Boardgames

Endless Winter: Paleoamericans

Endless Winter: Paleoamericans is a captivating euro-style board game. With deck building, area influence, and tile placement, players lead their tribes from nomadic life to flourishing societies.

120
minutes

1 - 4
player(s)

Medium Heavy

About the game

Embark on an immersive journey back in time with Endless Winter: Paleoamericans, a compelling board game that takes players to the distant past of North America, around 10,000 BCE. This game blends elements of cultural development, worker placement, deck building, and area control to create an unforgettable gaming experience.

In the game, you will take on the role of a tribe leader, guiding your people through the challenges of the late Pleistocene era in what is now known as North America. The setting is as vast and varied as the continent itself – from the frosty tundra to the lush, green forests. Each place holds its unique opportunities and threats, making every decision critical to your tribe’s survival and prosperity.

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Setup and rules summary

Game components Unboxing the fun!

Endless Winter: Paleoamericans is a board game that combines a number of game mechanics such as deck-building, worker placement, and area control. The game is set in North America around 10,000 B.C., and players take on the roles of tribe leaders. Here are the components included in the game and their functions:

1. Game Board: The game board represents the land where the tribes will move, hunt, and build. Each area on the board provides different resources and actions that players can take during their turn.

2. Player Boards: Each player has a board that represents their tribe. It is used to store resources, track technology advancements, and place tribe members.

3. Tribe Members (Meeples): Each player has a set of meeples that represent their tribe members. These are used for worker placement actions on the game board.

4. Tribe Cards: These cards are used in the deck-building aspect of the game. They represent different members of the tribe and provide various abilities when played.

5. Culture Cards: These cards represent cultural advancements. Players can acquire these cards to gain special abilities and score victory points.

6. Terrain Tiles: These tiles represent different types of terrain. Players can place these on the game board to influence the area control aspect of the game.

7. Resource Tokens: These tokens represent the different resources (food, tools, and materials) that players can collect. They are used to perform actions and acquire cards.

8. Hunting Dice: These dice are rolled to determine the outcome of hunting actions. The type of game and the quantity of meat collected depends on the roll.

9. Scoring Markers: These markers are used to track each player’s victory points on the score track.

10. First Player Marker: This marker indicates who the current first player is.

11. Round Tracker: This marker is used to track the current round of the game.

12. Player Aid Cards: These cards provide a quick reference for the game rules and turn order.

All these components interact with each other to create a dynamic gameplay experience. The game is about managing resources, strategically placing tribe members, and building an effective deck of cards. Each player’s decisions will influence the state of the game board, the advancement of their tribe, and ultimately, their score at the end of the game.

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

Endless Winter: Paleoamericans is an intriguing and challenging board game that requires strategic planning and a good understanding of the rules. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to set it up:

Step 1: Setting Up the Game Board

Firstly, place the main game board in the center of the playing area. Make sure all players have easy access to it. The board includes various locations such as the Ancestral Meadow, the Tech Wheel, and the Ritual Site, each with a unique role in the game.

Step 2: Player Roles and Setup

Each player selects a Tribe Board, a set of 12 Tribe Members in their chosen color, and 1 Starting Tech tile. Place the Tribe Board in front of you and arrange your Tribe Members in the supply area of your board. The Starting Tech tile should be placed on the leftmost space of your Tech track.

Step 3: Initial Resources

Every player receives a set of initial resources, which includes 3 Food, 2 Tools, 1 Culture, and 1 Elder Card. Place these on the corresponding spaces of your Tribe Board.

Step 4: Setting Up the Decks

There are two types of decks in the game – the Culture Card deck and the Elder Card deck. Shuffle both decks separately and place them beside the game board. Draw 4 Culture Cards and 3 Elder Cards and place them face up next to their respective decks.

Step 5: Placing the Tiles

Shuffle the Terrain tiles and randomly place one on each of the spaces on the Ancestral Meadow of the game board. Turn over the top tile of the Terrain stack and place it next to the stack.

Step 6: Setting Up the Tech Wheel

Randomly place one Technology tile on each of the round spaces on the Tech Wheel on the main game board. The remaining Technology tiles go into a supply next to the board.

Step 7: Placing the Dice

Place the dice in a supply next to the game board. The number of dice should be equal to the number of players times two, plus one.

Step 8: Setting Up the Ritual Site

Randomly draw Ritual tiles equal to the number of players plus one. Place them face up on the Ritual Site on the main game board.

Step 9: Determining the First Player

Determine the first player by any random method. Give the first player token to the chosen player.

Now, you’re all set to start playing Endless Winter: Paleoamericans! Remember, the key to winning is efficient resource management and strategic planning. Happy gaming!

Game flow Round and round we go

Endless Winter: Paleoamericans is a complex board game that combines elements of deck-building, worker placement, and area control. The game is set in North America around 10,000 BCE, and players take on the roles of tribe leaders trying to establish their dominance in the new land. The game is played over four rounds, each representing a season of the year.

Round Structure

Each round in Endless Winter: Paleoamericans is divided into three phases: the Draw Phase, the Action Phase, and the Cleanup Phase.

Draw Phase

During the Draw Phase, players prepare for the upcoming round. The steps players must follow are:

  1. Each player draws five cards from their personal deck. If a player cannot draw five cards because their deck is empty, they shuffle their discard pile to create a new deck and continue drawing.
  2. They also receive resources based on the locations they control on the game board.

Action Phase

The Action Phase is the main part of the game. Players take turns performing one action at a time, with the option to perform one of four main actions. The actions a player can take are:

  1. Place a Tribe Member: The player places one of their tribe members on an unoccupied action spot on the main game board or on a card in their personal tableau.
  2. Play a Card: The player plays a card from their hand and resolves its effects.
  3. Buy a Card: The player spends resources to buy a new card from the central display and adds it to their discard pile.
  4. Pass: If a player cannot or chooses not to perform any other action, they pass. Once a player passes, they cannot perform any more actions until the next round.

Players continue taking turns until all players have passed.

Cleanup Phase

During the Cleanup Phase, players prepare for the next round. The steps players must follow are:

  1. All tribe members on the game board are returned to their owners.
  2. All cards in the central display are discarded and replaced with new ones.
  3. The first player marker is passed to the next player in clockwise order.

After the fourth round, the game ends and players add up their points to determine the winner.

Players'turn One turn to rule them all

In ‘Endless Winter: Paleoamericans’, players take turns to perform a series of actions to establish their tribe and control the landscape. The game is structured in a way that encourages strategic choices and the possibility of different tactics. Here is a detailed breakdown of the actions a player can take during their turn:

1. Play a Card:

The player plays a card from their hand. Each card represents a tribe member and has a specific role. Some cards provide additional actions, while others offer benefits like resources or points. The strategic choice here is to decide which card to play to maximize the benefit. The player must also consider the card’s future potential, as some cards can be more powerful in later rounds.

2. Perform a Main Action:

The player may choose one of four main actions:

  1. Expand: The player places one of their tribe members on the board. This expands their tribe’s territory and may trigger a conflict with other players.
  2. Gather: The player collects resources from the areas they control. More resources lead to more opportunities but also attract the attention of other tribes.
  3. Trade: The player can trade resources with the supply. This may help the player acquire hard-to-get resources or get rid of excess ones.
  4. Lead: The player may add a new card to their hand. This increases their options for future turns and can set up powerful combinations.

3. Optional Actions:

After the main action, the player has the option to perform any of the following optional actions:

  • Build: The player can spend resources to build a structure, which provides ongoing benefits.
  • Develop: The player can use resources to develop their tribe, gaining new abilities and scoring opportunities.
  • Sacrifice: The player can sacrifice a tribe member to gain an immediate benefit. This can be a difficult decision, as it reduces the player’s presence on the board.

Every turn in ‘Endless Winter: Paleoamericans’ is a balance of expanding your tribe’s influence, managing resources, and planning for the future. The game’s systems interlock in complex ways, providing a rich and strategic experience.

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

Endless Winter: Paleoamericans is a strategy board game that takes place over four rounds, representing different periods in a year. The game comes to an end after the conclusion of the fourth round. At this point, all players must conclude their actions and prepare for the final scoring.

Victory Conditions

The objective of the game is to accumulate the highest number of victory points (VPs) by the end of the fourth round. Victory points are earned in several ways:

  • Area Control: Players can earn VPs by having the majority control over different territories on the map.
  • Set Collection: Players are awarded VPs for collecting different sets of resource cards throughout the game.
  • Progression on the Culture Track: Advancing on the culture track also grants a player VPs.
  • Building Monuments: Constructing monuments offers a significant amount of VPs.

Actions Before Final Scoring

Before the final scoring takes place, players must complete a few important actions:

  1. Exhaust All Actions: Players must ensure they have exhausted all possible actions in the fourth round. This includes using any remaining meeples and playing all possible action cards.
  2. Count Remaining Resources: Players should count all remaining resources. Some victory points may be awarded based on the number of leftover resources a player possesses.
  3. Resolve Any Outstanding Game Effects: Some cards or game effects might result in earning or losing VPs. Players must ensure all such effects are resolved before final scoring.

Once all these actions have been completed, the final scoring can begin. The player with the highest total of victory points is declared the winner of ‘Endless Winter: Paleoamericans’.

Scoring Did you outsmart your rivals?

In Endless Winter: Paleoamericans, a richly strategic board game, players accumulate points in various ways throughout the game. The player with the most points at the end of the game is the winner.

Scoring During the Game:

  • Culture Cards: Players earn points from certain Culture Cards. The number of points awarded depends on the specific conditions mentioned on the cards.
  • Monuments: Players earn points by building monuments. The first player to complete a monument gets the highest score, while later players get fewer points.
  • Settlements: Players earn points by expanding their territory and building settlements. The more settlements, the more points earned.

Scoring at the End of the Game:

  • Tools: Players earn points for each tool they have. The more advanced the tool, the more points it is worth.
  • Population: Players earn points for each member of their population. The more population, the more points earned.
  • Eclipses: Players earn points for each successful eclipse ritual they have performed. The more successful rituals, the more points earned.

The total score of a player is calculated by adding the points earned during the game and the points earned at the end of the game.

In case of a tie, the game employs several tie-breaking rules:

  1. The player with the most completed monuments wins.
  2. If there is still a tie, the player with the most advanced tools wins.
  3. If there is still a tie, the player with the most population wins.
  4. If there is still a tie, the player who performed the most successful eclipse rituals wins.

If there is still a tie after all these steps, the victory is shared among the tied players.

Particular Cases and Exceptions Wait… is that legal?

‘Endless Winter: Paleoamericans’ is a strategy board game that requires players to make important decisions for their tribe to survive and prosper. While the game rules are generally straightforward, there are a few special rules and exceptions that players should be aware of:

1. Migration and Camp Actions

  • When a player performs a Migration action, they can move their tribe members only to adjacent territories. However, a player can perform multiple migration actions in a single turn to move tribe members across several territories.
  • The Camp action allows a player to increase their tribe size. But, if the player’s tribe is already at its maximum size, they cannot perform this action.

2. Tech Cards

  • Each player can have a maximum of three active Tech cards. If a player gains a new Tech card while already having three active, they must choose and discard one.
  • Players cannot use a Tech card on the same turn they acquire it. They must wait until their next turn to use it.

3. Eclipse Phase

  • Players do not perform any actions during the Eclipse Phase, which occurs after a certain number of rounds. Instead, they count their tribe members, resources, and territory to score victory points.
  • During the Eclipse Phase, players also need to ensure they have enough food resources to feed their tribe members. If a player does not have enough food, they must decrease their tribe size or lose victory points.

4. Endgame Scoring

  • At the end of the game, players score additional points based on their achievements, such as the number of territories they control, their tribe size, and the number of active Tech cards they have.
  • Players also lose points if they have any unpaid food debts from the Eclipse Phase.

Remember, strategy and careful planning are key in ‘Endless Winter: Paleoamericans’. Understanding these special rules and exceptions will help players make the best decisions for their tribe and potentially lead them to victory.

Tips and tricks Play smarter, not harder!

Endless Winter: Paleoamericans is a strategy board game that combines worker placement and deck building mechanics. Players take on the roles of tribe leaders, aiming to achieve the highest score by hunting, gathering, exploring and building. Here are some advanced strategies, beginner tips, common mistakes to avoid, and ways to optimize gameplay.

Advanced Strategies:

  • Plan your deck: Try to aim for a deck of cards that complement each other, allowing you to chain actions and maximize your turns.
  • Adapt your strategy: Depending on the revealed setup of the game, adjust your strategy to take advantage of the available cards and tiles.
  • Control the burial ground: Controlling the burial ground can provide substantial points, so consider investing in this area of the game.

Beginner Tips:

  • Balance your actions: Avoid focusing too much on one aspect of the game. Try to balance hunting, gathering, and building to keep all options open.
  • Start with simpler cards: Until you get a better understanding of the game, stick to simpler cards with clear benefits.
  • Use your tribe members wisely: Remember that your tribe members can be used for multiple actions. Plan your turns carefully to make the most of your tribe.

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

  • Ignoring Culture cards: Some beginners overlook the importance of Culture cards. These cards can provide powerful advantages, so don’t forget to include them in your strategy.
  • Forgetting the burial ground: The burial ground can yield a lot of points, but it’s easy to forget about it. Make sure to keep it in mind.
  • Not balancing your actions: It’s tempting to focus on one aspect of the game, but doing so can leave you vulnerable. Try to maintain a balanced strategy.

Ways to Optimize Gameplay:

  1. Anticipate your opponents’ moves: By keeping an eye on what your opponents are doing, you can anticipate their actions and plan your moves accordingly.
  2. Use your cards to their full potential: Every card in your deck has the potential to be powerful. Make sure you’re using each card to its full potential.
  3. Take advantage of the end of the game: The end of the game can offer big scoring opportunities. Plan your endgame carefully to maximize your points.