How to Play Stone Age
Introduction
Stone Age is a captivating board game that transports players to a prehistoric era, where they lead a tribe of cavemen in their quest for survival and prosperity. As a tribe leader, you must gather resources, build settlements, and develop technologies to thrive in the harsh conditions of the Stone Age. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step walkthrough of the game, making it accessible for both beginners and kids.
Step by Step Guide to Playing Stone Age
Step 1: Setting the Stage for a Prehistoric Adventure
Game Components:
- Game Board: The game board represents the vast and untamed world of the Stone Age, featuring various landscapes such as forests, lakes, and mountains.
- Tribe Meeples: Each player receives a set of meeples representing their tribe members, used for various actions throughout the game.
- Resource Tiles: These tiles represent the vital resources required for survival and advancement, including wood, stone, and food.
- Dwelling Huts: These huts are used to house your tribe members, providing them with shelter and warmth.
- Tool Cards: These cards represent technological advancements that can enhance your tribe’s abilities and grant special bonuses.
- Action Cards: Action cards provide players with unique abilities and advantages during their turns.
Game Setup:
- Place the game board in the center of the playing area.
- Sort the resource tiles by type and place them face up on the designated spaces on the game board.
- Each player chooses a color and takes the corresponding tribe meeples, dwelling huts, and tool cards.
- Place your tribe meeples in your starting settlement on the game board.
- Shuffle the action cards and place them face down near the game board.
Step 2: Understanding the Flow of the Game
The game is played in a series of rounds, and each round consists of several phases:
Action Phase:
During this phase, players take turns performing actions by playing action cards, gathering resources, constructing buildings, and advancing their tribe’s technology.
Hunting Phase:
In the hunting phase, players roll dice to determine their success in hunting for food. A successful hunt provides valuable food resources.
Resource Sharing Phase:
Players can voluntarily share resources with other players during this phase, fostering cooperation and alliances.
End of Round Phase:
At the end of each round, players gain victory points based on their achievements, such as constructing buildings or advancing their technology.
Step 3: Embarking on a Quest for Resources
Gathering Resources:
To survive and thrive in the Stone Age, players must gather essential resources such as wood, stone, and food. These resources are used to construct buildings, feed your tribe, and develop new technologies.
Resource Tiles:
Resource tiles are placed on various spaces on the game board, representing areas where resources can be found. To gather resources, move your tribe meeples to the corresponding spaces and collect the resource tiles.
Special Resource Locations:
The game board features special resource locations, such as forests and lakes, which provide abundant resources when occupied by tribe meeples.
Step 4: Building a Thriving Settlement
Constructing Dwelling Huts:
Dwelling huts are vital for housing your tribe members and providing them with shelter. To construct a dwelling hut, pay the required resources and place it on an empty space adjacent to one of your existing settlements.
Settlement Expansion:
As your tribe grows, you can expand your settlement by constructing new dwelling huts and connecting them to existing ones. Expanding your settlement provides more space for your tribe members and unlocks additional benefits.
Special Buildings:
Certain special buildings, such as workshops and granaries, can be constructed to enhance your tribe’s abilities and provide various advantages.
Step 5: Advancing Technological Discoveries
Acquiring Tool Cards:
Tool cards represent technological advancements that can improve your tribe’s capabilities. To acquire a tool card, pay the required resources and add it to your hand.
Playing Tool Cards:
Tool cards can be played during the action phase to gain special abilities or bonuses. Each tool card has its own unique effect, so choose wisely to optimize your strategy.
Technological Progress:
As you play tool cards, you advance your tribe’s technological progress. This progress unlocks new and more powerful tool cards, providing you with a wider range of options to enhance your tribe’s capabilities.
Step 6: Claiming Victory in the Stone Age
Earning Victory Points:
Throughout the game, players earn victory points by constructing buildings, advancing their technology, and fulfilling special objectives. The player with the most victory points at the end of the game is declared the winner.