous for their terrace-building skills, really knew what they were doing. You see, terraces are these awesome raised platforms that make farming a whole lot easier. The Inca were masters at constructing these terraces, making the most of the land in the mighty Andes mountains.

These terraces were a game-changer, let me tell you. They boosted the amount of farmland by a whopping 100%. Just imagine all the crops you could grow on one of those bad boys! And here’s the amazing part: these terraces are still being used today. Isn’t that mind-blowing?

Now, here’s the cool part for us players. When it’s my turn, I can spend two Labor tokens and voila! I can plonk down a Terrace marker right next to one of the Local Culture markers I’ve conquered. But wait, there’s a rule: each Local Culture marker can only have one Terrace marker beside it. So, we gotta be smart about where we place these markers.

Oh, and there’s more! When I build a terrace, I score 1 Victory Point right away. Cha-ching! But that’s not all. Brace yourself, because things are about to get even better. Each terrace I build produces an extra Labor token during the Inca Phase. Talk about a nice bonus, huh?

And here’s the cherry on top: during the Sapa Inca Phase, I get to score 1 more Victory Point for each terrace I control. That’s a whole lot of points, my friend. And you know what they say, every point counts!

Create an Extra Road

I can spend one Labor token to construct an additional Road following the rules for road placement. Keep in mind: The Roads on the game board are situated within specific Regions, even if they run along a border. Position the wooden sticks on the game board so that it’s evident to all players which region the road belongs to.

Take a Break

Sometimes, I just need to take a breather and do nothing. It’s a valid move in the game that allows me to reset and gather my thoughts.

Welcome to the Sapa Inca Phase

I am the supreme Inca, and this is your chance to earn victory points by maintaining the improvements we have built in our empire.

First, Let’s Reset the Sun Event Board

Next, It’s Time to Score Victory Points

• If you have built any terraces, you earn 1 victory point.
• For each garrison connected to your road system, you gain 2 victory points.
• If you have cities connected to your road system, you earn 3 victory points for each.
• Every temple connected to your road system is worth 1 victory point.

Don’t Forget Unused Labor Tokens Go Back to the Bank

Remember: You also receive victory points for cities, temples, and garrisons that other players have built, as long as they are connected to your road system.

When you encounter the “Rural Unrest” card, it can cause part of your road system to become disconnected from Cuzco. In this situation, you will only receive points for any improvements that are connected to Cuzco by roads.

End of the Game

The game comes to an end immediately after the Sapa Inca Phase of the Late Empire, which coincides with the arrival of Pizarro.

Once the game is over, the player who is leading on the Scoring track wins. In the event of a tie, the player with the marker closest to the center of the board is considered to be ahead.

Variants

Pizarro’s Arrival: When it comes to Pizarro’s arrival, there is an element of uncertainty. You never know when he might appear.

Here’s what you need to do: shuffle all the Invasion markers and place one face down next to each of the People Phases in the Late Empire. After each People Phase, turn over the Invasion marker next to that phase. It’s always a surprise!

Now, here’s the exciting part. When ‘Pizarro’s Arrival’ is finally revealed, we go straight to the Sapa Inca Phase. And guess what? The game is over!

Early Downfall: Now, if you’re looking for a shorter, 4-player game, I’ve got a little trick for you. Just remove a few cards: Annual Pilgrimage, Great Pilgrimage, and Local Pilgrimage. We don’t need those today.

Oh, and let’s not forget about the columns. Skip the third column of the Early Empire and the second column of the Middle Empire. Easy, right? Now you’re all set for a quicker game!

The Gods Are on Board: When getting started, I’ll put 4 markers on the board that represent the Local Culture. Each one will provide 3 Labor in the regions marked with a Hand of God symbol.

I’ll place the rest of the markers following the rules.