Welcome to the Vasco da Gama Game!

Are you ready to embark on an exciting journey through history? In this game, I will be your guide as we explore the fascinating life of the famous explorer Vasco da Gama. Together, we’ll discover new lands, encounter different cultures, and overcome challenges along the way.

To start playing, you’ll need to understand the rules of the game. But don’t worry, it’s not as complicated as it may seem. I’ll break it down for you step by step.

Objective

Your goal is to follow in Vasco da Gama’s footsteps and complete his historic voyage from Portugal to India. You’ll need to gather resources, recruit a skilled crew, and navigate through treacherous seas to reach your destination.

Game Components

Before we set sail, let’s familiarize ourselves with the game components:

• Game Board: This is where you’ll track your progress and make strategic decisions.
• Resource Cards: These represent the valuable goods and supplies you’ll need throughout your journey.
• Crew Cards: These cards represent the different members of your crew, each with their own unique abilities.
• Event Cards: These cards introduce challenges and opportunities that you’ll encounter along the way.
• Navigation Tokens: These tokens will help you keep track of your current position at sea.

Gameplay

Now that you know the components, let’s dive into the gameplay. Each turn, you’ll take a series of actions to progress through the game. Here’s how it works:

1. Collect Resources: On your turn, you’ll collect resources based on your current location on the game board. These resources will be crucial for future actions.
2. Recruit Crew Members: Next, you’ll have the opportunity to recruit new crew members to strengthen your team. Each crew member has their own unique skills that will aid you in your journey.
3. Navigate: After recruiting, it’s time to navigate! Use your navigation tokens to move your ship across the treacherous seas. Be careful and plan your route wisely to avoid hazards and make the most efficient progress.
4. Resolve Events: As you journey through uncharted territory, you’ll encounter various events. Draw event cards and follow their instructions carefully. These events can be beneficial or challenging, so be prepared for anything.
5. Upgrade and Assess: At the end of your turn, take a moment to assess your progress and make any necessary upgrades to your ship or crew. This will ensure you’re well-equipped for the challenges ahead.

Scoring

Your final score will be based on several factors, including the resources you’ve collected, the crew members you’ve recruited, and the challenges you’ve overcome. Aim for a high score to prove your mastery of the game!

Conclusion

Now that you understand the rules of the Vasco da Gama Game, it’s time to set sail and begin your epic journey. Are you ready to make history? Grab your crew, gather your resources, and let’s embark on an adventure that will test your skills and knowledge. Bon voyage!

• 1 Game board
• 1 Round Marker
• 1 First Free of Charge Action Marker
• 35 Project/Ship Tiles
• 6 Merchant’s Ship Tiles
• 4 Scoring Markers
• 4 Character Tiles
• 1 Label Sheet
• 9 Vasco Da Gama Tiles
• 22 Sequence Numbers
• 16 Action Discs
• 4 Additional Action Discs
• 28 Captains
• 32 Sailors
• 6 Missionaries
• 48 Coins
• 1 Cotton Bag
• Instructions

Objective of the Game

To win, you need to have the most Victory Points when the game ends.

Setting Up

If there are fewer than 4 players in the game, you should take out the Action Discs, Captains, and Scoring Markers of any unused colors. Make sure to put them back in the box.

1. Let’s start by laying the Game Board on the table. The Game Board is divided into 4 Areas: Recruiting, Characters, Purchase Projects, and Navigation.
2. Next, we place the Round Marker on Number 1 of the Round Track.
3. Now it’s time to choose our colors. You can be yellow, red, black, or blue. Each player receives 1 Scoring Marker of their chosen color. This marker goes on the board on Number “0” of the Scoring Track. Whenever you earn Victory Points during the game, you will move your Scoring Marker accordingly.
4. Each player also gets their supply. Here’s what you need:
5. 4 Action Discs of your own color
6. 1 Captain of your own color
7. 10 Reals
8. If you possess the Francisco Alvares Tile, you’ll also get 1 Missionary.

I’ll cover you on the remaining directions, focusing on setting up the game. First, we need to handle the Girolamo Sernigi Tile. I’ll give you a Merchant Ship, and you’ll put it in the Navigation Area. You can find more details about the Girolamo Sernigi Character in the section ahead.

Next, let’s take care of the Manuel I Tile. You’ll need to give me your Additional Action Disc of the same color.

Now, we need to place the Missionaries, Additional Action Discs, and Sequence Numbers 21 and 22 in their designated spaces.

The Merchant Ships Tiles will form a deck. Turn them face down and place them in the square on the board. The top Tile should be face up.

Lastly, if we’re not playing with a full group of 4 Players, we’ll need to place any unused Character Tiles on their appropriate squares on the board.

2 Players	3 Players	4 Players
1st Player	I choose Bartolomeu Dias	I pick Bartolomeu Dias	I’ll go with Bartolomeu Dias
2nd Player	I choose Girolamo Sernigi	I pick Francisco Alvares	I’ll go with Francisco Alvares
3rd Player	I choose Girolamo Sernigi	I pick Girolamo Sernigi
4th Player	I choose Manuel I

When it’s time to play a game with two, three, or four players, there are a lot of choices to be made. Who will you choose to play with? What strategies will you use to win? These decisions can greatly impact the outcome of the game.

Let’s say we have a game that can be played with either two, three, or four players. In this game, each player gets to select a character to play as. The characters have different abilities and strengths, so choosing the right one is crucial.

For instance, if there are only two players, I would choose to play as Bartolomeu Dias. If there are three players, I might pick either Bartolomeu Dias or Girolamo Sernigi. And if there are four players, I could go with Bartolomeu Dias, Francisco Alvares, or Girolamo Sernigi.

Each character brings their own unique skills to the game. Bartolomeu Dias is a great choice for any number of players because he is a versatile character with a wide range of abilities. Girolamo Sernigi is another strong choice, especially if there are only three players. Francisco Alvares is a solid pick for a game with four players. And finally, there is Manuel I, who is an excellent choice if there are four players.

As you can see, the number of players in the game greatly affects the decision-making process. When there are more players, there are more characters to choose from, which can make the game more complex and challenging. But having more players also means more competition, which can make the game more exciting.

Overall, the character you choose to play as in a game with multiple players can greatly impact your chances of winning. So, it’s important to take into account the number of players and their respective characters when making your decision. By considering these factors, you can increase your chances of success and have a more enjoyable gaming experience.

I’m going to tell you how to play a game called Vasco da Gama. To set up the game, you need to place the coins on the board to make the common supply. Then, put the Sequence Numbers from 1 to 20 on the board. Shuffle Vasco da Gama’s Tiles and put them face down in the space on the right. Take the first Tile and put it face up on top of the deck.

Next, divide the Project/Ships Tiles into 3 decks, using the Roman numeral on the Project side. Make sure the Project side is face up. Put the decks next to the board where everyone can see them.

During the game, if you have to pay money for something, put the paid Reals in the common supply.

You can exchange 5x 1 Real coins from your supply for 1x 5 Reals coin from the common supply, or vice versa, whenever you want.

The Reals are not something you have to worry about running out of. It’s highly unlikely, but just in case, keep track of them on a piece of paper.

Now, let’s talk about the gameplay. The game consists of 5 Rounds, and each Round has three Phases. These Phases are always played in the same order.

Phase 1 is called “Place Action Discs.” Here’s what you do: take the top tile from the deck on the right side and place it face up on the left space, even if there are other tiles there.

Next, take the First Free of Charge Action Marker and put it in the Numbers Zone. The number on the marker should match the number in the upper right corner of the tile. The numbers range from 4 to 12, and we call this number the “Initial Number.”

When I play the game, I notice that the numbers on the Tile below are smaller. These numbers tell me how many Reals I have for the Round. I can use these Reals to buy things and make choices in the game. To get these Reals, I take them from a common supply and put them into the Characters Area in the game board.

In every Round, I get to choose the actions I want to take by placing my Action Discs. If I have the Manuel I Tile, I get five discs instead of four. It’s an important decision because it determines what I can do in Phase 2.

The order in which we place our discs is determined by turn order. Starting with the First Player and going clockwise, each Player takes their turn. Here’s how it works:

1. I pick a Sequence Number from the Numbers Zone. This tells me the order in which my actions will be resolved.

2. I place the Sequence Number on one of my Action Discs.

3. I put both the Sequence Number and the Action Disc in an empty Action Slot. This slot corresponds to the area where I want to take my action, such as Characters, Recruiting, Purchase Projects, or Navigation.

Once I’ve placed my Action Disc and Sequence Number, I can’t move them. They stay in that spot for the rest of the Round.

The number of available Action Slots depends on the number of players. It’s important to consider this when choosing my actions.

• When playing with 2 players, only the slots that are marked with the symbol will be available to use.
• When playing with 3 players, both the slots marked with the symbol and ones without it will be available.
• When playing with 4 players, all slots will be available for use.

When it comes to playing this game, you have a few options to consider. Let me break it down for you:

1. Playing with 2 players: If you decide to play with a buddy, you’ll notice that only the slots with a symbol will be available to use. It adds an extra challenge to the game and keeps things interesting. Who doesn’t like a little mystery?

2. Playing with 3 players: Now, things get a bit more exciting. With three players, not only will you have the slots with a symbol to work with, but also the ones without it. This opens up a whole new level of possibilities and strategy. You’ll have to think on your feet and make some daring moves. It’s all about taking risks and reaping the rewards.

3. Playing with 4 players: If you really want to go all out, gather a group of four and get ready for an epic showdown. Here’s the best part – all the slots will be available for use. That’s right, you’ll have the entire board at your disposal. It’s a battle royale of wits and tactics. So gather your friends and get ready for an unforgettable gaming experience.

Remember, each option has its own unique twist and challenges. It’s up to you to decide which one suits your style. Whether you prefer a bit of mystery, extra strategy, or an all-out battle, this game has something for everyone. Now it’s time to gather your squad and get started. Good luck, and may the best player win!

Hey there! Let me explain how Sequence Numbers 21 and 22 work. These numbers are specifically for the players who own the Manuel I Character and the Additional Action Disc (you can learn more about Manuel I below).

Phase 1 ends when all players have placed their action discs.

Phase 2: Time to Take Actions

Once everyone has placed their action discs, it’s time to reveal the top face-down VdG’s Tile from the deck on the right. Place it face up on top of the deck.

Next, move the First Free of Charge Action Marker. The number of steps you move it depends on the number shown in the upper left corner of the VdG’s Tile you just revealed (Variation Number). This number can range from -3 to +3.

If the number is negative, the marker will move backward. If it’s positive, it will move forward.

The number on the marker indicates the First Free of Charge Action Number for the current round.

Note: All the other numbers that are visible on the Tile, except for the Initial Number and the Reals, will be important for the next Round and will not be used in the current Round.

Hey there! Let’s talk about the actions you can take in the game. During each round, you can choose to take up to 4 actions, or 5 if you have the Manuel I Tile. Remember, you’ll resolve these actions in numerical order, from lowest to highest.

First, we’ll go through the sequence numbers on the board. Starting from the lowest number, the player who has their Action Disc on that number gets to decide if they want to perform the action associated with that area. If they don’t want to, they can give it up.

If a player decides to perform the action, they need to check if there’s a cost associated with it.

Here’s the breakdown of the action rights:

If your Sequence Number is lower than the First Free of Charge Action Number, you’ll have to pay to take the action. The amount you need to pay is equal to the difference between the First Free of Charge Action Number and your Sequence Number. On the other hand, if your Sequence Number is equal to or higher than the First Free of Charge Action Number, you can take the action for free. Both cases involve taking the action immediately, before moving on to the next Sequence Number.

Now, what if you decide not to take the action? In that case, you can give up your action and receive a certain number of Reals from the common supply. The number of Reals you receive depends on the line corresponding to your Sequence Number in the Numbers Zone.

When playing the game, there may be times when you decide to give up an action, even if it wouldn’t cost you anything, and in return, you’ll receive some money. However, this only applies if the Number called is either 21 or 22. If that’s the case, you can choose to give up the action, but you won’t receive any money.

Once you’ve made your decision and either taken or given up the action, the Sequence Number that was called will go back to its original position in the Numbers Zone. Additionally, the Action Disc will be immediately returned to your supply.

If you have a Character that you’ve hosted, instead of returning the Action Disc to your supply, you’ll need to place it in the Characters Area, specifically in the space of the Character you’ve taken. The Action Disc will only be returned to your supply at the end of the Round, so keep that in mind.

After that, the next Sequence Number in line will be called. Phase 2 will continue until all Sequence Numbers have been called.

Now let’s talk about the available actions you have: You can choose to Purchase Projects, go Recruiting, go on an Expedition, or interact with the Characters in the game.

Note: It’s important to make clear that paying for the right to perform an action does not affect the actual cost of the action itself. So, regardless of whether you had to pay or how much you paid to perform the action, the cost remains the same.

Purchase Projects

In the Purchase Projects area, you can buy Projects to order the construction of Ships.

On the Tiles, you will find:

• The Navigation Limit (ranging from 4 to 11). Ships can only occupy Ship Slots with a value equal to or lower than their Navigation Limit. This applies to the Expedition Action and Navigation Phase.
• The crew size (from 1 to 5), with each member of a different color. The crew members come together to form the Ship’s crew.

Hey there! Let’s talk about something really cool called Vasco Da Gama. It’s a super fun game that you can play with your friends. I’m going to tell you about two important things related to the game.

First, there are different decks in the game, labeled I, II, and III. Each deck represents a different part of the game. For example, Deck I includes the Initial Setup and End of round operations. You’ll need to remember which deck each set of rules belongs to.

The second thing is about earning points in the game. You can earn something called Reals and Victory Points. Reals are like the game’s currency, and Victory Points are what you need to win. During Phase 3 of the game, if your ship is in the Navigation Area, you can earn Reals and/or Victory Points. It’s really important to pay attention to this, because it can greatly impact your chances of winning.

So there you have it! These are two important things to keep in mind when playing Vasco Da Gama. Have fun and enjoy the game!



Example: This is a description of the 1st deck of a project. It needs a crew of five, each with a different color, and it can only navigate up to seven spaces.

If this ship is in the Navigation Area during Phase 3, the owner will earn 2 Victory Points.

With a single Purchase Projects Action, you can:

• Buy 1 or 2 projects from the top six spaces in the Area. The cost is either 1 Real for 1 project or 4 Reals for 2 projects.



Hey there, I want to tell you all about the fantastic Sao Gabriel Project. It’s an opportunity for you to make a special purchase and become part of an incredible crew. All you have to do is pay the cost that matches the number of crew members needed for the Ship.

Once you’ve made your payment, you get to choose the Tile or Tiles you want from the board. These Tiles will be added to your supply. If you buy them from the 6 spaces at the top, make sure to place them with the Project side facing up. But if you’re lucky enough to snag the Sao Gabriel Project, place it in your supply with the Ship side facing up.

Now, let me explain what happens next. The Tiles you bought from the upper spaces will show the Project side until the Ship is launched. Isn’t that exciting?

To set sail on a Ship, I need to have a complete crew. This crew must be made up of Sailors and/or Missionaries, each with a different color. I have the freedom to choose which colors I want in my crew, as long as they are all different.

I can choose to launch one or more Ships whenever I want during the game. I don’t have to wait until I have a complete crew, and I’m not obligated to launch any Ships even if I do have a complete crew.

I don’t have to have a Captain in order to launch a Ship, but I do need one if I want to send it on an Expedition (look ahead to the Expedition Action section).

If I have the necessary crew in my supply and I want to launch one or more Ships that I own, I will need to:

When you play the Tile, make sure to flip it over to reveal the Ship side. After that, return any Sailors you used to the bag, and put any Missionaries back in the Characters Area. Remember, the Sao Gabriel Project starts right away when you buy it, with the Ship side facing up. You don’t need to provide any crew members for this Project. For example, let’s say Yellow bought one Project that needs 3 crew members and another Project that needs 4 crew members.



When I was buying, I didn’t have the necessary crew. In fact, all I had was one Missionary and one Violet Sailor.

During the Round, I had to do the Recruiting Action, so I decided to buy some new crew members. I ended up getting one Orange, one Grey, and two Turquoise Sailors.

With my new crew members, I made the choice to launch my ship. I picked one Orange and one Turquoise Sailor, along with my trusty Missionary.

Once I was done with the ship, I returned the Sailors to the bag. I put the Missionary back in the Characters Area and flipped the tile so that the Ship side was face up.



Recruiting Sailors and Captains

Hey there! In this cool area called Recruiting, you get to choose sailors and even your very own captain. Now, captains are special because they have the same color as you. On the other hand, sailors come in four different colors. Exciting, right?

Now, here’s the deal: with just one Recruiting Action, you can recruit sailors from a single section and also grab yourself a captain. How awesome is that?

So, when you’re ready to take the plunge and recruit, you can select which section you want to recruit sailors from. Keep in mind, though, that you can only choose sailors from one section.

About the cost of sailors – here’s what you need to know (doesn’t matter how many you recruit):

• If you want sailors of just one color from a single section, it’ll cost you 1 Real.
• If you’re looking to mix things up and want sailors of two different colors, you’ll need 3 Reals.
• Ready to spice things up even more? For sailors of three different colors, it’ll cost you 6 Reals.
• And finally, if you want sailors of all four colors, it’s gonna cost you 10 Reals. But hey, it might just be worth it, don’t you think?

When you recruit Sailors for your crew in the game, each Captain you choose will cost you 1 Real, regardless of their color. The cool thing is, you get to decide how many Sailors you want to recruit for each color. You don’t have to take all the Sailors of the color you choose.

Here’s an interesting fact: the fewer Sailors you recruit, the cheaper the Captain becomes. So if you decide not to recruit any Sailors, you can actually get 1 Captain for free! Pretty neat, right? Don’t worry though, you’re not obligated to recruit a Captain every time you recruit Sailors.

Now let’s talk about the payment. You’ll have to pay the required cost for each Sailor and then you can pick the recruited Sailors from the chosen Section. You can also choose to take 1 Captain of your own color from the relevant space. Once you’ve made your choices, you can place the Sailors and Captain in your supply. Easy peasy!



Example: Let’s say I, Yellow, want to recruit some Sailors for my crew. I decide to go for the 4th Section and pay 3 Reals for Sailors of 2 different colors. In the end, I recruit 1 Orange and 3 Turquoise Sailors.

Then we have Red, who also wants to recruit Sailors. They choose the 3rd Section and want to hire 1 Captain. They pay 6 Reals for Sailors of 3 different colors and manage to recruit 1 Orange, 2 Turquoise, and 1 Violet Sailor. They also pay 4 Reals to recruit 1 Red Captain.

On the other hand, Blue wants to focus solely on Sailors. They opt for the 1st Section, pay 1 Real for Sailors of 1 color, and successfully recruit 3 Violet Sailors.

Lastly, Black only wants to recruit 1 Captain. They don’t have to pay anything and end up hiring 1 Black Captain.

Now, let’s talk about expeditions. In the Navigation Area, we, the players, can send our Ships to 6 different Landings: Natal, Terra de Boa Gente, Mozambique, Mombasa, Malindi, and Calicut.

When you want to explore and conquer new lands in this game, you can use an Expedition Action. This action allows you to send one or more of your own ships from your supply to a single landing. You get to choose how many ships you want to send and which landing you want to send them to.

But there are a few things you need to keep in mind. First, you can only send ships that were launched during the Purchase Projects Action. Additionally, the ships you send must have a captain of your color on board.



When it comes to ships, it’s important to understand how they fit into different slots depending on their navigation limit. Let me explain.

Each ship has a navigation limit, which determines the slots it can occupy. A ship with a navigation limit of 11 can occupy any slot, while a ship with a navigation limit of 7 can occupy slots valued at 7, 6, 5, or 4. However, it cannot occupy slots valued at 9 or 11.

Now, let’s consider a scenario where you have a ship with a navigation limit of 4. This ship will never be sent to Mombasa because the smallest ship slot there is valued at 5. So, it’s important to take this into account when choosing the right ship for your voyage.



So, here’s how it goes. First, I gotta place one of my Captains on each launched Ship that I wanna send. Gotta make sure they’re my color, of course, and I’ll grab ’em from my stash.

Next, I gotta choose a Landing spot. This is where all the Ships I wanna send will end up. I don’t have to send all my Ships if I don’t want to.

Now, here’s the thing – the Ships can only go in empty slots with a value that’s the same or lower than their Navigation Limit. Can’t go anywhere else.

If there’s more than one slot that works, I can pick which one to put my Ship in. And get this – other players can put their Ships in the same Landing too. Makes things interesting, right? But if all the slots are taken or the value is too high, I can’t put my Ship there. Simple as that.

Oh, and one more thing. Every Ship I send off gets me a reward right away. Can’t argue with that, can ya?

When you send your ships to different landing areas, you can earn Victory Points and receive a bonus. The number of Victory Points you get depends on the Ship Slot your ship occupies, regardless of its Navigation Limit.

But that’s not all! You also get a free bonus that you can use right away. The bonus you receive depends on the coast where your ship lands:

– If your ship goes to Natal, you get 1 Project. Take it from one of the 6 upper spaces in the Purchase Projects Area.

– If your ship goes to Terra de Boa Gente, you get 1 Sailor. Take it from the Recruiting Area, or you can pick one from the bag.

– If your ship goes to Mozambique, you get 1 Captain of your own color. Take it from the Recruiting Area, if there’s one available.

– If your ship goes to Mombasa, you get 2 Reals. Take them from the common supply.

– If your ship goes to Malindi, you get 1 Real. Take it from the common supply.

These bonuses are a great way to boost your progress in the game. So, make strategic choices and aim for the most favorable landing areas to maximize your benefits. Good luck on your journey to conquer new lands!

When all of the Slots in a Landing are filled, we consider it “complete.” Take the Malindi Landing as an example; it is considered “complete.”

If your Ships are in a “complete” Landing, you’ll earn extra Victory Points during Phase 3 (more on that later). Additionally, Ships in “complete” Landings have the option to move up to the next Landing.

About Characters

In the Characters Area, you have the opportunity to accept favors from Characters or take money that Vasco da Gama has made available to you.

A Characters Action allows you to:

• Choose one of two amounts of Reals that Vasco da Gama has offered for the current Round. You get to take the coins you want and add them to your own supply.

OR



Example: When the game begins, each character tile is assigned to a specific player:

– Blue is assigned Francisco Alvares

– Yellow is assigned Girolamo Sernigi

– Black is assigned Bartolomeu Dias

– Red starts with the Manuel I Tile

If I want to host a character, I take that character’s tile from either the board or the current owner and place it in front of me. I immediately gain the benefits of that character’s power.

To indicate that I have taken a character, I place my action disc over the corresponding space on the board. This prevents other players from hosting the same character during this round. The character tile stays in front of me until another player takes it in a future round.

If I already have a Character Tile because I had it in a previous Round or got it at the beginning of the game, I can choose to host the same Character in the current Round. Basically, I put my Action Disc in the space that corresponds to that Character so that no one else can take it from me during this Round.

If Bartolomeu Dias or Francisco Alvares are in the picture, I will immediately earn 2 Victory Points or 1 Missionary, respectively. And if Girolamo Sernigi is in the mix, I also get the privilege of sending the Merchant Ship.

There’s no limit to how many Characters I can have in front of me. So, if I collect more and more, I have a better chance of gaining advantages and achieving success in the game.



So, here’s what happened in the latest round. I decided to be a bit strategic and take the money offered by Vasco da Gama. I grabbed 9 Reals and added them to my supply. Gotta make sure I have some cash for later.

Meanwhile, Red chose to be the host for Francisco Alvares. They put their Action Disc in the right spot and asked me for the relevant Tile. They ended up with 1 Missionary right off the bat. Not a bad move, if you ask me.

Now, Black had other plans. They wanted to keep hosting Bartolomeu Dias all to themselves. So, they put their Action Disc in the right spot to make sure no one else could claim it this round. And as a sweet bonus, Black got 2 Victory Points right then and there. Can’t argue with that.

Lastly, Yellow decided to be the host for Manuel I. They put their Action Disc in the right spot, asked Red for the relevant Tile, and added it to their collection. To top it off, Yellow got their hands on the yellow Additional Action Disc right away. Not a bad deal, huh?

There’s one more thing I need to do: I have to choose where to host Girolamo Sernigi. I put my Action Disc in the right spot, and then I ask Yellow to hand me the Tile I need. Once I have it, I put it in front of me. I’ve decided to send the Merchant Ship right away.

Manuel I (The King)



I’m going to explain what happens when I, as the player hosting Manuel I, take the Additional Action Disc of my own color from the board. There are two options: I can choose Sequence Number 21 or Sequence Number 22. Once I’ve decided, I place the chosen disc and the corresponding number on the board in an empty Action Slot, which means a slot without any other discs.

When the chosen number is called, which happens when we take actions, I have the opportunity to perform my Additional Action. If I don’t want to or can’t perform this action, I have the option to give it up. However, I won’t receive any money as compensation if I choose to do so.

If I have the Manuel I Tile at the start of the Round, I can use my Additional Action Disc (Number 21 or 22) right away in Phase 1. This could happen if I hosted the tile in a previous Round or received it at the beginning of the game.

But, if another player gets the Manuel I tile during Phase 2, they can also use the remaining Sequence Number in the Characters Area right away.

Now, let’s talk about Bartolomeu Dias, the Leader.



When you choose to host Bartolomeu Dias, you get an instant boost of 2 Victory Points. But that’s not all. If you still have the Bartolomeu Dias Tile at the end of the Round, you’ll earn another 2 Victory Points, and you’ll have the privilege of being the first player for the next Round.

Now, let’s talk about Francisco Alvares, also known as The Priest.



When I host Francisco Alvares, I immediately get 1 Missionary from the Characters Area, if there’s one available, and add it to my supply.

After each Round, the player who owns the Francisco Alvares Tile will once again receive 1 Missionary from the Characters Area and add it to their supply. This happens during the End of Round Operations.

If there are no Missionaries in the Characters Area, I won’t receive any.

I can use the Missionaries as Crew members when launching Ships, which you can learn more about in the Purchase Projects Action.

Now, let’s talk about Girolamo Sernigi, who is known as The Merchant.



If you choose to be the host, you get to send the Merchant Ship. You can either send it right away or wait until Phase 3.

If you decide to send it immediately, you can take the face-up Merchant Ship from the Characters Area and put it in a Ship Slot at any Landing.

The Merchant Ship is paid for by the Merchant, so you don’t need a Captain or crew. You can place it in an empty Ship Slot as long as its value is equal to or lower than its Navigation Limit.

When you place the Merchant Ship, you receive the bonus shown on the Landing’s coast (you can learn more about bonuses in the Expedition Action description). You don’t get the Victory Points shown on the Ship Slot.

When you put the Merchant Ship on the board, it will move just like your own Ships. Remember that in Phase 3, you need to follow the same navigation rules.

In the first round of the game, you have to send the Merchant Ship before Phase 1 if you have the Girolamo Sernigi Tile. This tile is given to a player at the beginning of the game (see Initial setup).

Phase 3: Navigation

Once all the actions are done, you have to check if the Merchant Ship was sent during Phase 2.



If I haven’t sent the Merchant Ship yet (it’s still face up on the top of the deck in the Characters Area), I have to send it at the beginning of this Phase.

To do that, I’ll pick the Merchant Ship from the Characters Area and put it in a Ship Slot of the right value at one of the Landings I choose. I have to follow the standard positioning rules. By doing this, I’ll also get the “bonus” that’s indicated on the Landing coast where I put the Ship.

Once the Merchant Ship is placed, it will follow the same navigation rules as the Ships I own. But since it doesn’t belong to me, I won’t earn any Reals or Victory Points from it.

After that, Players who have their Ships in the Navigation Area will earn Victory Points and/or Reals.

When you have a Ship in the Navigation Area, it earns you Reals and/or Victory Points. The amount of Reals or Victory Points is shown by symbols on the Ship, regardless of how many Ships you already have or where they are placed.

If you have Ships in a “complete” Landing, you get Victory Points. A Landing is “complete” when all the Ship Slots are filled. Each Ship in the Landing earns you the Victory Points listed on the Landing, no matter what its Navigation Limit is or which Ship Slot it occupies.

For instance, if you have Ships in the complete Landing of Mombasa, you gain 3 Victory Points for each Ship.

After assigning Victory Points, the Ships in complete Landings will either move to the next Landing or be removed from the game.

Hey there! Did you know that ships can earn extra Reals and Victory Points during Phase 3 of the next round? It’s true!

Starting from Calicut down to Natal, we check the status of each landing in order. First, we check Calicut, then Malindi, Mombasa, Mozambique, Terra de Boa Gente, and finally Natal.

If a landing is not complete (meaning there are empty ship slots), the ships in that landing don’t move. They just stay right where they are. We skip that landing and move on to the next one.

But if a landing is complete (meaning all the ship slots are filled), then the ships there have to move.

The first ship to move is the one in the leftmost slot. After that, the other ships move from left to right.

I’m a ship, sailing across the sea, and I have a mission to complete. Here’s how it works: my goal is to move from one landing to the next. Each landing has different slots where I can dock. But here’s the catch – I can only go to a landing if there’s an empty slot that matches or is smaller than my navigation limit.

Let me break it down for you. Let’s say I’m currently at Mozambique and I have a navigation limit of 3. I will check the next landing, Mombasa, to see if there are any empty slots of value 3 or lower. If there are, I will sail to Mombasa and dock in the most left empty slot available.

But what if there are no empty slots or only slots with values higher than my navigation limit? Well, in that case, I can’t continue my journey. I will stop and be removed from the game. Any captain who was on board with me will go back to their player’s supply and can be used in future rounds.

So, you see, my journey is all about finding the right slots to dock in. I need to make sure I choose the ones that match my navigation limit. Otherwise, I won’t be able to continue sailing. And that’s how the game goes. It’s a challenge, but also a lot of fun!

Remember, it’s all about finding the right slot and making smart decisions. So, let’s set sail and see where the sea takes us!

Phase 3 is complete once all the Landings have been inspected.

The Round Comes to an End

When the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Rounds conclude:

• I remove any Projects that weren’t purchased in the just-finished Round and eliminate them from the game. Then, I add 7 new projects to the Purchase Projects Area. These projects come from the deck with the lowest value, which I place next to the board. The Project on top of the deck goes in the Sao Gabriel Project space in the square, and the other 6 Projects go in the 6 spaces above it. When one deck runs out, I draw Projects from the next deck in numerical order (I -> II -> III).
• I select the first Tile from the Merchant Ships deck in the Characters area and place it face up on top of the deck.

When it comes to getting ready for a new round of the game, there are a few important steps to keep in mind. Let me walk you through them!

First, make sure to remove any coins that might be left in the Characters Area and put them back in the common supply. We want to start fresh for the next round!

Next, take a look at the Round Marker. This marker tells you what round number you’re about to start. Move it forward by one step to indicate the upcoming round.

Now, let’s focus on the Recruiting Area. It’s time to refill it with new Sailors for the next round. Start from the rightmost section and draw three Sailors from the bag for each active section. If a section has fewer than three empty spaces, simply fill the available spaces with new Sailors. Each section can have a maximum of five Sailors. If there are no more Sailors left in the bag, the refilling process stops right away.

And that’s it! You’re all set for the next round of the game. Remember, these steps are important to keep the game running smoothly and fairly. Have fun and enjoy!

• When I have the Francisco Alvares Tile, I receive 1 Missionary from the Characters Area, if there are any left, and put it in my supply. If I have the Bartolomeu Dias Tile, I become the First Player for the next Round and get 2 Victory Points.
• I return all Action Discs in the Character spaces back to my supply.
• If the Manuel I Tile changed hands during the Round, the player who lost it must return his Additional Action Disc to the Characters area.

End of the Game

When the 5th Round is over, the player with the Francisco Alvares Tile gets 1 Missionary from the Characters area, if there are any left, and puts it in their supply. The player with the Bartolomeu Dias Tile gets 2 Victory Points.

Hey there! If you have all the crew you need, along with a Captain, you’re ready to launch those projects and wrap up the game.

Now, let’s talk about the rewards. Here’s what each player gets:

• You’ll earn 1 Victory Point for every 3 Reals you have in your supply.
• If you have a Ship that’s been launched and has a Captain on board, you’ll score an impressive 3 Victory Points.

At the end of the day, the player with the most Victory Points emerges as the winner. Simple as that!

In the event of a tie, don’t worry. We have a plan! The player with the most Ships in the Navigation Area takes home the victory. And if there’s still a tie after that, the player with the most Sailors in front of them becomes the ultimate champion.

But here’s the best part: The victorious player gets the incredible honor of having their name forever immortalized in the prestigious Hall of Fame! How cool is that?