Overview

Entdecker is an exploration game where players are bold explorers sailing into uncharted waters to discover new islands. Players use the Explorer’s ship to venture into Undiscovered Territory by drawing and placing Discovery Tiles. When islands are discovered, players place scouts, forts, and settlements to claim them. Points are earned through island exploration and discovering exotic jungle produce. The player with the most Discovery Points wins.

Components

• 1 game board (Undiscovered Territory grid, Edge Spaces, 7 Jungle Paths, Sea Serpent scoring track)
• 180 Discovery Tiles (blue-backed Hidden Stacks, numbered Open Stacks)
• 4 sets of player pieces: Scouts (12-20 per player, based on player count), 2 Forts, 1 Settlement
• 1 Explorer’s Ship
• 1 Special Die
• 1 Cloth Bag
• 7 Native Huts (3D assemblable)
• 9 Produce Tokens (valued 5, 10, or 15 points)
• Gold coins (values 1 and 5)
• Bonus tiles (+5 and +10 waterfall tiles)

Setup

1. Place a Native Hut at the end of each Jungle Path. Put all 9 Produce Tokens in the cloth bag.
2. Each player receives 7 gold pieces starting capital.
3. Distribute pieces by player count: 2P = 20 scouts, 2 forts, 1 settlement each; 3P = 15 scouts; 4P = 12 scouts.
4. Each player places 1 scout on the zero space of the Sea Serpent (scoring track).
5. Separate Discovery Tiles: blue-backed tiles into 6 roughly equal Hidden Stacks; numbered-back tiles into face-up Open Stacks sorted by number. Set aside waterfall bonus tiles.
6. Place the starting game scenario tiles on the board (7 sea tiles and bonus tiles as shown).

Turn Structure

Each turn follows this sequence:

1. Roll for Gold Income (only if you have fewer than 4 gold).
2. Select a Starting Space for your journey.
3. Pay Starting Expenses (distant edges and tolls).
4. Announce How Many Tiles You Will Explore and pay for them.
5. Explore (draw and place tiles one at a time).
6. Place a Unit (optional, on discovered land).
7. Cover Any Surrounded Spaces.
8. Score Any Explored Islands.

Actions

Gold Income (Phase 1)

If you have fewer than 4 gold, roll the Special Die. You receive the number rolled; all other players receive that number + 1. Rolling the ship’s wheel lets you choose how much gold (2-6) to produce.

Starting Space (Phase 2)

Place the Explorer’s ship on any space adjacent to an unexplored space. Must have a sea edge bordering unexplored territory and a traceable white-line path back to an Edge Space.

Starting Expenses (Phase 3)

• Distant Edge Spaces: Pay gold shown on the Edge Space if your path traces back there.
• Tolls: Pay 2 gold to each opponent for each of their forts or settlements along your traced path.

Exploration (Phases 4-5)

• Declare how many tiles to draw and from which type: Hidden Stacks (1 gold each) or Open Stacks (4 gold each). Cannot mix types.
• Draw tiles one at a time. Each tile must be placed adjacent to the Explorer’s ship with matching edges (land to land, sea to sea). Move the ship to each newly placed tile.
• If a tile cannot be played, it is discarded (no refund). If it can be played, it must be played.
• Exploration ends when: all paid tiles are drawn, ship reaches a dead end, or you choose to place a unit.

Placing Units (Phase 6)

If the ship is on a tile showing land, you may place one unit:

• Scout: Costs nothing. Placed on any land portion of the tile.
• Fort: Costs 1 gold. Provides toll income (2 gold from passing players) and counts as 2 scouts for island scoring.
• Settlement: Costs 2 gold. Provides toll income and counts as 3 scouts for island scoring. Also grants free access to 1 Jungle Path on the island.

Covered Spaces (Phase 7)

If unexplored spaces become completely surrounded by placed tiles, fill them with tiles from the matching Open Stack (or Hidden Stack if no match). No units may be placed on covered spaces.

Island Scoring (Phase 8)

An island is complete when all its land edges are defined (no unexplored spaces adjacent). Score immediately:

• Each island has a point value based on the number of land tiles.
• The player with the most scouts (forts = 2, settlements = 3) on the island scores the full points.
• Second most scouts scores half points (rounded down).
• Ties: player who placed their unit first on the island wins.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

Discovery Points (tracked on the Sea Serpent)

• Island scoring: Points for majority and second-place on completed islands.
• Jungle Produce: Scouts reaching the end of a Jungle Path may peek into the Native Hut and take the Produce Token (5, 10, or 15 points).
• Bonus tiles: +5 or +10 points when encountered during exploration.
• Question mark tiles: Events that may grant or cost points.

Game End

The game ends when every space in the Undiscovered Territory has been covered. The player with the most Discovery Points wins.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• You must attempt at least 1 tile exploration per turn unless you can prove you cannot afford any starting position.
• Tiles from Hidden Stacks may have question mark events on the back. You may choose to avoid drawing them if alternative tiles are available.
• Only one unit may be placed per turn, and placing a unit ends your exploration for that turn.
• Tolls are paid to the owner of forts/settlements, not to the bank.
• The Explorer’s Ship is shared by all players; each player takes it on their turn.
• If the Explorer’s ship reaches a dead end (no sea edges adjacent to unexplored spaces), exploration ends.
• Forts and settlements also protect against certain events.
• Open Stack tiles cost 4 gold each but let you see exactly what you are drawing.

Player Reference

Turn: Income (if <4 gold) > Start space > Pay expenses > Declare tiles > Explore > Place unit > Cover spaces > Score islands

Tile costs: Hidden Stack = 1 gold each; Open Stack = 4 gold each

Unit costs: Scout = free, Fort = 1 gold (worth 2 scouts), Settlement = 2 gold (worth 3 scouts)

Tolls: 2 gold per opponent’s fort or settlement on your path

Island scoring: Most scouts = full points, second = half points

Win condition: Most Discovery Points when all territory explored