Reef Encounter

Overview

Reef Encounter is a strategy game for 2-4 players designed by Richard Breese. Players grow coral reefs, protect them with shrimp, and feed coral to their parrotfish to score points. The game involves tile placement, area control, and a dynamic dominance system where the relative values of different coral types change throughout the game. Players must balance growing their corals, controlling the dominance hierarchy, and timing when to consume corals for maximum points.

Components

• 16 Wooden shrimp pieces (4 per player)
• 20 Wooden alga cylinders
• 50 Wooden larva cubes
• 200 Polyp tiles (in 5 coral colors)
• 10 Coral tiles (dominance markers)
• 4 Parrotfish (1 per player)
• 4 Coral reef player boards
• 4 Player screens
• 4 Turn action reference cards
• 1 Cloth bag

Setup

1. Each player takes a player screen, reef board, parrotfish, and 4 shrimp.
2. Distribute starting polyp tiles and larva cubes to each player (behind their screen).
3. Set up the open-sea board with the coral dominance tiles in their starting positions.
4. Place alga cylinders and remaining components in the supply.
5. Fill the cloth bag with polyp tiles.
6. Determine starting player.

Turn Structure

Players take turns performing actions in sequence. A player must complete one action before starting another. Available actions (performed in any order during your turn):

1. Feed Parrotfish: Your parrotfish eats a protected coral of 5+ polyps.
2. Play Larva + Polyps: Place a larva cube and up to 4 matching polyp tiles to grow or start a coral.
3. Play Second Larva + Polyps: Optionally play a second set.
4. Introduce Shrimp: Place a new shrimp on one of your corals to protect it.
5. Move Shrimp: Relocate shrimp between your corals.
6. Exchange Consumed Polyp: Trade a consumed polyp for a larva cube.
7. Play Alga Cylinder: Acquire and place an alga cylinder on a coral dominance tile to change the hierarchy.
8. Exchange Larva for Polyp: Trade a larva cube for a polyp tile.
9. Pass.
10. Collect from Open Sea: Take larva cubes and polyp tiles from the open-sea board.

Actions

• Grow Coral: Place polyp tiles adjacent to existing matching polyps to expand a coral reef. Requires a larva cube.
• Attack Coral: A dominant coral type can overgrow a weaker adjacent coral. Check the dominance hierarchy to determine which color dominates which.
• Protect Coral: Place a shrimp on your coral to prevent it from being attacked.
• Feed Parrotfish: Remove a protected coral (5+ polyps) from the board and place its polyps behind your screen. These score at game end.
• Manipulate Dominance: Play alga cylinders on the coral tiles to change which colors dominate others.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

The game ends when:

• All coral dominance tiles are covered by alga cylinders, OR
• One player’s parrotfish has consumed four corals, OR
• No remaining play spaces on the board, OR
• Insufficient tiles to continue.

Scoring: Each consumed polyp tile scores 1 point PLUS 1 point for each coral dominance tile showing that color duplicated at the top. Each polyp is therefore worth 1 to 5 points.

Tiebreaker: Most consumed polyps, then unplayed larva cubes, then unplayed polyp tiles, then polyps on the board.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• Dominance Hierarchy: The coral tiles determine which coral colors can overgrow others. This hierarchy changes as players place alga cylinders.
• Protected Corals: A coral with a shrimp on it cannot be attacked or overgrown by opponents.
• Minimum Size to Feed: A coral must have at least 5 polyp tiles to be eligible for parrotfish consumption.
• Consuming Your Own Coral: You can only feed your parrotfish corals that you have placed and protected with your shrimp.
• Alga Cylinders: These permanently cover a dominance tile position, locking that relationship and potentially changing scoring values.

Player Reference

Action	Requirement
Grow Coral	Larva cube + up to 4 matching polyp tiles
Attack Coral	Dominant color vs. weaker adjacent color
Feed Parrotfish	Protected coral with 5+ polyps
Place Shrimp	Must be placed on your own coral
Play Alga	Cover a dominance tile to change hierarchy

Scoring per polyp: 1 + (number of dominance tiles showing that color at top)