Reef Encounter of the Second Kind

Reef Encounter of the Second Kind Rulebook

Table of Contents

4 wooden blue shrimp, 48 special tiles, 56 cards (28 in English, 28 in German), and 2 rulebooks (1 in English, 1 in German).

Setup

Place the special tiles (those of the "Reef Encounter of the Second Kind" expansion) in the bag together with the ordinary polyp tiles from the base game "Reef Encounter". (Alternatively, see the recommended variant on page 19.)

When a player draws their polyp tiles at the start of the game (see page 4, paragraph 3), they must show their tiles to the other players. This reveal is not required in the base game.

All special tiles that are drawn by a player, or drawn for placement on the open-sea board during setup, are returned to the bag and replacement tiles are drawn.

Place one of the four blue shrimp on the fifth space (slightly shaded) of the open-sea board. Place the three other blue shrimp beside the open-sea board.

Place the action cards face down in a pile beside one of the boards.

Explanation of the New Actions of the Turn

Actions 1 to 10 are explained on pages 5 to 6. The expansion "Reef Encounter of the Second Kind" adds new actions 0, 8a, 8b and 8c, and changes action 1 as detailed below. (New "numbers" have been chosen to preserve the original numbering.)

Action 0: Crown-of-Thorns Attacks

This action happens automatically at the start of a player's turn; it is not an action chosen by the player. Look at the positions of the crown-of-thorns tiles that are on the rocks.

If a crown-of-thorns tile is orthogonal to a polyp tile that is part of a coral protected by one of your shrimp, the crown-of-thorns attacks that polyp tile.
Otherwise, if a crown-of-thorns tile is orthogonal to an unprotected polyp tile, the crown-of-thorns attacks that polyp tile.
Otherwise, no crown-of-thorns tile is activated during this player's turn.

(See "Crown-of-thorns tiles" on pages 16 to 18 for the details.)

Action 1: Eat a Coral and a Shrimp with the Parrotfish

In the base game "Reef Encounter", action 1 lets your parrotfish eat a coral and the shrimp guarding it before any other action.

In the expansion "Reef Encounter of the Second Kind", when a player's parrotfish eats its first coral, the player must also play an action card that shows a blue shrimp in its top right corner. (See "Blue shrimp" on pages 14 to 15.) This allows the player to place their coloured shrimp beside the blue shrimp on the open-sea board. (See "Setup", column 1.)

Action 8a: Play a Bare Rock Tile, a Deep Water Tile or a Crown-of-Thorns Tile

Playing a bare rock tile, a deep water tile or a crown-of-thorns tile does not require a larva cube. (See "Special tiles" on pages 15 to 18.)

Action 8b: Buy an Action Card

To buy an action card, a player must discard a tile or a larva cube. Only one action card may be bought per turn. A player may hold at most three unplayed cards at any time. (See "Special tiles" on pages 18 to 19.)

Action 8c: Play an Action Card

Any number of cards may be played during a player's turn. Cards with a blue shrimp in the top right corner may be played either to place or move a blue shrimp, or as part of action 1, instead of using the card for the action described. Cards with a clown fish at the start of the text may be played even during another player's turn. (See "Special tiles" on pages 18 to 19.)

Blue Shrimp

Blue shrimp are useful but potentially unreliable allies.

Note: the term "coloured shrimp" refers to the players' own wooden shrimp (green, purple, red and yellow), but not to the blue shrimp.

A blue shrimp must be played onto a polyp tile. A blue shrimp cannot be played directly onto a rock or a deep water space. A blue shrimp protects only the polyp tile it is on. It does not protect orthogonally adjacent tiles, unlike the coloured shrimp.

It is not possible to create a situation in which a coral contains more than one blue shrimp. This restriction applies to any combination of wooden blue shrimp and tiles with a blue shrimp. (See "Blue shrimp tiles" below.)

If, as part of action 1, a parrotfish eats a coral that contains a wooden blue shrimp, the blue shrimp escapes. It is returned beside the board and can be put back into play later in the game.

If there is no blue shrimp available beside the board, a player may instead take any of the blue shrimp already in play. The blue shrimp may be taken from one of the player's own corals, from a coral that has no coloured shrimp, or from one of an opponent's corals. A player cannot remove the blue shrimp from the open-sea board in these circumstances.

1. The Blue Shrimp on the Open-Sea Board

During setup, one of the four blue shrimp is placed on the fifth (slightly shaded) space of the open-sea board. When a player's parrotfish eats its first coral and its first coloured shrimp during action 1, that coloured shrimp is placed on the open-sea board beside the blue shrimp.

To place its shrimp on the open-sea board, the player must play an action card that shows a blue shrimp in its top right corner. This card is played as part of action 1. Note that, since a player can only buy an action card after action 1, they must have bought it on an earlier turn.

Once every player has placed a coloured shrimp on the open-sea board, the blue shrimp on the open-sea board is immediately removed and placed beside the board with the other blue shrimp (if they are not all already in play), so that it is available to be played like the other blue shrimp.

2. Blue Shrimp on the Rocks

To put into play or move a blue shrimp (which may be removed from the rocks and returned beside the board) that is already on one of a player's polyp tiles, that player must play a card that shows a blue shrimp in its top right corner.

Special Tiles

The expansion "Reef Encounter of the Second Kind" introduces seven new tile types. Four of these, the blue shrimp tiles (x5), bicoloured polyp tiles (x20), double polyp tiles (x10) and half-polyp tiles (x5), are played as ordinary polyp tiles. Each of these four tile types counts as one tile when counting the four polyp tiles that may be played from behind a player's screen in actions two or three.

The three other new tile types, the bare rock tiles (x2), deep water tiles (x2) and crown-of-thorns tiles (x4), may be played as an additional action after action one and before action ten. They do not require a larva cube and do not count as action two or action three.

Blue Shrimp Tiles

A blue shrimp tile shows a blue shrimp on one of the five types of coral. As with the wooden blue shrimp, the blue shrimp on the tile protects only that polyp tile. The only difference is that this blue shrimp cannot be removed from the tile. The blue shrimp tile counts as an ordinary polyp tile at the end of the game.

No shrimp may be placed on a blue shrimp tile.

A blue shrimp tile is attacked by the crown-of-thorns as an ordinary polyp tile.

Bicoloured Polyp Tiles

A bicoloured polyp tile shows two of the five types of coral: one type of coral at the bottom of the tile and a small polyp of a second coral in the centre of the tile. The two types of coral are reversed on the other side of the tile.

When the tile is placed on a rock, only the coral type at the bottom of the tile is taken into account, and the tile is treated as an ordinary tile of that colour. A player may choose how the bicoloured polyp tile is placed on a rock, on the sole condition that the side taken into account must be the same colour as the larva cube played.

Once a bicoloured polyp tile has been played on a rock, it cannot be turned over to show its other side while it is on the rock.

If the tile becomes an eaten polyp tile, it may later be used for either of the coloured corals. A player may choose to use either side of a bicoloured polyp tile for final scoring.

Tip: When a parrotfish eats a coral during action one, the player may choose which polyp tiles go into their parrotfish and which polyp tiles go back into the bag. The player may find it advantageous to place bicoloured tiles in the parrotfish, because at the end of the game such a tile may be worth more with the most interesting type of coral.

Double Polyp Tiles

A double polyp tile shows two polyps of the same type and contains the text x2. If it is eaten by another coral, the double polyp tile may be placed in the bag and exchanged for two simple polyp tiles of the same colour drawn from the bag. The two replacement tiles are treated as eaten polyp tiles.

If the double polyp tile is placed in the bag (as part of the four or five tiles) for action 1, it counts as two tiles.

An x2 tile counts as two polyp tiles in the final scoring.

Half-Polyp Tiles

A half-polyp tile shows one of the five types of coral on one half of the tile, a bare rock on the other half of the tile, and is marked "1/2". Half-polyp tiles are worth as many points as the ordinary polyp tile of the same colour at the end of the game.

A half-polyp tile is not adjacent to another coral along its rock sides. Consequently, if a half-polyp tile is beside a polyp tile of the same colour along one of its rock sides (which is allowed), the connection does not group the two tiles into the same coral.

A half-polyp tile cannot be attacked by another coral, or by a crown-of-thorns tile, along its two rock sides. If a crown-of-thorns attacks a half-polyp tile along one of its two coral sides, the tile is eaten like an ordinary polyp tile.

Half-polyp tiles eat other polyp tiles like an ordinary polyp tile.

Bare Rock Tiles

A bare rock tile shows a piece of rock surrounded by deep water. A bare rock tile must be placed orthogonally beside a rock space on one of the rock boards. This may be either in one of the deep water spaces included in the middle of the rocks, or beside the outer edge of a rock.

A polyp tile may be placed on a bare rock tile as if it were an ordinary rock space. When the polyp tile on a bare rock tile is eaten, in any way, the bare rock tile stays in place and may be used again as an ordinary rock space.

A bare rock tile cannot be used to join two rocks (boards) together, but it may overhang the edge of a board.

A bare rock tile may be placed on top of a deep water tile. If this happens, remove both tiles from the board and return them to the bag.

Deep Water Tiles

A deep water tile shows a deep water area and a small clown fish.

A deep water tile may be placed on an area of rock, which is then converted into a deep water area. As with any other deep water area, no tile except a bare rock tile may be placed on it. A deep water tile cannot be placed on another tile except a bare rock tile. If a deep water tile is placed on a bare rock tile, remove both tiles from the board and return them to the bag.

Crown-of-Thorns Tiles

Crown-of-thorns tiles may be placed on any empty rock space, including a bare rock tile. They may not be placed on or pass through a deep water space.

If there is any crown-of-thorns tile in play at the start of a player's turn (before action one), that player must check the position of each of these tiles.

First, if a crown-of-thorns tile is orthogonal to one or more polyp tiles that are part of one or more corals belonging to that player, then the crown-of-thorns tile is activated, attacks, and eats one of those adjacent polyp tiles. Otherwise:

Second, if a crown-of-thorns tile is orthogonal to one or more polyp tiles that are part of one or more corals without coloured shrimp, then the crown-of-thorns tile is activated, attacks, and eats one of those adjacent polyp tiles.

Otherwise, no crown-of-thorns tile is activated during this player's turn.

If the crown-of-thorns tile is adjacent to more than one polyp tile satisfying either of the criteria above, the player may then choose which of the affected tiles is attacked. The attacked tile is returned to the bag. The crown-of-thorns tile is then moved to the space previously occupied by the attacked polyp tile.

Example (diagram in the original booklet, not reproduced): In the diagram, the turn order is purple, yellow, then green. On their turn, purple places the crown-of-thorns tile on the marked space adjacent to both of yellow's corals. On yellow's turn, the first thing that happens is that the crown-of-thorns attacks one of the two polyp tiles marked with an "X". The yellow player decides which coral is attacked. The attacked polyp tile is replaced by the crown-of-thorns tile. If the crown-of-thorns attacks the polyp on the right, yellow may move the yellow shrimp (highlighted in red) to a different polyp tile, including the two polyp tiles indicated by the yellow arrows.

If possible, a crown-of-thorns will attack a polyp tile on each player's turn.

If there is a coloured shrimp on the polyp tile that has been attacked by the crown-of-thorns, the shrimp may be moved immediately as if it were moved by action 5. If there is a blue shrimp on the polyp tile, it is displaced one space orthogonally (at the owner's choice). If the blue shrimp cannot be moved anywhere, it is returned beside the board. If the blue shrimp cannot be moved because it is blocked by a coloured shrimp, the coloured shrimp may first be moved as if it were moved by action 5.

In the continuation of the example (shown below), yellow has moved the crown-of-thorns to the right (because yellow realised this will cause the crown-of-thorns to make its next attack on green's pink coral) and has moved the yellow shrimp to the polyp tile above.

If, for any reason, a crown-of-thorns is no longer beside a polyp tile, or is only beside a rock side of a half-polyp tile, the crown-of-thorns dies immediately and is removed from the game. The crown-of-thorns tile is not returned to the bag. A crown-of-thorns cannot attack a half-polyp tile along its rock sides.

In the further continuation of the example (diagram in the original booklet, not reproduced), it is now green's turn. During green's turn the crown-of-thorns attacked the pink polyp tile on which the green shrimp was placed (it attacks neither the unprotected orange polyp tile nor the orange polyp tile with the yellow shrimp on it). Green moved the green shrimp to the left.

After green, it is purple's turn again. On purple's turn the crown-of-thorns will attack the unguarded pink tile marked with an "X" (not the pink tile with the green shrimp on it). Once the crown-of-thorns has attacked the unguarded pink tile, it is no longer beside another polyp tile. The crown-of-thorns therefore dies immediately and is removed from the game.

Tip: In order to thwart a crown-of-thorns and prevent it from eating a large coral, the owner of the coral may wish to create a small coral of one or two polyps beside the crown-of-thorns tile. On the player's next turn the crown-of-thorns will then attack this unprotected polyp tile (not protected by a shrimp), moving it away from the player's large coral.

The crown-of-thorns remains active during the turn that is triggered by the player who ends the game.

Action Cards

There are 28 different action cards, in English and in German. Choose either the English deck or the German deck to use during the game.

A card with a blue shrimp in its top right corner may be played for one of the following purposes, instead of using the card for the effect described on it:

A. As part of action 1, to allow a player to play a coloured shrimp beside the blue shrimp on the open-sea board. (See "Blue shrimp", section 1, page 14.)
B. To place a new blue shrimp on a polyp tile.
C. To move a blue shrimp from one of the player's own corals to another polyp tile on the same coral or on a different coral.

A card cannot be used both for its text and to move a blue shrimp.

Once a card has been played it is discarded, except for cards that affect final scoring, which the player places face up so that they are visible to the other players. If the draw pile runs out, shuffle the discarded cards to form a new draw pile.

An action card may only be played by a player on their own turn, after action 1 and before action 10, with the exception of:

The card "Late breakfast" [Petit déjeuner tardif], which allows a player to perform action 2 before action 1, may be played before action 1.
The card "Pick me up" [Prenez-moi], which allows action 10 to be played earlier in a player's turn, does not prevent other cards from being played after action 10 during that turn.
A card that is played as part of action 1. (See "Blue shrimp", section 1, page 14.)
Cards with a clown fish at the start of the text, which may also be played during another player's turn.
A card that affects a player's points may be played during final scoring. However, if such a card is played earlier in the game, it no longer counts toward the limit of three cards in hand.

A player may discard an unplayed card at any time.

No action card may be played during the additional "end of game" turn that players are allowed to take in order to eat an existing coral.

Card List

Each card below is listed with its English name, its French name in brackets, and its icons as printed in the card table: a blue shrimp icon and/or a clown fish icon, where shown. The text is the printed card text.

Algae indigestion [Indigestion d'algue]. Icon: blue shrimp. "If there are nine algae cylinders or fewer on the coral tiles, you may remove one of the algae cylinders."
Confusion [Confusion]. Icon: blue shrimp. "Move one cylinder from a coral tile to another coral tile that has the same colour as the algae. Turn over all the other coral tiles showing the colour of the algae in the usual way (including the tile just vacated)."
Consumed polyp tiles [Tuiles de polype mangées]. No icon. "You may transform up to three polyp tiles from behind your screen into eaten polyp tiles. Move the polyp tiles from behind your screen to in front of your screen."
Deep water [Eau profonde]. Icon: blue shrimp. "As part of action two or action three, you may place one of the polyp tiles you play on a deep water space that is at the centre of one of the rocks."
Disintegration [Désintégration]. Icon: blue shrimp. "Choose a coral. All polyp tiles above nine that are part of this coral are removed (at the owner's choice) and returned to the bag."
Dislodged [Délogé]. Icons: blue shrimp and clown fish. "A crown-of-thorns is dislodged. Remove the crown-of-thorns from the game."
Double lock [Double verrouillage]. Icon: blue shrimp. "You may play a second algae cylinder on a coral tile this turn at the usual cost of one eaten polyp tile. This card cannot be used to play the tenth cylinder."
Extra free growth [Croissance gratuite supplémentaire]. Icons: blue shrimp and clown fish. "If a free growth space is or becomes empty beside one of your corals, you may immediately place an ordinary polyp tile of the matching colour from the bag on the free growth space."
Extra growth [Croissance supplémentaire]. No icon. "Choose two ordinary polyp tiles of any colours from the bag and play them immediately on a rock. You do not need to play any larva cube."

Placement of Polyp Tiles (Page 7)

An additional polyp tile placed on an empty free-growth space does not count toward the limit of four tiles that may be placed "from behind the player's screen" for each larva cube played.

Recommended Variant

At the start of the game each player receives one crown-of-thorns tile. The crown-of-thorns tiles are placed behind the players' screens until they are played. If there are fewer than four players, place the other crown-of-thorns tiles in the bag as usual.

Minor Clarifications and Additions to the Base Rules of the First Edition of "Reef Encounter"

Action 6, page 5: Exchange an eaten polyp tile for a larva cube of the same colour. The larva cube is placed behind the player's screen. The polyp tile is returned to the bag.
Action 8, page 6: Exchange a larva cube for a polyp tile of the same colour. The polyp tile is placed behind the player's screen.
Action 10, page 6, after point 2 (optional change): First, add a tile to the space containing no tile. Second, add a tile to the space containing one tile (if there is one). Finally, add a tile to the space containing two tiles (if there is one).

Summary of the Actions of the Turn

The table below is the summary chart from the original booklet, transcribed as text. The "Order" column gives the timing of each action.

No.	Action	Order
0	A crown-of-thorns ATTACKS if it is beside a player's coral or an unprotected coral.	Before the player's actions
1 (×1)	EAT a coral and a shrimp. When eating its first coral, play an action card that shows a blue shrimp.	First action of the player *
2 (×1)	PLAY a larva cube and up to four polyp tiles, plus any number of eaten polyp tiles.
3 (×1)	PLAY a second larva cube and up to four polyp tiles, plus any number of eaten polyp tiles.
4 (×1)	PLACE a shrimp.
5	MOVE a shrimp.
6	EXCHANGE an eaten polyp tile for a larva cube of the same colour.
7

* Exception, if the card "Late breakfast" [petit déjeuner tardif] is played.

** Exception, if the card "Pick me up" [prenez-moi] is played.

Clown fish action cards may be played at any time.