The Rules of the Ra Game

Hey there! Ready to unravel the mysteries of the ancient Ra Game? I’m here to guide you through the rules so you can start your adventure. Grab your magnifying glass and let’s go!

The Basics

In the world of the Ra Game, you’ll find yourself exploring ancient Egypt, where pharaohs, pyramids, and mysterious artifacts await. The goal? To amass the most victory points by the end of the game. Exciting, right?

The game is played in a series of rounds, and each round is comprised of three phases: the Auction Phase, the Ra Phase, and the Scoring Phase. Let’s dive into each of these phases to understand how the game unfolds.

The Auction Phase

In the Auction Phase, players take turns (that’s you and your fellow adventurers!) bidding on tiles representing different aspects of ancient Egypt, like monuments, civilizations, or pharaohs. Each player starts with a certain number of Sun Tokens and uses them to bid on the tiles. But be careful! Don’t spend all your tokens at once – you might need them later. It’s a test of strategy and luck!

The Ra Phase

Once all the tiles have been acquired, the Ra Phase begins. This is where the real excitement happens! You’ll unleash the power of the sun god Ra, who decides the fate of the tiles you’ve collected. Some tiles might earn you victory points, while others could bring disaster or take away your precious points. It’s a thrilling and unpredictable moment. May the sun god be in your favor!

The Scoring Phase

After the Ra Phase, it’s time to tally up the points! Victory points are awarded based on the tiles you’ve collected. If you’ve strategically acquired a combination of tiles or completed sets, you’ll be rewarded handsomely. But beware, my friend – if you neglect certain crucial elements, you might miss out on valuable points. Balance is key!

Throughout the Game

As you play, keep an eye on the Sun Disk – it determines how many tiles will be up for auction in each round. The game progresses through three epochs, each marked by a different Sun Disk value. Strategies that worked in one epoch might need a little tweaking in the next. Adaptability and quick thinking are your allies in the world of the Ra Game!

My Parting Words

So, my adventurous friend, armed with the knowledge of the Ra Game rules, are you ready to embark on this thrilling journey? It’s time to immerse yourself in the mystical world of ancient Egypt, where fortunes are won and lost with every turn. May the gods smile upon you as you seek victory!

Alright, let me break it down for you. First things first, put the game board in the middle of the table. The board has two tracks: the upper one is called the Ra track and has 10 spaces, while the lower one is the auction track and has 8 spaces. On the top and bottom of the board, you’ll find tables that show how fame points are scored at the end of each round.

Now, before we start the game, we need to prepare. Take the tiles out of their frame and put them in a bag. Give the bag a good mix to shuffle the tiles well. Each player has their own play area in front of them. This is where they’ll place their suns and the tiles they collect throughout the game.

Oh, and don’t forget about the VP tokens! Take them out of their frame as well. Each player gets two value 5 tokens and places them face down in their play area. The rest of the tokens should be placed face up next to the game board.

Okay, here’s the deal. We have these cards called the Suns. They have different values on them, like 2, 3, 4, all the way up to 16. And depending on how many players we have, we sort the Suns into different groups. If we have two players, we use Suns with values from 2 to 9. If we have three or four players, we use Suns with values from 2 to 13. And if we have five players, we use Suns with values from 2 to 16. Once we’ve sorted the Suns into their groups, we place them face down on the table.

First things first, we need to figure out who gets which group. Let’s do it randomly, just for fun. Now, let’s place our suns face up in our own play areas. Oh, and don’t forget to put sun number 1 face up on the sun space in the middle of the game board.

We also need to put the Ra figure next to the game board.

The Goal of the Game

This game is set in ancient Egypt and spans three time periods, or epochs:

• The Old Kingdom (2665 – 2155 BC)
• The Middle Kingdom (2130 – 1650 BC)
• The New Kingdom (1555 – 1080 BC)

Hey there! Let’s dive into a fascinating ancient world – Ancient Egypt! In this game, I get to step into the shoes of someone living during those awe-inspiring times. I even have the chance to collect different tiles that represent different aspects of Egyptian life. It’s a whole adventure!

But here’s the catch, my friend. These tiles are not just handed out for free. Nope, they are up for grabs in exciting auctions. To participate in these auctions, I need to bid with these cool tokens called suns, which I earn from Ra, the sun god himself!

Now, here’s where things get really interesting. The available tiles in these auctions keep changing, so I need to be extra careful about what I bid on and when. After all, I want to get the tiles that I really want!

Once an epoch, which is like a historical era, comes to an end, it’s not the end of the story. Oh no. Here’s the cool part – the players, including me, get these awesome tablets that showcase their fame in the game. How cool is that?

Here’s the deal – after three epic epochs, the player who has the most fame on their tablets is declared the ultimate winner. It’s a race to the top, my friend, and I’ll do whatever it takes to be the one on that podium!

Ready to Play?

Alright, here’s how the game starts. The player with the highest numbered sun goes first. Then, the turns go around the table in a clockwise direction.

Now, on to the actions you can take on your turn. There are three options:

• Draw and place one tile on the board: You can choose to draw a tile from the bag. Take a look at it and show it to everyone at the table.
• Play a God tile: You can decide to play a God tile.
• Invoke Ra: Lastly, you can choose to invoke Ra.

A player who doesn’t have any suns to use takes no actions on their turn. Once the auction track is full, players are only allowed to play God tiles or invoke Ra.

Let’s talk about drawing and placing a tile on the board:

When it’s your turn, you draw one tile from the bag. Take a look at it and show it to everyone.

If the tile you draw is a Ra tile, things get interesting. You place it on the next empty space on the Ra track and put the Ra figure in front of you. This starts an auction, which we’ll get to in a moment.

Let me tell you about turning over tiles in the game. When it’s my turn, I pick a tile and put it on the auction track. I always place it in the next empty space on that track, starting from the left. It’s important to remember that when we play with fewer than 5 players, we don’t use the first few spaces on the track.

Now, let’s talk about the God tiles. If I have any of these special tiles in my play area, I can use them to take tiles from the auction track. For each God tile I play, I can take one tile from the track. After playing the God tile, I put it face-down in the box and add the new tile to my play area. Just a heads up, I can’t take a God tile from the auction track or a Ra tile from the Ra track.

So, when it’s my turn, I choose a tile and place it on the auction track. If I have God tiles, I can use them to take tiles from the track. It’s all about strategy and making the most of your options. Good luck!

So, here’s the thing – when there are empty spots on the auction track because of what we just did, we need to fill them up. How do we do that? Well, we grab some tiles and put them on the track in our next turns. Simple, right?

Let’s summon Ra!

When I say “Ra” and put the Ra figure in my play area, something exciting happens. It’s time for an auction!

An Auction Begins

I’m the one who triggered the auction by either flipping over a Ra tile or summoning Ra. So, I become the Ra player and keep the Ra figure in my play area to show that. The auction starts with the player on my left and goes around the table in a clockwise direction until it comes back to me.

During the auction, we’re all bidding to get the tiles on the auction track. But there’s more! The winner also gets the sun from the sun space on the board. If there aren’t any tiles on the auction track, the winner still gets the sun.

When it’s my turn, I can choose one of my suns and place it on the edge of the board. But here’s the catch: my bid has to be higher than the previous bid. I also have the option to pass, which means I don’t want to bid. However, if I’m the one who triggered the auction by using the Ra tile, I have to make a bid if everyone else passes.

Now, let’s say I ended up triggering the auction because the auction track is full and I don’t want to play a God tile. In this case, I can pass even if everyone else passes too. If that happens, all the tiles on the auction track will be returned face down to the box.

But what if an auction is happening because a Ra tile was turned over? Well, in this scenario, all players, including me (the Ra player), have the option to pass. If everyone passes, the tiles on the auction track will remain there, ready for the next round.

When I make the highest bid, I get all the tiles on the auction track and place them face-up in my play area. To make scoring easier later on, I refer to the example on the next page for placing the tiles.

I also take the sun from the center of the board and place it face-down in my play area. These face-down suns cannot be used for the rest of this epoch, but they will be turned face-up at the start of the next epoch. The sun I bid, I place face-up on the sun space in the middle of the board.

Remember, if all eight auction tile spaces have tiles on them, you cannot draw and place a tile. But you can still play God tiles if you have them or invoke Ra. If you choose to invoke Ra in this case, you don’t need to bid if no one else does.

Here’s a summary of the rules for Ra and the auction:

• If you want to play as the player who invoked Ra, you have the option to bid one of your suns. However, you can only do this if at least one other player also bids. If no one else bids, you can choose to bid or pass too. Keep in mind that all players can decide to pass as well.
• In certain situations, you can draw and place a Ra tile on the board. This means that all players, including the player who invoked Ra, can choose to pass and the auction tiles will stay on the board.
• When the auction track is full and you decide to invoke Ra, all players, including the player who invoked Ra, have the choice to pass. If everyone passes, all the tiles on the auction track will be removed and put back in the box, face down.
• If the Ra track is complete, there won’t be an auction at all. In this case, both the tiles on the auction track and the Ra tiles on the Ra track will be removed and put back in the box, face down.

After the auction is finished, it’s up to you, the player sitting to the left of the Ra player, to keep the game going by taking your regular turn.

• When you have no face-up suns left in your play area (meaning you have used all your suns), you can no longer take any more turns in the epoch. As a result, there are fewer and fewer players competing for the tiles as the game progresses.
• Once the last player with face-up suns uses his or her final sun and completes their turn, the epoch comes to an end. All the tiles on the Ra track are then turned face-down and returned to the box. The sun in the middle of the board remains there for the next epoch.

When the Ra track is completely filled, that marks the end of the era. At this point, there won’t be any more auctions, and all the tiles from the Ra track and auction track are taken off the game. Only the sun that is face up on the game board will remain. Any suns that were already face up in a player’s play area will stay that way for the next era.

Tiles and suns in my play area

In my play area, I arrange my tiles and suns in five rows:

Disasters

When you win an auction and get disaster tiles, you might lose some of the tiles you already have. Here’s what happens: first, you put all the new tiles you got from the auction in your play area. Then, you have to “take care” of the disasters by getting rid of two tiles from the same category as the disaster. If you only have one tile from that category, you lose just that one. But if you don’t have any tiles from that category, you don’t lose anything because of that disaster. It’s important to deal with all the disasters you got from the auction.

When you play this game, you have the power to decide which tiles you want to get rid of. You can choose to discard any category of tiles, except for the drought category. But with drought, things work a little differently. If you have any flood tiles, you must first discard them (up to 2 tiles for each drought). After that, you can start getting rid of Nile tiles. The goal is to have a total of 2 tiles for each drought. The tiles that you choose to discard are then returned face-down to the box along with the disaster tiles.

At the end of each round, I count up the tiles in my play area to see how many points I’ve earned. It’s always a little thrilling to find out how well I’ve done. After I finish counting, I flip over all the face-down suns so I can see what they’re worth. The number of suns I have might change from round to round. The player with the highest-numbered sun gets to go first in the next round.

Scoring

At the end of each of the three rounds, I’m awarded fame for my accomplishments in the form of tablets. I’m not just playing for fun – I want those tablets! Once I’ve figured out my total fame score, I’ll receive (or lose) tablets equal to that amount.

I keep my tablets face-down in my play area. It adds a little suspense and mystery to the game. I can’t wait to see how many I end up with!

Gods

If I have any God tiles in my play area, I earn 2 points of fame for each one. After I’ve counted up my fame points, those tiles go back in the box. Goodbye, mighty Gods!

Pharaohs

Every time a round ends, I get to see who has the most Pharaoh tiles. The person with the most gets a whopping 5 fame points! But here’s the catch: the person with the fewest loses 2 points. Ouch! If there’s a tie for first or last place, everyone involved gets the same points as the winner or loser. So, if we all have the same number of Pharaoh tiles, no one gets any extra points and the tiles stick around for the next round.

Let’s say my friends Anna, Bob, Cathy, and Don each have a different number of Pharaoh tiles – 3, 2, 2, and 3, respectively. In this case, Anna and Don would each earn 5 fame points, while Bob and Cathy would lose 2 points. It’s all about those Pharaoh tiles!

Nile

Every time a new era begins, I get a fame point for each flood and Nile tile I have on my side. But here’s the catch – I can only get those points if I actually have at least one flood tile. If I don’t have any flood tiles, then I don’t score anything for my Nile tiles.

Once I’ve scored my fame points, I have to return all the flood tiles back to the box, face down. However, my Nile tiles stay right where they are in my play area, ready for the next era.

Civilization

At the end of each era, if I have no civilization tiles in my play area, I lose 5 fame points. Ouch! But if I manage to have three different civilization tiles, I earn 5 fame points. And it gets even better – if I have four different tiles, I get 10 points, and if I have all five different tiles, I earn a whopping 15 points!

Once the scoring is done, I have to put all the civilization tiles back in the box, face down.

Imagine this: you’re an explorer, venturing into uncharted territories, searching for civilizations lost to time. The thrill of the unknown beckons you, as you traverse the vast landscapes that stretch as far as the eye can see. You stumble upon ancient remnants of once-great empires, each with its own unique customs, knowledge, and achievements. But how do you measure the value of these civilizations? How do you determine their significance? Let’s delve into the world of Sid Meier’s Civilization VI and discover the importance of different civilization tiles.

Gold

Now, let’s talk about gold. Gold is a precious resource that has held allure and power throughout human history. Just as in real life, gold holds immense value in Civilization VI. When I stumble upon a civilization tile that yields gold, I feel like I’ve struck a jackpot. It’s a much-needed resource for me, as it allows me to grease the wheels of my empire’s growth and development. With it, I can build and fortify my cities, recruit powerful military units, and even engage in diplomatic negotiations. Gold truly is the lifeblood of a thriving civilization.

Every time a round is complete, I get 3 fame points for each golden tile I have in my play area. Once I tally up my fame points, I return the gold tiles to the box, keeping them face down.

Monuments

Monuments are only scored at the end of the third round. They stay in my play area throughout the game. I earn 1 fame point for each different monument I have, for a maximum of 6 points. If I have 7 different monuments, that’s worth 10 points. And if by some miracle I manage to collect all 8 different monuments, I score a whopping 15 points. On top of that, I earn bonus points for grouping identical monuments. I get 5 points for each group of three, 10 points for each group of four, and 15 points for each group of five.

Let me tell you a story about Anna and her magnificent collection of ancient monuments. Anna has 4 pyramids, 3 temples, 2 fortresses, and 1 sphinx. She’s quite the adventurer, exploring ancient civilizations and uncovering hidden treasures.

After completing the third epoch, Anna is rewarded with points for her remarkable collection. In total, she earns 19 points. These points are awarded based on the different types of monuments she possesses. Anna receives 4 points for having four distinct monuments in her collection. She also earns 10 points for her four pyramids, a testament to her fascination with these architectural wonders. Lastly, Anna earns 5 points for her three temples, showcasing her admiration for these sacred structures.

It’s important to note that Anna doesn’t receive any points for her second fortress. As skilled as she is in her exploration, the judges don’t consider this particular fortress as noteworthy as her other treasures.

Anna is overjoyed with her collection and the recognition it brings. She revels in the stories that each monument tells and the history they represent. The love and passion she has for these ancient marvels is unrivaled.

So, my friends, if you also share in Anna’s fascination with ancient monuments, you’ll understand the joy she feels when adding a new piece to her collection. It’s a journey of discovery, a celebration of history, and a testament to the human spirit’s ability to create magnificent things.

Suns

When it comes to scoring points in the game, the suns are what I need to focus on. And let me tell you, it’s not as easy as it seems. You see, the suns only count after the third epoch. That means I have to wait until the game has progressed enough before I can tally up my points.

So here’s how it works: I need to add up the numbers on all of my suns, whether they’re face up or face down. Once I have my total, I compare it to the totals of the other players. The player with the highest total gets a nice little boost of 5 fame points. On the other hand, the player with the lowest total takes a hit and loses 5 fame points.

But what happens if there’s a tie? Well, in that case, each of the tied players will both gain or lose 5 points. It’s only fair, right? And if everyone ends up with the same total, well, no one gets any extra points or loses any points for that matter.

Let’s say I’m playing against Anna, Bob, Cathy, and Don. We all add up our suns and here’s what we get: Anna has 17, Bob has 25, Cathy has 21, and Don has 17. In this scenario, Bob comes out on top and earns an extra 5 points. Unfortunately, Anna and Don weren’t so lucky and each lose 5 points. As for Cathy, she stays right where she started with no changes to her total.

It’s a Wrap!

When we finish scoring after the third round, that’s it – the game is over!

Here’s what happens: each of us adds up all the points we’ve earned during the game. The player with the most points wins, plain and simple. But what if there’s a tie? Well, if two or more of us have the same highest total, then the player among us with the highest numbered sun is crowned the ultimate victor!