Rifugio
Rifugio Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Preparation
The box contains (numbered as in the box compartments of the rulebook):
- Point cards (5 of each): Cardo (flower) +1, Margheritina (flower) +2, Stella Alpina (flower) +2.
- Point cards (5 of each): Farfalla (butterfly) +2, Cervo (deer) +2, Stambecco (ibex) +1.
- Point cards (5 of each): Cascate Piccola (waterfall) +1, Cascate Alte (waterfall) +1, Cascate Fredda (waterfall) +1.
- Point cards (5 of each): Passo Primo (pass) +2, Passo Sella (pass) +2, Passo Pordoi (pass) +2.
- Point cards: Belle Jour, Vista Magnifica, Tre Cime (mountain tops) +3 each (4 of each); Orso (bear) -3 (6 cards).
- Rifugio point cards +2 (25 cards); Rifugi point cards +10 (5 cards).
- Extra-Step cards ("Avanzamento - Extra"), 5 cards in each of the five player colours (yellow, red, blue, green, white).
- Extension set(s).
- One extra point card of each mountain top (Belle Jour, Vista Magnifica, Tre Cime), worth +4 each.
- The terrain tiles: Grass 5, Forest 16, Rock 9; Grass with Bear 3, Forest with Bear 7, Rock with Bear 5; plus one each of the point tiles: the three flowers, the butterfly, deer and ibex, the three waterfalls, the three passes and the three mountain tops (60 terrain tiles in total).
- The Rifugio start tile (1), and 1 wooden puppet with backpack per player colour.
- Rifugio (hut) pieces, 5 in each player colour.
Setup: Place all terrain tiles face down, shuffle them and turn 3 of them face up (the open tiles). Place the Rifugio start tile in the middle of the table. Each player takes a colour, the matching puppet (placed on the Rifugio start tile), the matching Rifugio huts and Extra-Step cards. The number of huts and Extra-Step cards each player gets depends on the number of players:
| Players | Rifugio huts | Extra-Step cards |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 5 | 3 |
| 3 | 4 | 3 |
| 4 | 3 | 3 |
| 5 | 3 | 3 |
(Example for 3 players: 4 huts and 3 Extra-Step cards per player, 1 start tile, 3 puppets.)
The Game
In your turn you first have to connect (1) a terrain tile and then you can walk (2) and/or build (3).
- The RIFUGIO-start tile is placed in the middle of the table. Each turn a player has, he/she has to connect one terrain tile. In doing so you collectively create a slowly growing mountain-scenery, which is different every game you play.
- In this slowly growing landscape you walk with your wooden puppet with backpack towards the flowers, animals, waterfalls, passes and mountain tops. Visiting these places gets you points. (You get the matching point tile.)
- And finally you can build RIFUGI (mountain huts). Every time an opponent visits a RIFUGIO (mountain hut) of yours, you also get points. (You get a Rifugio-point tile.)
The game ends when all terrain tiles are connected. Who then has the most points, wins! The player who last made a hike in real life starts the game. You play clockwise.
1. Connect
Each turn a player has, he/she first has to connect one terrain tile. This is something everybody has to do. This makes sure that the game ends and that everyone has the same amount of turns.
Choose one of the three open terrain tiles (playing it safe), or one from the blind ones (taking a gamble). Then connect it to the terrain tile(s) in the middle of the table. (See: Preparation) If you chose an open tile, it's up to the next player (at the beginning of his/her turn) to make sure that there are three open tiles again. If you chose a blind tile, which cannot be connected, then it has to be swapped by one of the three open tiles. In the very unlikely event that, the three open tiles cannot be connected either, the chosen tile, has to be swapped by another blind one.
Rules for Connecting
A. Grass and Forest can be connected. Forest and Rock can be connected. But Grass and Rock cannot be connected. Also: Grass can be connected to Grass. Forest to Forest. And Rock to Rock.
B. Mountain tops can only be connected to Rock. And Rock to Mountain tops. But two Mountain tops cannot be directly connected.
C. Passes are an exception to the rules, because all six tiles connected to the pass should be exactly of the same sort, as the side of the pass-tile, they're connected to.
D. Two passes, like two mountain tops, cannot be directly connected. With the only exception of the two examples shown (in the illustrations of the rulebook).
2. Walk
At the beginning of the game everyone chose a colour and put the matching puppet with backpack on the Rifugio Start tile. From there we're gonna explore the slowly growing landscape. This we'll do by walking. Note: Make sure that you've first placed a tile though. This is obligatory. After placing a tile you may (you don't have to) move your Walker.
There is no dice. Every turn you can step one, or two tiles further. (Or to a connecting tile and back again.) This is let's say: Your normal walking tempo. Players can be on the same tile. If so, don't forget to greet each other ;-)
You can always move in any direction. Except when you visit a pass-tile. Pass-tiles can only be stepped onto via one of the two tiles directly connected to the entree of the pass!
Extra-Step cards
At the beginning of the game you receive 3 EXTRA-STEP-CARDS of the colour you chose. If you play one or more of these, you can move extra. If you play one, you can move one tile further, if you play two, you can move two tiles further etc. You can also earn these cards during the game. Cause everytime you visit someone else's Rifugio, you gain new energy and thus earn such a card. Note: As soon as you step onto a tile with someone else's Rifugio on it, you visit this Rifugio. Even if you immediately walk away again. The cards earned you can use immediately, or save. You can posses a maximum of 5 of these Extra-Step-Cards. So when you already have 5 of them and then visit an opponents Rifugio, you can't save a sixth, but you are allowed to take that extra step immediately. You don't earn an extra step by visiting your own Rifugio. Here you have to clean, wash dishes etc.
3. Build
In your turn (directly before, during and/or after you walk) you can build a Rifugio (mountain hut). The amount of huts you can build during the game depends on the amount of players in the game. Check the table at the beginning of this book, where it says: Preparation. You can only build on a terrain tile with your Walker on it. You cannot build a Rifugio on the Rifugio-Start tile, tiles with flowers, animals, waterfalls, passes and mountain tops, or on tiles with a bear. There can only be one Rifugio on a tile. And building a Rifugio costs one step. Use one of the two steps you've got each turn, or one of your Extra-Step-cards.
Every time another player visits your Rifugio, you're allowed one RIFUGIO-POINT-CARD. Note: As soon as someone else steps onto a tile with your Rifugio on it, he/she visits your Rifugio. Even if they're immediately walking away again. These Rifugio-point-cards are worth: 2 points each. When you have five of these cards, you can swap them for one Rifugi-point-card, with a value of 10 points. When there are no Rifugio-point-cards left, everyone that has five Rifugio-point-cards has to exchange them for a Rifugi-point-card. If you build a hut on a tile with another player already on it, you don't receive points. The other player didn't visit your hut. It was still being build. Nor does the other player receive an Extra-Step-Card.
Game Goal
When the last of the 60 terrain tiles is connected and the turn of the last player is fully over, the game is finished. Who then has the most points, wins the game. In case of a tie, the tied player with the most Rifugio points wins.
- You score Rifugio points every time an opponent visits your Rifugio (see: Building).
- You also score points by visiting (stepping onto, or over) terrain tiles with flowers, animals, waterfalls, passes and mountain tops. You then receive the matching point card. Note: everything has it's own value. For example: a mountain top is worth more than a butterfly.
- It doesn't pay to visit terrain tiles more then once, because you can only possess one specimen of each point card.
- It does pay, to visit all items of one group (e.g. all 3 flowers, 3 animals, 3 waterfalls) because at the end of the game you receive five bonus points for every complete group/set.
- Also there is one point card for each mountain top with a value of four instead of three. This card is for the first visitor to that mountain top.
- Terrain tiles with a Bear you wanna avoid! Because visiting them gives you a three point penalty card. And here you do get an extra card, for every extra visit.
TIP: Make sure you place your point cards on the table in front of you, face down. This to keep your opponents in the dark of your score.
Game for 2 Players
If you play with two players then, after connecting a terrain tile, you connect a second tile. If you chose one of the three open tiles, then after connecting it, you can open another one. This to make sure, that when picking a second tile, you can again choose from three open ones. Once you've connected two tiles, it's up to your opponent, at the beginning of his/her turn, to make sure that there are three open tiles again. All other rules stay the same.
Enjoy playing RIFUGIO!