Tiny Towns

Overview

In Tiny Towns, each player is the mayor of a tiny town on a 4x4 grid. On each turn, the Master Builder names a resource, and all players must place that resource on their grid. By arranging resources in specific patterns, players construct buildings that score victory points. The challenge is that every empty square at game end costs points, so efficient spatial planning is critical. The game ends when all players can no longer place resources or build.

Components

• 6 Player boards (4x4 grids)
• 25 Building cards
• 15 Monument cards
• 15 Resource cards
• 126 Wooden buildings (various types)
• 6 Wooden monuments
• 90 Resource cubes (5 types: wood, wheat, brick, glass, stone)
• 1 Master Builder hammer
• 1 Scorepad
• Rulebook

Setup

1. Each player receives a 4x4 grid board.
2. Place the Cottage building card face-up centrally (always in play).
3. Sort remaining building cards by symbol (7 categories); shuffle each stack and draw 1 from each, placing them face-up. This creates a set of 7 unique buildings for the game.
4. Place resource cubes and building pieces in supply.
5. The most recent builder receives the Master Builder hammer.
6. Each player draws 2 Monument cards, keeps 1 secretly, and takes 1 wooden monument piece.

Turn Structure

Each turn follows this sequence:

1. Master Builder names a resource (wood, wheat, brick, glass, or stone).
2. All players simultaneously take 1 cube of that resource and place it on any empty space on their grid.
3. After placing, any player may construct a building by matching a resource pattern on their grid to a building card (pattern may be rotated or mirrored).
4. Remove all matching resource cubes from the grid and replace them with the corresponding building piece on any one of the vacated spaces.
5. Pass the Master Builder hammer to the left.

Players may construct multiple buildings per turn if they have matching patterns.

Actions

• Place Resource: Mandatory – place the named resource on any empty space.
• Construct Building: Optional – remove matching pattern of cubes, place building piece.
• Construct Monument: Optional – follows same rules as buildings, but each player has a unique secret monument. Can only be built once.

Building Pattern Rules

• Patterns can be rotated and mirrored (reflected) to fit.
• All required resources must be present in the exact configuration.
• Resources are removed upon construction; the building occupies one of the freed spaces.
• Buildings cannot be moved after placement.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

The game ends when all players’ grids are full (no empty spaces for resources and no possible constructions).

Scoring:

• Each building scores according to its card’s rules (varies widely by building type).
• Each empty square: -1 point.
• Cottages: 3 points each, but only if “fed” by a designated food-producing building nearby. Unfed Cottages score 0 points.
• Monuments: Score per their unique card’s rules.

Winner: Highest total points. Tiebreakers (in order): fewest Master Builder turns, fewest empty squares, most Cottages, then shared victory.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• “Adjacent” Definition: Up, down, left, right only (not diagonal).
• Negative Scores: Possible. Players can score below 0.
• Resource Cubes: Cubes are unlimited. If supply runs out, substitute with any marker.
• Feeding Cottages: Certain buildings (e.g., farms) feed Cottages within a specified range. An unfed Cottage is worth 0 points, not negative.
• Food Buildings: Never score points independently; they exist only to feed Cottages.
• Solo Variant: Player draws resource cards instead of naming resources.
• Cavern Rule (Optional): Players may place up to 2 resources from others’ announcements off-board for flexibility. Off-board resources score no points or penalties.
• Monument Timing: Monuments can be constructed at any point during the game following standard construction rules.
• Master Builder Choice: The Master Builder can name any of the 5 resources, including one that helps opponents, creating a bluffing/strategy element.
• Cannot Skip Placement: Every player must place the named resource, even if it hurts their layout.

Player Reference

Building Type	Example Scoring
Cottage	3 pts if fed, 0 if unfed
Various	Per card rules
Monument	Per unique card
Empty Square	-1 pt each

Grid: 4x4 = 16 spaces

Resources: Wood, Wheat, Brick, Glass, Stone

Pattern: Rotate/mirror allowed

Remove cubes -> place building on freed space