Cartographers Heroes
Cartographers Heroes Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Overview
In Cartographers Heroes, players compete to earn the most reputation stars by the time four seasons have passed.
Each season, players draw on their map sheets and earn reputation stars by carrying out the queen's edicts before the season is over.
The player with the most reputation stars at the end of winter wins!
Credits
Game Designer: John Brieger and Jordy Adan Developer: Keith Matejka Illustrators: Lucas Ribeiro and Davey Baker Graphic Designer: Luis Francisco Wordsmith: James Ryan Editor: Dustin Schwartz
For additional information or support, please visit us at www.thunderworksgames.com
© 2021 Thunderworks Games LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Components
- 100 MAP SHEETS (double sided)
- 4 PENCILS
- 4 EDICT CARDS
- 16 SCORING CARDS
- 11 EXPLORE CARDS
- 4 SEASON CARDS
- 4 HERO CARDS
- 4 AMBUSH CARDS
Game Setup
- Give each player a blank map sheet. Players collectively decide whether to use the wilderness side (C) or the wastelands side (D).
- Give each player a pencil. If playing with more than four players, additional pencils will need to be provided.
- Have each player write a name for their cartographer at the top of their map sheet, optionally adding a title and family crest.
- Place the edict cards in a face-up row in the center of the play area. Arrange them in alphabetical order: edict A > edict B > edict C > edict D.
- Sort the scoring cards into four stacks by their card backs. Shuffle each stack separately, then draw one card from each stack. Place one scoring card face up below each edict card, assigning them at random. Return the rest of the scoring cards to the game box.
If this is your first time playing Cartographers Heroes, we recommend these scoring cards assigned in the following order: Faunlost Thicket (edict A), Gnomish Colony (edict B), Ulem's Wallow (edict C), Dwarvenholds (edict D).
- Place the season cards in a face-up stack. Arrange them in order, from top to bottom, by the progression of the seasons: spring, summer, fall, winter.
- Shuffle the ambush cards to form a face-down deck. Place this ambush deck off to one side of the play area.
- Shuffle the hero cards to form a face-down deck. Place this hero deck off to one side of the play area.
- Shuffle the explore cards to form a face-down deck. Take the top card of the ambush deck and the hero deck, then shuffle them into this explore deck, without revealing them. Place the explore deck next to the season stack.
- The game is ready to begin!
How to Play
The game is played over four seasons. Each season is divided into multiple turns, and each turn has three phases: the Explore Phase, Draw Phase, and Check Phase. At the end of each season, players earn reputation stars.
1. EXPLORE PHASE
Reveal the top card of the explore deck and place it face up in the center of the play area, so that all players can see it. Place the new card on top of explore cards already in play. Display the cards in a column to ensure that the time values on all revealed cards are visible.
2. DRAW PHASE
At the same time, each player independently chooses one of the available terrain types and one of the available shapes depicted on the revealed explore card. Then they draw the chosen shape on their map and fill it with the chosen terrain type.
Terrain Types
Forest, Village, Farm, Water, Monster, Hero, Mountain.
Note: Most explore cards have one or two available terrain types and one or two available shapes to choose from. Kethra's Gates is an exception.
DRAWING SHAPES
- The chosen shape cannot overlap filled spaces or the edge of the map. Mountain spaces and wasteland spaces count as filled spaces.
- The chosen shape can overlap empty ruins spaces. Ruins have no effect unless Cartographers Heroes and Cartographers are combined.
- The chosen shape can be rotated and/or flipped as desired before it is drawn.
- The chosen shape can be drawn anywhere that is legal; it does not have to be drawn adjacent to previously drawn shapes.
- If a player cannot legally draw any of the available shapes, they must instead draw a 1x1 square anywhere on their map and fill it with any terrain type (excluding mountains).
GAINING COINS
- Every mountain has a coin. If a player surrounds a mountain by filling all four adjacent spaces, they fill in the next coin symbol on their coin track.
- Some shapes have a coin. If a player chooses a shape with a coin, they fill in the next coin symbol on their coin track.
- The coin track is limited. If a player fills in all coin symbols on their coin track, they ignore any additional coins they would gain.
RESOLVING AMBUSHES
When an ambush card is revealed, check the direction of the arrow shown on the card: clockwise or counter-clockwise. Each player immediately passes their map sheet to their neighbor in that direction.
Each player draws the depicted monster shape on their neighbor's map, then fills it with the monster terrain type and writes the initial of the monster.
If a player cannot legally draw the depicted monster shape on their neighbor's map, they instead draw a 1x1 square anywhere on their neighbor's map, then fill it with the monster terrain type but do not write the initial of the monster.
After all players have finished, pass all map sheets back to their owners. Keep the ambush card nearby as a reminder of its ongoing effect.
RESOLVING HEROES
When a hero card is revealed, each player draws a 1x1 square anywhere on their map, then fills it with the hero terrain type.
Each player then marks spaces in the depicted attack pattern, relative to the hero space. Attack patterns can overlap filled spaces and the edge of the map.
Heroes destroy monsters in two ways: When a hero is drawn, all monster spaces within the hero's attack pattern are immediately destroyed. Then, for the rest of the game, all monster spaces drawn within any hero's attack pattern are destroyed.
After all players have finished, discard the hero card and return it to the game box.
DESTROYING SPACES
Some spaces on a player's map might get destroyed. When a space is destroyed, draw a large "X" over the space. Destroyed spaces count as filled spaces, but have no terrain type. If a hero space is destroyed, that hero's attack pattern remains active.
3. CHECK PHASE
Check to see if the end of the season has been reached.
Examine the current season card to find the time threshold. For example, spring has a time threshold of eight.
Add together the time values of all explore cards that are currently revealed in the column.
- If the total meets or exceeds the time threshold, the current season ends. Proceed immediately to the end of the season.
- If the total is less than the time threshold, the current season continues. Return to the Explore Phase.
End of the Season
At the end of each season, the players are evaluated. They earn reputation stars based on how well they followed the queen's edicts.
SCORING THE QUEEN'S EDICTS
Examine the current season card to see which two scoring cards to evaluate. For example, in spring, evaluate the scoring cards assigned to edicts A and B.
- Each player evaluates their own map to determine how many reputation stars they earn for each of the two scoring cards being evaluated this season, writing those numbers in the corresponding boxes. (See the Scoring Cards section for details on the scoring cards.)
- Each player earns one reputation star for each filled-in coin symbol on their coin track, writing that number in the corresponding box.
- Each player loses one reputation star for each empty space adjacent to a monster space on their map, writing that number in the corresponding box.
- Note: If an empty space is adjacent to multiple monster spaces, the player still only loses one reputation star for that space.
- Note: Empty spaces adjacent to destroyed monster spaces are not counted.
Some ambush cards have ongoing effects that resolve after scoring each season. If any are revealed, resolve them now. If there are multiple ambush cards with these effects, resolve them one at a time in the order that the ambush cards were revealed.
If the current season is winter, the game is now over; proceed to the end of the game. Otherwise, prepare for the next season.
PREPARING FOR THE NEXT SEASON
Discard the top season card from the stack and return it to the game box. This will reveal the next season card in the stack.
Reshuffle the explore deck, including all explore cards revealed this season. Take the top card of the ambush deck and hero deck, then shuffle them into the explore deck, without revealing them.
Note: Even if no ambush cards or hero cards were revealed during the season, new cards still get shuffled in. This means it is possible to have multiple ambush cards and hero cards in the explore deck during later seasons!
End of the Game
Once winter has ended and players have been evaluated for the fourth time, the game is over.
Each player totals the reputation stars that they earned across all four seasons, writing their final score on their map sheet. The player with the most reputation stars is the winner!
In the event of a tie, the tied player who lost the fewest reputation stars to monster terrain across all four seasons is the winner. If there is a further tie, all tied players share the victory.
Scoring Cards
When scoring, keep in mind these general rules:
- Spaces that share a side with each other are adjacent. Spaces that are only at diagonals with each other are not adjacent.
- A group of connected spaces that all have the same terrain type is a cluster. Clusters can contain any number of spaces (including just a single space).
- All spaces with drawn terrain count as filled spaces (even if destroyed). Mountains and wastelands count as filled spaces. Attack patterns and ruins do not count as filled spaces unless otherwise filled.
Faunlost Thicket: Earn two reputation stars for each forest space in the longest unbroken column of forest spaces.
The branches in this thicket all reach northward, toward Brizoor Waal, as if they too long for Azema's return.
Deepwood: Earn six reputation stars for each cluster of five or more forest spaces that is not adjacent to any village spaces.
Shadowy creatures stalk these dark woods. I cannot say for certain if they are spirits or the trees themselves.
Heart of the Forest: Earn two reputation stars for each forest space surrounded on all four sides by forest spaces or the edge of the map.
In a sunlit clearing, a single apple ripened on a waist-high sprout. Though starving, I dared not pick that enchanted fruit.
Sleepy Valley: Earn four reputation stars for each row that contains three or more forest spaces.
The black earth gives life to fruiting trees of every kind. Even the royals in Sabek do not eat as well as I did today.
Craylund: Earn seven reputation stars for each cluster of farm spaces adjacent to three or more water spaces.
The paddy fields grow root and grain and provide freshwater fish and shelled meats. The inn at Craylund serves a stew that is to die for.
Ulem's Wallow: Earn four reputation stars for each water space adjacent to two or more farm spaces.
The locals all say that strange creatures sleep at the bottom of these ponds. Cows and adventurous farmhands go missing every spring, apparently.
Clawsgrave Peaks: Earn five reputation stars for each mountain space connected to a farm space by a cluster of water spaces.
You can make a good living by ferrying grain up to the mountains and stone back down to the valley. So long as the Dragul don't sink your boat, anyway.
Jorekburg: Earn four reputation stars for each column that contains an equal number of farm spaces and water spaces. There must be at least one of each.
I met several Halflings starting swine farms on these swampy lands. They told me that the marsh grasses would produce the finest bacon any Halfling ever had.
Traylo Monastery: Earn seven reputation stars for each cluster of village spaces that contains four spaces in a 4x1 or 1x4 rectangle.
The Elves here have strange ways. I woke to find my pack filled with crickets and my shoes with worms. Worshippers of Kehstore, methinks.
Outer Enclave: Choose a cluster of village spaces and earn one reputation star for each empty space adjacent to that cluster.
There, in the unmappable wastes, lives a rough collection of misfits and outlaws, making their living by theft and raiding the Dragul homesteads.
Gnomish Colony: Earn six reputation stars for each cluster of village spaces that contains four spaces in a 2x2 square.
Ahh, it was good to be among my people, who square every street and every meal and who keep all things right-sized.
Caravansary: Choose a cluster of village spaces and earn one reputation star for each row and column that contains a space from that cluster.
Along the kingdom's former trade routes with the North, wagons lose their wheels and become homes.
Dwarvenholds: Earn seven reputation stars for each complete row or complete column of filled spaces that contains a mountain space.
A fire burns atop each peak whenever trouble is brewing in the land below. Thus are the heroes of Nalos summoned to defend their lands.
Silos: Earn ten reputation stars for each complete odd-numbered column of filled spaces.
Rivers and mountains need be the borders of our lands no longer. With my alidade, I can chart a line straight through the Vorkheim range.
Banded Hills: Earn four reputation stars for each row that contains five or more different terrain types.
No matter the bend of the path nor the steep of the terrain, my trusty compass of silver points ever home again.
Starlit Sigil: Earn four reputation stars for each cluster of exactly three empty spaces surrounded on all sides by filled spaces or the edge of the map.
A cartographer sometimes holds allegiance to orders higher than the guild. And that is all I will say about these particular omissions.
Combining Games
Cartographers Heroes can be combined with Cartographers. When combining content from both games, the following rules and clarifications apply:
Map Sheets: All players must use identical map sheets. The chosen map sheets can be from any Cartographers product.
Season Cards: Choose which set of season cards to use. The only difference between the sets is the time threshold for summer.
Explore Cards: Choose which set of explore cards to use. Do not attempt to mix and match and do not combine the sets together.
Ruins Cards: Always include the ruins cards, no matter which set of explore cards is used. When a hero card is revealed immediately after a ruins card, the hero is resolved normally. The ruins card applies to the next explore card that is revealed.
Ambush Cards: Use any combination of ambush cards from both games. There must still only be one ambush card added to the explore deck each season.
Hero Cards: The hero cards can be included or left out, no matter which set of explore cards is used. If they are included, hero terrain counts as a valid terrain type for any scoring cards that reference terrain types.
Scoring Cards: Use any combination of scoring cards from both games. There must still only be one scoring card of each type.
Solo Mode
Set off as a lone cartographer to explore the Western Lands. In solo mode, you attempt to earn a prestigious title from Queen Gimnax at the end of your journey! Gameplay has the following changes:
CHANGES TO SETUP
Do not write a title on your map sheet. This is where you'll record the title appointed to you by Queen Gimnax at the end of the game.
CHANGES TO AMBUSHES
When an ambush card is revealed, examine the grid in the upper right corner of the card to see which corner of the map is shown. Attempt to legally draw the monster shape on your map sheet, without flipping or rotating it. Start in the corner indicated by the ambush card and proceed all the way around the edge of the map in the direction indicated by the arrow.
If you cannot legally draw the monster shape anywhere around the edge of the map, move one space in from the edge and attempt it again. Start in the same corner and proceed in the same direction as before.
Repeat this process, moving one space further in from the edge of the map each time, until you are able to legally draw the monster shape -OR- confirm that it cannot be legally drawn. If the monster shape cannot be legally drawn, disregard the ambush card.
CHANGES TO SCORING
After determining your score, total the numbers in the lower corners of the four scoring cards in play.
Then subtract that total from your score to find your rating.
Queen Gimnax awards you a title based on the highest rating that you met or surpassed.
| 30+ | Legendary Cartographer |
| 20 | Master Mapsmith |
| 10 | Journeyman Topographer |
| 0 | Apprentice Surveyor |
| -5 | Amateur Assessor |
| -10 | Inept Assistant |
| -20 | Dimwitted Doodler |
| -30 | Oblivious Inkdrinker |