Rajas of the Ganges

Overview

A dice-placement and worker-placement game set in 16th-century India. Players are Indian nobles (Rajas/Ranis) developing their province by constructing buildings, trading goods, and navigating the Ganges River. The game features two scoring tracks (fame and money) that advance toward each other – when they meet or cross, that player wins immediately. Dice serve as workers and currency throughout.

Components

Component	Quantity
Game board	1
Province boards (player boards)	4
Dice (4 colors)	Multiple
Market tiles	Multiple
Bonus tiles	Multiple
Worker meeples	Various
Fame/money markers	8 (2 per player)
Kali tiles	Multiple

Setup

1. Place main board centrally. Each player takes a province board.
2. Place market tiles, bonus tiles, and other components as directed.
3. Each player receives starting dice and places fame/money markers on their starting positions on the scoring tracks.

Turn Structure

On your turn, place one or more workers/dice on an action space and perform that action. Then it passes to the next player.

Actions

Players place workers (and spend dice) at four main areas of the board:

Palace of the Maharaja

Acquire new province tiles to build in your province, gaining income or production bonuses.

Market

Buy and sell goods using dice. Trade goods at market stalls for money or fame.

Quarry

Gain new dice of various colors to expand your action options.

River Ganges

Navigate your boat down the Ganges, collecting bonuses from river tiles along the way. Advance by spending dice of the appropriate values.

Province Building

Place acquired tiles on your province board to generate ongoing benefits – income, goods production, fame bonuses, or special abilities.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

The game has two scoring tracks running in opposite directions:

• Fame track (advances forward)
• Money track (advances forward from the other end)

Immediate win: The game ends immediately when a player’s fame marker and money marker meet or cross on the tracks. That player wins.

If multiple players would cross simultaneously (unlikely), compare total advancement.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• Dice values matter: higher-value dice are more powerful but harder to obtain.
• Kali tiles provide powerful one-time bonuses.
• The province board is a grid where tile placement triggers adjacency bonuses.
• Goods (silk, spices, tea, gems) are used for trading and fulfilling orders.
• The river provides a steady stream of small bonuses and is crucial for the endgame push.

Player Reference

Area	Key Benefit
Palace	Acquire province tiles
Market	Trade goods for money/fame
Quarry	Gain new dice
River Ganges	Collect bonuses, advance boat
Province	Build tiles for ongoing benefits

| Win Condition | Fame and money markers meet/cross on the tracks | |—|—|