Overview

Antler Island is a strategy game for 3-4 players set during the rutting season. Each player controls a stag on a multi-level island, competing to mate with the most does while growing antlers, eating food, and fighting rival stags. The game ends when any stag reaches 12 (3 players) or 10 (4 players) on the doe track, and the player with the most points wins.

Components

• 1 game board with 2 island layers (3D elevated terrain)
• 1 three-player island overlay
• 4 stag pieces (1 per color)
• 14 does (“doeples”)
• 4 control mats (1 per player)
• 20 control tiles (four sets of 1, 2, 3, X, and blank)
• 27 food tokens (values 1, 2, and 3)
• 50 antler pieces
• 12 wily tiles
• 4 winning stag tokens
• 4 doe track markers
• 1 starting player marker (green pawn)
• 1 die
• 12 fighting cubes (advanced game)

Setup

1. For 3 players, place the 3-player overlay on the board. Attach feet to island layers and place on the board.
2. The player with the most money is the starting player.
3. Each player takes a control mat, places 2 antler pieces on their stag’s head, and takes a set of control tiles (1, 2, 3, X, blank).
4. Place 11 (3 players) or 14 (4 players) doeples in the reserve.
5. Separate a starting pile of food tokens: 9 for 3 players (5x value-1, 4x value-2) or 12 for 4 players (6x value-1, 6x value-2). Keep face down.
6. Each player draws 1 food token from the starting pile, kept face down at the bottom of their control mat.
7. Roll the die for color; starting player places their stag on a matching outside space. Other players place clockwise on the next available matching space.
8. Roll again (different color); place 1 food token face down on each outside space of that color.
9. Place one doe on each empty space except wetland and centre spaces.
10. Shuffle wily tiles face down; flip the top one face up beside the pile.

Turn Structure

Each round:

1. Action Planning: All players simultaneously place their 5 control tiles (1, 2, 3, X, blank) face down next to actions on their control mat. The blank is a dummy.
2. Action Resolution: Starting with the starting player and going clockwise, each player reveals and executes one action. Players reveal either their lowest available numbered tile or their X tile. Play continues around the table until all 4 actions per player are resolved.
3. New Round Setup: Pass starting player clockwise. Move all does one space uphill. Roll die and place food on matching outer spaces (max 2 food per space). Roll die and place sets of 3 (3 players) or 4 (4 players) does from reserve onto matching outer spaces (max 2 sets per round).

Actions

Move: Move your stag to one adjacent space. Stags cannot enter wetland/marsh spaces. Moving into a space with another stag triggers a fight.

Eat: Take ALL food tokens from your space (up to your limit of 5 total). Food tokens remain hidden.

Rut: Remove 1 doe from your space to the reserve. Advance 1 on the doe track. When any stag reaches 12 (3 players) or 10 (4 players), the current round is the final round.

Grow Antlers: Cash in any number of food tokens. Add their values together, divide by 2 (round down) to get antler pieces gained. Exception: cashing in a single token always yields 1 antler piece. Reaching an even number of antlers (4, 6, 8, etc.) for the first time earns a wily tile.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

Game End: When any stag reaches 12 (3 players) or 10 (4 players) on the doe track, finish the current round.

Mandatory Fight Requirement: A player who has never won a fight scores zero points and automatically loses.

Points:

• 1 point per doe mated with (doe track position + extras)
• 3 points for being in the centre of the island
• 1 point for being on a middle space
• 0 points for outside spaces

Tiebreakers (in order): Largest antlers, highest on island, food token value total, player height.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• Fighting: When stags share a space, the attacker commits 1-3 food tokens face down. Defender may retreat or commit 1-3 tokens. Attacker may then retreat or lock antlers. Fighting strength = antler pieces + committed food value. Higher strength wins. Ties are draws (attacker returns, all committed food lost). Winner places loser on a non-uphill space. Winner earns a wily tile. Retreating stag moves to a space without another stag (cannot go uphill unless no alternative).
• Wily Tiles: Earned from growing antlers or winning fights. Max 3 tiles held. Types: Roar (attract 1 doe from each adjacent space), Diamond Antler (keep antler piece after losing), Rope-a-dope (keep 1 committed food token), Speed (move 2 spaces), Greedy (extra food token from stock when eating), Rut Your Stuff (rut twice if 2+ does present).
• Winning Stag Token: Earned on first fight win; cannot be lost.
• Food tokens are always hidden from opponents except during antler lock resolution.
• Advanced Game (Fighting Cubes): Each player gets 2 (3 players) or 3 (4 players) cubes. Attacking winners take a cube from the loser. Bonus points: 1 for having all own cubes, 2 (3 players) or 3 (4 players) for having a cube from each opponent.

Player Reference

Action	Effect
Move	Move 1 adjacent space (not wetland)
Eat	Take all food from your space (max 5 held)
Rut	Remove 1 doe, advance 1 on doe track
Grow Antlers	Cash food tokens: total value / 2 = antler pieces

Wily Tile	Effect
Roar	Attract 1 doe from each adjacent space
Diamond Antler	Keep antler piece after losing fight
Rope-a-dope	Keep 1 committed food token after fight
Speed	Move 2 spaces instead of 1
Greedy	Gain extra food token from stock when eating
Rut Your Stuff	Rut twice (need 2+ does)

Game End Trigger	Points
3 players: 12 on doe track	Centre: 3 pts
4 players: 10 on doe track	Middle: 1 pt
	Outside: 0 pts