Navegador

2010

Experience the thrill of the Portuguese Age of Discoveries. Explore, establish colonies, trade goods, and strategize your way to victory in this immersive board game.

90
minutes

2 - 5
player(s)

12+

Medium Heavy

About the game

The board game ‘Navegador’ is a unique blend of strategy, exploration, and economic management. Set in the era of the Portuguese Age of Discovery, the game invites you to step into the shoes of a powerful shipowner in the 15th and 16th centuries. It is a time where intrepid explorers are sailing uncharted seas to discover new lands, establish colonies, and expand their trading empires.

The core mechanics of ‘Navegador’ revolve around a fascinating Rondel system. This is a circular action selection tool where players choose their actions based on their position on the Rondel. These actions could be sailing, buying ships, hiring workers, establishing colonies, or trading in the market. This unique mechanism adds a layer of strategic depth to the game as players must plan their moves several turns in advance.

Game components Unboxing the fun!

Navegador is a popular board game that offers a rich and immersive gaming experience. Here is a detailed list of the game’s components:

1. Game board:

The game board is the main component of the Navegador game. It features a map of the world, highlighting regions such as Europe, Africa, and the Americas. The game board is divided into different regions, each representing a location where players can carry out specific actions like exploring, building, or buying and selling goods. The board also features a rondel which determines the available actions for players.

2. Player markers:

There are five sets of player markers in different colors. Each player uses these markers to track their progress on the game board, indicating their control over colonies, factories and ships.

3. Money:

Money in the form of gold is the currency of the game. Players use it to buy and sell goods, build factories, and hire workers. It is crucial for players to manage their finances wisely as it can significantly impact their overall performance in the game.

4. Goods tokens:

The goods tokens represent the commodities that players can trade during the game. These tokens include spices, gold, and sugar. Players can earn money by selling these goods in the market.

5. Ships:

Ships are used by players to explore new regions and establish colonies. They also allow players to transport goods for trade. The number of ships a player controls can influence their trading and exploring capabilities.

6. Colonies and factories:

Colonies and factories are crucial for production and earning money. Colonies produce goods that can be sold in the market, while factories increase the value of these goods. Players can build colonies and factories in the regions they control.

7. Workers:

Workers are used to operate factories. The more workers a player has in a factory, the more goods it can produce.

8. Privilege cards:

Privilege cards offer players special abilities or advantages during the game. These cards can greatly influence a player’s strategy and overall success in the game.

9. Rondel:

The rondel is a unique game mechanic in Navegador. It is a circular track on the game board that dictates the sequence of actions a player can take. By moving their marker on the rondel, players choose their actions for the turn, adding a strategic element to the game.

Game setup Lay it out, line it up, let’s go

Navegador is a game that involves exploration, trade, and colonization. The following steps will guide you on how to set up the game:

Step 1: Preparation of Game Components

Unfold the game board and place it in the center of the table. Separate the game pieces into piles by type: workers, ships, factories, privilege markers, money, and the round marker.

Step 2: Player Roles

Each player chooses a color and takes the corresponding game pieces. The number of available pieces depends on the chosen color. Every player will begin the game with 3 ships, 8 workers and 2 factories in their supply. Also, each player receives 100 Cruzados (the currency of the game) from the bank.

Step 3: Set Up the Market

Place all the commodity tokens in their respective spots on the market part of the game board. The initial price for each commodity is determined randomly by drawing an explorers tile and placing it face up next to the corresponding commodity.

Step 4: Arrange the Privilege Markers

Sort the privilege markers by type and stack them on the corresponding privilege spaces on the game board. The order of placement should be according to the printed numbers on the spaces.

Step 5: Prepare the Explorer Tiles

Shuffle the explorer tiles and place them face down near the board. Reveal and place one tile face up on each of the explorer spaces on the board.

Step 6: Place the Round Marker

Place the round marker on the first space of the round track on the game board.

Step 7: Determine the Starting Player

Choose a starting player at random. That player places one of their ships on the first empty space of the player order track. The other players follow in clockwise order, placing one of their ships on the next available space.

Step 8: Initial Buildings

Each player starts with two factories in their supply. The starting player chooses and pays for a third factory from the market and places it in their supply. The cost of the factory is equal to the number of that factory’s symbol on the game board multiplied by 10 Cruzados. The other players follow in clockwise order, choosing and paying for their third factory.

Once all these steps are completed, the game can begin. The starting player will be the first to take a turn.

Game flow Round and round we go

Navegador is a strategic board game that simulates the age of exploration by Portuguese navigators during the 15th and 16th centuries. The game unfolds in various rounds, each of which is structured into different phases where players perform specific actions. The game ends when one player triggers the end game condition, and the player with the most victory points at the end of the game wins.

Game Setup: At the beginning of the game, players receive a set amount of money, a player board, and a set of ships. The rondel, a circular board with different action spaces, is placed in the center of the table. A market board is also prepared with price markers placed on designated spaces. The colonies, factories, and churches are sorted and placed in their respective supply piles. The privilege markers are placed on the privilege spaces on the main board, and each player places one of their ships in the harbor of Lisboa. Players decide who goes first, and play proceeds clockwise.

Game Rounds and Phases: Each round in Navegador comprises a single turn from each player, and each turn corresponds to a player moving their marker around the rondel and taking the action of the space where they land. The possible actions are:

Buy: The player can purchase buildings (factories, colonies, or churches) from the supply and place them on their player board. The cost of the buildings depends on the current market prices.
Sail: The player can move their ships on the sea, discovering new lands and establishing colonies. The number of spaces a ship can move depends on the navigation technology level of the player.
Colony: The player can establish a colony in a discovered land where they have a ship present. The player must have a colony building available on their player board.
Factory: The player can build a factory in a colony they control. The player must have a factory building available on their player board.
Church: The player can build a church in a colony they control. The player must have a church building available on their player board.
Privilege: The player can buy a privilege, which will provide victory points at the end of the game. The cost of a privilege is fixed and does not change throughout the game.
Market: The player can sell goods produced in their factories. The selling price of the goods is equal to the current market price.

End of Game: The game ends when one of three end game conditions is triggered: the last privilege is bought, the last colony is built, or the last factory is built. Once the end game is triggered, each player gets a final turn before the game ends. The players then add up their victory points from their colonies, factories, churches, privileges, and remaining money. The player with the most victory points wins the game.

Players'turn One turn to rule them all

‘Navegador’ is a fascinating round-based strategy game where players take on the roles of 15th-16th century Portuguese empire builders. Understanding the sequence of a player’s turn and the potential actions is key to mastering the game. Here is a detailed breakdown of a typical player’s turn:

A player’s turn in ‘Navegador’ essentially consists of two parts: Choosing an action and Executing the action. The player must choose one of the available actions on the rondel (action wheel), which is no more than three steps ahead of their current position. Each action will shape the player’s strategy and affect the overall gameplay in different ways.

1. Choosing an Action

The rondel offers the following actions:

Worker: Allows the player to buy workers from the supply for gold.
Colony: Allows the player to establish a colony in a region they’ve discovered.
Ship: Allows the player to buy ships from the supply for gold.
Market: Allows the player to buy or sell goods at the current market price.
Privilege: Allows the player to buy a privilege in one of the available categories.
Navigation: Allows the player to move their ships on the game board.
Production: Allows the player to produce goods in their colonies.
Church: Allows the player to buy a church from the supply for gold.

2. Executing the Action

After choosing an action, the player executes it. The impact of each action on gameplay varies:

Worker: More workers increase production in colonies, but they cost gold, which is a limited resource.
Colony: Colonies produce goods and provide privileges, but they require ships to establish.
Ship: Ships are necessary for exploration and establishing colonies, but they also cost gold.
Market: Buying low and selling high can yield significant profits, but the market is unpredictable.
Privilege: Privileges provide scoring opportunities at the end of the game, but they also cost gold.
Navigation: Exploration opens up new opportunities but can also bring competition for resources.
Production: Producing goods can generate income, but it requires workers and colonies.
Church: Churches can provide bonus points at the end of the game, but they too cost gold.

As a player, your strategic choices in ‘Navegador’ will involve managing your resources, balancing risk and reward, and adapting to the ever-changing game state. It’s a game of exploration, economics, and empire building that offers a rich and rewarding challenge.

End of the game All good games must come to an end

The game of ‘Navegador’ ends when the round in which the last colony, ship or factory is built. This triggers the endgame, and all the players get one more turn before final scoring begins. It’s important to note that the player who triggers the endgame does not get an extra turn.

Victory Conditions:

‘Navegador’ is a game of strategy and economic management. The player with the most victory points (VPs) at the end of the game is declared the winner. Victory points are scored in various ways:

Colonies and Factories: At the end of the game, each player scores VP equal to the total value of their colonies and factories.
Ships: The players also score points for their ships. The exact number of points depends on the type of the ship.
Exploration: Players earn points for the number of navigation markers they’ve placed on the game board.
Church, Privilege and Workers: Players also score points for their influence in the church, their privileges and their workers. The number of points depends on the specific conditions of each game.

Actions before Final Scoring:

Before the final scoring, players must ensure that all their actions are complete and their resources are in order. This includes:

Final Actions: Each player takes their last turn. They can use this turn to build, buy, sell or explore, depending on what they believe will earn them the most points.
Resource Management: Players must ensure their resources (gold, colonies, ships, etc.) are properly managed and any debts are paid.
Privilege and Church Influence: Players can use their final actions to increase their church influence or gain more privileges, which can earn them additional points in the final scoring.

Once all players have taken their final actions and ensured their resources are in order, the game moves to the final scoring phase. The player with the highest total of victory points is declared the winner.

Scoring Did you outsmart your rivals?

The scoring system in ‘Navegador’ is a vital part of the game, which is calculated at the end of the game. Points are rewarded based on different elements of the game including factories, colonies, workers, ships, privileges and cash on hand.

Factories: Each factory that a player owns gives them points according to the factory’s type. The points are as follows:

Sugar Factory: 1 point
Gold Factory: 2 points
Spice Factory: 3 points

Colonies: The more colonies a player owns, the more points they will receive. The scoring for colonies is as follows:

1 Colony: 1 point
2 Colonies: 3 points
3 Colonies: 6 points
4 Colonies: 10 points
5 Colonies: 15 points
6 Colonies: 21 points

Workers: Each worker in a player’s factory gives them points equal to the value of the factory. For instance, a worker in a spice factory would give 3 points.

Ships: Each ship a player owns gives them 1 point.

Privileges: Each privilege a player owns gives them 1 point.

Cash: For every 100 cruzados a player has at the end of the game, they receive 1 point.

In the event of a tie, the player with the most cash on hand is the winner. If there is still a tie, the player who reached the last space of the Rondel first is the winner. In the unlikely event that there is still a tie, the result is a shared victory.

Particular Cases and Exceptions Wait… is that legal?

Navegador is a complex board game with several unique rules and exceptions. Understanding these can greatly enhance your gameplay experience. Here are some of the rare or special rules, exceptions, and rule clarifications that you might come across.

1. Privilege:

Privilege is a special rule. Only the player with the privilege token can initiate a market action. It’s important to note that the privilege token is not transferred when a market action is initiated by the player who holds it, but rather when a player chooses not to use it.

2. Worker Tokens:

The game makes an exception to how Worker tokens are used. A player may use a Worker token to either build a building or a ship, but not both in the same round. This can be a strategic decision, as players often have to weigh the benefits of building a building against the advantages of having another ship.

3. Colony Establishment:

Establishing a colony is a special action that can only be performed by players who have at least one ship in the region where they want to establish the colony. Players must also pay the cost in gold to establish the colony. The cost is equal to the number of colony tokens already in the region plus one.

4. The Round Cycle:

There’s a rule clarification regarding the round cycle. The game doesn’t follow a traditional round-robin order. Instead, the order of play is determined by the position of the players’ markers on the rondel. The player whose marker is furthest back on the rondel takes the next turn. If two or more markers are in the same space, the player whose marker is on top goes first.

5. End-of-Game Scoring:

In Navegador, the final scoring takes place when the last player finishes their turn. It’s important to note that players receive victory points for their remaining cash at a rate of 1 victory point for every 5 cruzados. However, any remaining resources such as sugar, gold, and spice are not converted into victory points.

6. Market Action:

A clarification regarding the Market action: the value of goods do not change immediately after a player sells or buys. All the changes in the market value are done after the player finishes their market action – either selling all goods of one type or buying one good.

7. Navigation:

When performing a navigation action, a player can move any or all of their ships. However, a player cannot move a ship into a region where he already has a ship. This rule exception can force players to strategize their navigation plans carefully.

Tips and tricks Play smarter, not harder!

Navegador is a complex and strategic game that requires careful planning, optimized decision-making, and a keen understanding of the game’s mechanics. Here are some advanced strategies, beginner tips, common mistakes to avoid, and ways to optimize gameplay.

Advanced Strategies:

Market Manipulation: The market in Navegador is dynamic and changes based on player actions. A well-timed sell action can not only give you a lot of money but also decrease the price of a good for future purchases.
Shipbuilding: Building a shipyard early on can be a great investment, especially if you plan on a nautical strategy. More ships mean more explorations and colonies, which in turn means more income.
Expansion: Expand your colonies and factories wisely. Remember, the point of expanding is not just to have more territory, but to produce more goods for the market as well.

Beginner Tips:

Understanding the Game: Spend some time learning the rules and understanding how the game works before you start. This will give you a solid foundation to build your strategy on.
Plan Ahead: Navegador is a game of strategy. Try to have a plan for your game and stick to it. This doesn’t mean you can’t adapt if things change, but a good plan will give you direction.
Balance: Try to balance your investments in colonies, factories, and ships. Over-investing in one area at the expense of others can leave you vulnerable.

Common Mistakes:

Ignoring the Market: The market is a crucial part of Navegador. Ignoring it can lead to missed opportunities and costly mistakes.
Overextending: It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of expansion and overextend yourself. However, this can leave you vulnerable to attacks and potentially ruin your game.
Forgetting to Diversify: It can be tempting to focus on one aspect of the game, like building colonies or factories. But remember, a balanced approach is usually the best.

Ways to Optimize Gameplay:

Use Privileges: Privileges can give you a significant advantage in the game. Make sure you use them to their full potential.
Manage Your Resources: Resources are crucial in Navegador. Make sure you manage them well, and don’t waste them on unnecessary actions.
Adapt: No matter how well you plan, things can always change in Navegador. Be ready to adapt your strategy if things don’t go as planned.