Timbuktu Game Rules

Introduction

Welcome to the Timbuktu Game! This guide will walk you through the rules of the game to ensure you have a fun and exciting experience.

Object of the Game

The objective of the Timbuktu Game is to be the first player to reach the city of Timbuktu and collect all the treasures found along the way.

Setup

To set up the game, place the game board in the center of the table. Each player chooses a colored playing piece and places it on the “Start” space. Shuffle the treasure cards and place the deck face-down within reach of all players. Each player then draws five cards from the deck to form their starting hand.

Gameplay

On each player’s turn, they will follow these steps:

1. Draw a Card: The player starts by drawing a card from the deck. They may then choose to play or keep the card in their hand.

2. Play a Card: The player can play a card from their hand to perform an action. There are different types of cards, each with its own special ability. These abilities may allow the player to move closer to Timbuktu, hinder other players, or collect treasures.

3. Move: After playing a card, the player can move their playing piece along the path on the game board. The number of spaces they can move is determined by the card they played or other game effects.

4. Collect Treasures: If the player lands on a space with a treasure symbol, they can collect a treasure card from the deck. The player adds the collected treasure card to their hand.

5. End Turn: After completing their actions, the player’s turn ends, and the next player goes clockwise.

Winning the Game

The game continues until one player reaches the city of Timbuktu and collects all the treasures. That player is declared the winner of the Timbuktu Game!

Conclusion

Now that you know the rules of the Timbuktu Game, you can gather your friends and embark on an adventurous journey to Timbuktu. Enjoy the thrill of collecting treasures and outsmarting your opponents along the way. Have fun and may the best player win!

• 1 Gameboard with 4 pieces
• 105 Goods
• 5 Caravan boards
• 40 Camel cards
• 15 Thief cards
• 1 Sheet of stickers
• 40 Wooden camels
• 1 Stage counter
• 1 Round counter
• Instructions

Let’s Set The Stage

I’m about to embark on an exciting adventure with you. We’re going to Timbuktu, and we need to transport a bunch of valuable goods using our caravans. However, there’s a catch – thieves are lurking in every oasis, hoping to snatch our precious cargo.

But fear not! We have a way to outsmart these thieves. We’ll use the thief cards to our advantage and try to avoid them as skillfully as possible. By doing so, we can ensure the safe arrival of our valuable goods in Timbuktu and become the ultimate winners of this game.

Getting Ready

Setting Up Our Caravans

As soon as I decide on a color, I am handed my own caravan-board along with camels and camel cards that match my chosen color. Now, it’s time to distribute the goods to the camels on my caravan-board, based on the symbols printed on each camel’s card. In a game with five players, we use camels A-E. For four players, it’s camels A-F, and for three players, we use all eight camels (A-H). Any unused camels, along with their corresponding cards, are set aside for now. Take a look at the image below to see the caravans of the blue player, complete with camels A-H. It’s important to remember that in games with four or five players, the last two or three columns on the caravan-board will be empty since those camels won’t be part of the game.

Here’s an example of how the goods are distributed on the pre-printed board.

Getting Ready to Travel

So, when you’re all set to embark on an adventurous journey to Timbuktu, there are a few things we need to do first. Depending on how many people are joining us, we’ll arrange the game boards with the individual oases in the middle of the table. We’ll start with the Starting Board, and then place the other oases next to each other. And of course, we can’t forget to add the special destination board showcasing the magnificent Timbuktu. That’s our final stop!

• When there are 3 players, we remove both small boards from the game.
• When there are 4 players, we remove one small board with an oasis from the game.
• When there are 5 players, we use all game boards.

Now, let’s get the camels ready to race! We’ll start by placing each of our camels on the starting positions. We take turns, going clockwise, and placing one camel at a time on any free starting position. Remember, every player must have at least one camel in every pen by the end of this process. There are no other rules or restrictions to consider.

Make sure to have a piece of paper and a pencil for each player. You’ll need them to keep track of information during the game.

Take a look at the example game board setup for 4 players. This will give you an idea of how everything should be arranged.

It’s important to note that the order of the camels within a pen doesn’t matter at the start of any stage. So don’t worry about that!

Now let’s talk about how the game is played. The oldest player gets to go first and they’ll be in charge of keeping track of the stage and round counters. The game is played in stages, moving from one oasis to the next.

Each stage is divided into different parts, which are:

1. Journey stage

2. Bet stage

3. Results stage

I’ll explain each of these stages in more detail in the next sections. Just remember, the goal is to get your camels to the finish line first!

I didn’t know that “Timbuktu” was a real place. I always thought it was just an expression. But it turns out, it’s an actual city in Mali, West Africa. Anyways, apparently there’s this really cool board game called “Timbuktu” that you can play. In the game, you have to guide your caravan to Timbuktu while trying to avoid getting robbed by thieves.

There are a few different stages in the game. First, the dealer hands out thief cards to all the players. These cards determine how many thieves you’ll encounter throughout the game. It’s like they’re setting the stage for the thievery that’s about to happen!

Then, it’s time to move the camels. The camels are the pieces you use to navigate the board. You gotta strategize and plan your moves carefully, because those thieves are lurking around, ready to snatch your goods!

Speaking of thieves, they’re the real troublemakers in this game. They can steal your goods and slow you down. But don’t worry, there’s a twist! Sometimes, you can actually use the thieves to your advantage and steal from other players. It’s like a double-edged sword, you know?

Oh, and by the way, you gotta be quick! The game moves fast, and you gotta stay on your toes. As you make your way to Timbuktu, the thieves will strike one last time before you reach the city. After that, it’s time to count up the remaining goods and see who came out on top.

Now, let’s talk about setting up the game board. If you’re playing with a lot of people, you might need a big table. But don’t worry, if the playing surface is too large, you can set aside the oases that you don’t need right away and bring them out later when they’re required. It’s all about finding a way to make it work!

Oh, and here’s a pro tip: once you’ve visited an oasis, you can remove it from the table. It’s like cleaning up after yourself and keeping things organized.

So, that’s the basics of how to play “Timbuktu.” It’s a fun and strategic game that will keep you on the edge of your seat. If you’re into adventure and a little bit of thievery, then you’ll love this game. Just remember, the key to winning is to stay one step ahead of those crafty thieves. Good luck!

When we begin playing the game, I first divide the thief cards into three groups based on their backs: pen, pitch, and goods. Each group is then shuffled individually, creating three piles. Next, I deal out five piles of cards, face down, with each pile containing three cards, one from each group. It’s time to get started!

If we have five players, each player takes one of these piles and keeps it hidden in their hand. It’s a secret stash!

But what happens if we have fewer than five players? Well, we still want everyone to have a fair shot, so here’s the plan:

If there are four players, we simply place the remaining pile of thief cards between the starting player and their right-hand neighbor. That way, everyone still gets a chance to score big.

Now, if we only have three players, things get a bit more interesting. The starting player places one of the leftover piles face down between themselves and their right-hand neighbor. They also place another pile between themselves and their left-hand neighbor. Spread the wealth, I always say!

Let me tell you something fascinating about thief cards! These special cards can tell us so much about the upcoming thefts that we need to be aware of. There are three different categories of these cards, and each one reveals important information that we can use to protect ourselves.

When you have three or four players, it’s time to talk about distributing the thief cards. Let me explain how this works.

First, I’ll take out all the cards labeled “thief” and shuffle them. Then I’ll deal one card to each player.

If there are only three players, the remaining card will be placed face down in the center of the table. This card will not be used during the game.

If there are four players, all the cards will be dealt to the players, so each player will have one thief card.

Once everyone has their card, they should keep it secret and not show it to anyone. Remember, the goal is to figure out who has the thief card without revealing your own.

Now that you know how to distribute the thief cards, you’re ready to start playing!

Note: Hey there! It’s time to share some important information with you. Each player in the game will receive a unique piece of info about a theft that’s about to happen. As the game progresses, more info will be revealed as different thief cards are passed around during each round. Cool, right? Just remember to keep this info to yourself by jotting it down on a piece of paper!

Now, let’s move on to an exciting aspect of the game – moving the camels! The game is played in rounds, and we go in a clockwise direction. Each player takes their turn to play in each round. After a round ends, the round counter moves to the next player, who then becomes the starting player. Easy peasy!

Note: Oh, by the way, we only pass on the stage counter at the beginning of a new stage and not after every round. Just wanted to make sure we’re all on the same page!

Choosing the camel cards

So here’s what happens: We each pick a camel to move in this round. We secretly choose a card and place it face down. After everyone has done that, we reveal our cards one by one, starting with the person who goes first. Then, the camel that matches the card gets moved to the next oasis pen. Got it?

Example: Let’s say I decide to move camel D in this round.

Note: I am the first player to turn over my camel card and move my camel. Then the next player takes his turn, turning over his card and moving his camel.

This goes on until all players have moved their camels.

Moving the Camels

I always move a camel into a pen at the next oasis. I need to place it on the available spot with the lowest number. Each spot can only have one camel. So, I can only move a camel into a pen where at least one spot is open.

If a camel moves from its old spot towards one of the two arrows, into the next oasis, that move doesn’t cost anything.

But here’s the thing – if I move the camel into another pen, things change. I have to give up one of the goods it’s carrying as payment. I’ll put the goods next to the game board so everyone can see them.

Now, if the camel isn’t carrying any goods, I can still move it into any pen I want. No payment necessary.

When I move the camel in the direction of those two green arrows, I don’t have to pay anything. It’s a free move, and the camel ends up on one of the green fields.

If I want to move the camel into one of the other three pens, things get a little trickier. I can do it, but I have to give up one of the goods that the camel is carrying as payment. In this example, the camel ends up on one of the blue fields.

It’s important to note: This action can be voluntary or involuntary. If the two pens in the direction of the arrows are already full when it’s my turn, I’m forced to make this move.

Here’s what happens when a camel lands on a swap field:

Imagine this: You’re playing a game. And suddenly, out of nowhere, a camel lands on a pitch that’s supposed to be a swap field. Now what? Well, in this wild scenario, each player has to pass their pile of thief cards to the person on their left. It’s like a game within a game!

But wait, there’s more! If there aren’t enough players, those piles of cards between players also have to be moved. It’s a domino effect of card shuffling!

When playing Thief cards, we pass them around in a clockwise direction.

We also move the piles of cards that haven’t been allocated to any player.

End of the Round

If each player has revealed their card and moved their camel, the round ends. The starting player then hands the round counter to the player on their left. This player becomes the starting player for the next round.

Round counter

Once all the rounds in this stage have been played, meaning all camels are in the new oasis, it’s time to see where the thieves will strike.

C. The Thefts

When it’s my turn, I’ll flip over all 5 piles of thief cards and see what goods have been stolen. Each pile will show me which pen and pitch the theft occurred in, as well as the specific goods that were taken.

Once I know which goods were stolen, I’ll remove them from any camels that were on the corresponding pitch. Those poor camels!

We’ll keep going, dealing with all the pens and thief cards one by one. If there’s a camel that had one or more goods of the same type that were stolen, all of them will be taken away. But if a camel didn’t have any stolen goods, we’re in luck – nothing will be stolen from that camel.

The stolen goods will be placed face up near the gameboard. It’s a good idea to sort them by category so we can see how many of each kind of goods have already been taken out of the game.

Here’s an example: the items pictured above were stolen and lined up next to the board.

This leads to the following scores for each item: gold 3 – coffee 2 – pepper 4 – salt 3 – water 4.

Please note: The more items of one kind that are already out of the game, the more valuable the remaining items of that type become when points are counted at the end of the game.

End of a Stage / Start of a new Stage

When we finish evaluating the thefts, the stage ends. If we haven’t reached Timbuktu yet, the next stage begins.

The stage counter is passed to the next player in a clockwise direction. They also receive the round counter and become the starting player, beginning the first round of the new stage.

When I play the game of thief cards, I gather them up and put them into separate piles with the same pattern on the back. Then, I mix them all up to start the game.

Note: This means that in each oasis, there are always different combinations of cards.

At the end of the game, after all the camels have arrived in Timbuktu and the final theft has occurred, we tally up the scores.

Each item that makes it to Timbuktu is worth a certain number of points based on the number of goods of that type that have already been taken out of the game (either stolen or moved by camels).

So, here’s how it works – when we all make it to Timbuktu, the points we get for our goods are added up. Whoever ends up with the most points is the winner. If there happens to be a tie, the person with the highest number of individual goods takes home the victory. And if there’s still a tie after that, then those players share the win. Simple as that!

During the game, a total of 12 coffee items were removed from play. This means that each coffee item brought to Timbuktu by the players is worth 12 points.

Now, let’s talk about the distribution of goods at the start of the game. Here’s what each player receives:

– In a game with 5 players, each player gets 4 items of each category, which adds up to 20 items.

– In a game with 4 players, each player receives 5 items of each category, making it a total of 25 items.

– In a game with 3 players, each player gets 7 items of each category, amounting to 35 items.

Once the players receive their goods, they need to allocate them to their camels. The goods are placed on the caravan board, specifically on the side without any pre-printed goods.

Each camel has the capacity to carry 4 goods. It’s important to distribute three or four different categories of goods to each camel. This ensures a balanced and diverse load for the camels as they journey through the game.

Hey there! I’ve got some really important info to share with you about playing the game. So, pay attention!

Now, depending on how many players there are, not all the camels will be part of the game. Some fields on the caravan board will be empty.

Alright, let me break it down for you. If there are 4 players, each player will have one item that they can’t assign to a camel. These leftover items are taken out of the game. They’re like the odd ones out, you know?

But wait, if there are only 3 players, things change a bit. In that case, each player will have 3 leftover items that can’t be given to camels. These items are also removed from the game. It’s all about maintaining balance!

Now, don’t worry, the rest of the game remains the same. No other changes to worry about.

This is Blue’s caravan board. The other side doesn’t have the pre-printed distribution of goods.

Oh, and here’s something really important to remember: at the beginning of the game, a camel can’t just carry goods from one or two categories. Gotta keep things fair!