The Swarm Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Contents
  • The Board
  • The Swarm Tiles
• Preparation
• Playing the Game
  • Laying Out the Action Cards
  • PHASE 1: Purchase Action Cards
  • PHASE 2: Play Action Cards
• Six Different Actions Are Possible
  • Research Station
  • Ship
  • Researcher
  • Ship & Researcher
• The Dangers: Whale – Tsunami – Crab
  • Whale
  • Tsunami (Wave)
  • Crab
  • Calculating the Damage
  • Examples of Moving the Dangers
  • Joker Action Cards
• Scoring at the End of the Round
• New Round
• End of the Game
  • Tips
  • Summary of When and How You Can Receive Research Points
• Variant 1
• Variant 2
• Credits

Contents

• 1 board
• 12 ships in 4 colors
• 24 research stations in 4 colors
• 4 turn-order markers in 4 colors
• 4 summary cards
• 59 swarm tiles
• 24 action cards:
  • 1 green 'Research station' card
  • 6 blue cards
  • 13 pale cards
  • 4 turn-order cards
  • 4 skill cards
  • 4 joker action cards in 4 colors
• 28 researchers in 4 colors
• 112 buoys in 4 colors
• 4 score markers in 4 colors
• 5 danger figures (1 crab, 2 whales, 2 tsunami)
• 4 golden swarm-tiles

The Board

Around the edge of the board is the research point track, which shows the players' research points (RP). The amoebas in the spaces on the score track and small numbers next to each section of the track indicate how many damage points are suffered when attacked by the dangers. The board also shows the turn order display, positions for laying out the action cards, and a compass showing the four sides (north-south-east-west).

The board's spaces are water spaces, land spaces, and the swarm queen's space in the center.

Research points which a player receives for his research stations if they are connected to the swarm-queen at the end of the game. Each player has 20 research points at the start of the game. Four of the numbers next to land spaces are emphasized with a dark background. These are the spaces for the initial research stations in the 4-player game. With 3 or 2 players, one or two of these spaces will be left vacant.

The Swarm Tiles

There are two, three or four possible connections on the front side of each tile. The tiles with two or three connections also have one or two swarm eyes. Each eye is worth one research point to the player who places the tile on the board.

Front sides: 2-connection tiles, 3-connection tiles, 4-connection tiles. Reverse side: the pale water back.

Preparation

• The board is placed in the middle of the table.
• Shuffle the 59 swarm tiles and arrange them face-down (with the pale water surface showing) on the water spaces. Do not put a tile on the swarm-queen space in the center.
• Each player takes 1 summary card, chooses a color and takes the pieces in his color: 6 research stations, 3 ships, 7 researchers, 28 buoys, 1 turn-order marker, 1 score marker and 1 joker action card. Put your score marker on the '20' space of the research point track (= 20 research points). With fewer than 4 players keep the pieces of the unused colors in the box.
• Shuffle the 6 blue action cards and place them as a face-down deck next to the board.
• According to the number of players, some of the 13 pale action cards are not used:
  • With 2 players remove 3 'Ship' cards and 3 'Researcher' cards.
  • With 3 players remove 1 'Ship' card.
• Shuffle the cards that are to be used.
• You will also need the green 'Research station' action card.
• You will need turn-order cards so that there is one for each player – with two players you need the 1st and 2nd, etc.
• Lay out the 4 skill cards beside the board along with the 4 golden swarm-tiles and the 5 danger figures.

The initial research stations: At the start of the game, each player will have one research station with a researcher, on a land space. For the first game we recommend using the spaces indicated in the description of the board on page 1.

The youngest player starts and places one of his research stations together with a researcher on one of the four land spaces that are emphasised with dark circles. He then places his turn-order marker on space 1 of the turn-order track.

The second-youngest player then places his station and researcher on one of the remaining three land spaces and places his score marker on space 2, etc.

In later games, you can place your initial research stations where you wish, as described at the end of the rules in 'Variant 1'.

Playing the Game

With 2 players there are 4 rounds in the game and with 3 or 4 players there are 3 rounds.

Each round consists of 2 phases:

• PHASE 1: Purchase action cards
• PHASE 2: Play action cards
• There is a scoring at the end of each round.

Laying Out the Action Cards

The action cards are laid out so that:

• The shuffled pale action cards are laid face-up around the edge of the board, starting from a different spot depending on the number of players (see picture).
• 2 cards are taken from the deck of blue action cards and are placed face-up beside the two blue spaces along the edge.
• The green 'Research station' action card goes beside the green space to the right of the blue cards.
• The turn-order action cards are placed as a deck in the final space on the right of the layout – the '1' goes on top, with the '2' immediately beneath it, etc. All the action cards in the layout form a continuous row ending with the turn-order cards.

With 4 players the layout of the 13 pale action cards starts at the beginning of the row. With 3 players the layout of the 12 pale action cards starts one space further along. With 2 players the layout of the 7 pale action cards starts further still. The turn-order cards are always at the end. The green 'Research station' card always goes immediately before the two blue action card spaces, of which there are always two.

With 2 players, the 6 blue action cards are re-shuffled for the fourth round and 2 of them are laid out.

PHASE 1: Purchase Action Cards

• The player whose turn-order marker is on space 1 starts, followed by the player on space 2, etc. On your turn you take 1 action card.
• Continue in turn order until all the action cards, including the turn-order cards, have been purchased.
• The card which is at the front of the row costs nothing. If you wish to take a card further along the row, you must pay for it with research points (RP) and move your score marker backwards on the research point track.

Costs: You pay 0 RP for the card currently at the front of the row. A card in second position costs 1 RP, a card in third position costs 2 RP, etc.

After a card is taken, the costs of the remaining cards will be different for the next player. If a gap is created in the row, push each of the cards ahead of the gap one space to the right in order to close it. (Example: the first four cards are moved one space to the right to close the gap.)

The color of the action card, blue, pale or green, has no effect on the action.

The turn-order cards at the end of the row cost research points in the same way. If you purchase a turn-order card, take the deck and choose one of the turn-order cards from it (you do not have to choose the top one, but usually will).

Important: Every player has to purchase exactly 1 turn-order card, and with 4 players, 4 action cards, with 3 and 2 players, 5 action cards. If you do not have any research points left, you must take the front, cost-free action card. If you must pay to purchase a turn-order card but do not have any research points left, you must sit out until you can purchase one free of charge.

Take a skill card: When you purchase a turn-order card, you immediately choose one of the 4 skill cards and place it face-up in front of you. The skill cards are very helpful and can only be used during the current round. At the end of the round they are put back beside the board.

Placing turn-order marker: After all the action cards and the turn-order cards have been purchased, each player puts his turn-order marker on the turn-order track in the position indicated by his turn-order card.

So, the player who has the '3' turn-order card, places his marker on space '3' of the turn-order track. From now on, the players play in this order. The turn-order cards are now put back beside the edge of the board, in a deck, with the '1' on top, etc. These cards are now in place for the next round.

PHASE 2: Play Action Cards

The player whose turn-order marker is on position '1' starts, followed by the other players, according to the positions of their turn-order markers. On your turn, you play one action card and carry out its action. The next player then plays one action card, etc. Continue playing in turn order until all the action cards have been played.

• The blue action cards are put back into the box after they have been used as they are no longer needed (except with two players when they are needed for the fourth round).
• The pale action cards which have been played are gathered next to the board. At the end of the round they are shuffled and are used again for the next round. The green card is also used again in the next round.
• The joker action cards are kept by the players; they are turned face-down after use.

Six Different Actions Are Possible

(All 6 are shown on the joker action cards.)

Research Station

Establish a research station and place a researcher on it on any vacant land space. A player may also establish a station without a researcher, or may place a researcher on an already existing station if he has no more stations in his supply. If a player has neither stations nor researchers left in his supply, this action card is of no use. A land space can hold no more than 1 station.

Ship

The player may place (but does not have to) a ship from his supply on to a water space directly adjacent to one of his own research stations. Afterwards he may move his ships a distance of 0-3 water spaces. The player chooses which and how many ships to move. The combined total movement of the ships cannot exceed 3 spaces.

Ships can sail in any horizontal or vertical direction (not diagonally) on water spaces; they can also sail to and fro over the same spaces during the same move. They can sail without restriction on to or across any water spaces, including those with dangers or buoys or other ships.

When a ship leaves a space that has a face-down swarm tile, the player takes the tile and immediately places it face-up in front of him. The player takes the tile even if there are dangers or other ships on the space. Lift up any other pieces, take the tile and then put the other pieces back on the space. By moving three spaces, you can receive a maximum of three tiles in a turn. Swarm tiles that have been researched and returned to the board face-up (see 'Researcher') cannot be taken and remain on the board.

Skill card – 'Quick ship': If you have this skill card, you can sail up to 4 spaces instead of 3 each time you use a 'Ship' action card during this round.

Example of the ship action: Red plays the 'Ship' action card and first of all places a ship. Red sails 3 spaces with his ship and collects 3 swarm tiles.

Researcher

The player can either:

• place a further researcher on one of his own research stations, or
• research the swarm (place swarm tiles and buoys).

Place a researcher (while supplies last): No more than 3 researchers can be placed on one research station. Only one researcher can be placed per 'Researcher' action card.

Research the swarm: To research the swarm you place swarm tiles, which you have previously taken, face-up on to water spaces, and put one of your buoys on each of these tiles. If you run out of buoys, you can choose to move one of your buoys from another tile.

Rules for placing swarm tiles:

• The maximum number of swarm tiles you can place is equal to the number of researchers you have on research stations. At the start of the game each player has only one researcher on the board.
• The swarm tiles must connect to one of your research stations or to one of your ships. They do not have to continue all the connections from other swarm tiles that are already on the board.
• Swarm tiles cannot be placed on top of face-down swarm tiles, but only directly on to ocean spaces. (For the one exception see 'Swarm tile on swarm tile' below.)
• If there are any dangers or ships on the ocean space, simply lift them up, place the swarm tile and put the ship or danger on top.
• The tiles you place do not need to be adjacent to each other if other placement options are available to you (e.g. you can connect to another one of your research stations).
• Place one of your buoys on to each researched swarm tile you place.
• For each researched 2-connection tile you get 2 RP and for each 3-connection tile you get 1 RP. There are no points for 4-connection tiles. Advance your score marker accordingly on the research point track.

Example: Yellow can place the swarm tile on a space as it has a connection to his own station. Yellow can also place a swarm tile on a space as it has a connection to his own ship. Yellow cannot place a swarm tile on a space that has neither a connection to one of his stations nor to one of his ships.

Special case of 'Swarm tile on swarm tile': Within the scope of the action 'Researcher – research the swarm' a swarm tile can be placed on top of an already researched tile that is face-up on the board with one's own or another player's buoy on it. To do this the following conditions must be met:

• The original connections must be maintained.
• The swarm tile to be placed on top must have more connection possibilities than the tile it is being placed on. A two-connection tile can have a three- or four-connection tile placed on top of it, and a three-connection tile can have a four-connection tile placed on top of it. A four-connection tile cannot have any other tile placed on top of it.

There will now be two buoys on the new swarm tile: the original buoy and one placed by the player who has carried out this action. This is the only way in which a swarm tile can have more than one buoy on it (same or different colors).

Connection to the queen: Each player that establishes at least one connection from one of his stations to the queen puts one of his buoys on the queen's space. From then on, the queen's space is counted as part of each of these player's connection systems. Each player can only place one of his buoys on the queen's space.

Skill card – 'Golden swarm-tile': If you take this skill card, you immediately take one golden swarm-tile from the supply and place it in front of you. At any point in this or a future round you can use the tile during the action 'Researcher – research the swarm', placing it on the board and placing one of your buoys on it. This tile counts towards the maximum number you can place.

Example of the 'Researcher – research the swarm' action: White plays the 'Researcher' action card. Since he has three researchers, he can place a maximum of three swarm tiles on the board. He must place them so that they have a connection to one of his stations or to one of his ships. White has placed three swarm tiles on the board, marked them with his buoys and immediately gets 3 research points – 2 RP for placing the two-connection tile and 1 RP for the three-connection tile. There are no points for the four-connection tile. He has also established a connection to the queen and so is able to also place a buoy on the queen's space.

Ship & Researcher

There is one special 'Ship & Researcher' blue action card which enables the player to carry out two actions. The player carries out the 'Ship' action and the 'Researcher' action in any order.

The Dangers: Whale – Tsunami – Crab

If you carry out a danger action, you get research points if the danger damages one or more of the other players. The dangers can only cause any damage when an appropriate action card has been played and the player moves the danger. Dangers only damage the other players; not your own ships or stations. Damage only occurs if a danger is moved on to or across a space occupied by another player's ship or station.

A stationary danger does not cause any damage. No damage is caused on the space from which a danger starts its move and which it leaves with its first movement point. However, if another player's ship is on the queen's space when a new danger (whale or tsunami) arises there, that ship does suffer damage.

The space on which a danger is stood is its starting space for its next movement. A danger can only move on or over a space once during each move and cannot be moved back on to its starting space. A danger can move up to as many spaces as indicated by the action card (you can choose to move it less spaces).

Whale

The player must either:

• place a whale from the supply on to the queen's space and then move it, or
• move a whale that is already on the board.

Movement: A whale moves horizontally and vertically in any direction (not diagonally) up to as many spaces as indicated by the card. It can change direction any number of times during its movement. It can move on any water space, whether unoccupied or occupied. A whale can never go on land. Once a whale has been brought into play it remains in the game until the end.

Tsunami (Wave)

The player must either:

• place a tsunami from the supply on to the queen's space and then move it, or
• move a tsunami that is already on the board.

Movement: A tsunami moves horizontally, vertically and diagonally up to as many spaces as indicated by the card. It cannot change direction in the course of a turn. It moves on water and land spaces, whether unoccupied or occupied. If you move a tsunami that is already on the board, it must be moved so that it reaches land or leaves the board, i.e. you can only choose to move it in a direction in which it reaches land or leaves the board within the number of spaces it can move. A tsunami ends its movement if it has entered a land space. The tsunami is then put back into the supply and can be used again.

Crab

The crab is placed on any unoccupied land space. It only moves on and across land spaces and always forwards in a clockwise direction (never backwards) up to as many spaces as indicated by the card. Water spaces and spaces on which there are stations belonging to the player moving the crab, are jumped over and not counted towards the movement points. The crab stays on the board until the end of the game.

Calculating the Damage

The damage caused by a danger depends upon where the damaged player's score marker is on the research point track. The number of amoebas shown on the space corresponds to the amount of damage. When damaged, a player must move his score marker the appropriate number of spaces backwards on the research point track. The player who triggered the damage moves his marker the same number of spaces forwards on the research point track.

Example: Red has damaged White twice. White's marker is on space 41 where there are 4 amoebas and so he first gives 4 RP to Red (whose marker was originally on space 35). White now has only 37 RP (where there are 3 amoebas) and so for the second damage he only gives up 3 RP. White's marker is moved back to space 34 and the Red marker is moved to space 42.

Skill card – 'Protection': If you have this skill card, any damage you receive during this round is reduced. The effect of each damage is reduced by one point. In the example above, if White had this skill card, he would have first paid 3 RP and then 2 RP. White would then have stood on space 36 and red would have stood on space 40.

Examples of Moving the Dangers

A – Whale: White plays the whale action card, brings the whale into play on the queen's space and moves it 3 spaces over the red ship and to the yellow ship. Red and Yellow are both damaged. White receives research points equal to their damage points.

B – Crab: Yellow plays the crab action card, brings the crab into play on an unoccupied land space and moves it 4 spaces. It jumps over Yellow's stations and over water spaces. Red is damaged twice. Yellow receives research points equal to the damage points.

C – Tsunami: Red plays the tsunami action card, brings it into play on the queen's space and moves it 3 spaces. It damages White and Black. Red receives the points.

D – Tsunami: In the next round, Black plays a tsunami action card. He decides to move the tsunami which is already in play. He must move the tsunami with the points available so that it reaches a land space or leaves the board. This gives him five directions to choose from. He moves the tsunami diagonally downwards to the left and damages White twice. Black receives these points. The tsunami has now reached land, so it is taken off the board and put back into the supply. It is then available to be used later.

Joker Action Cards

Each player has a joker action card which enables him to carry out any one of the six actions. (But not the 'Ship & Researcher' double action!) A player can use his joker action card once per round, turning it face-down after use. At the start of a new round the joker action card is turned face-up and is ready for use again.

Scoring at the End of the Round

Once all the action cards have been played, the round has ended and there is then a scoring.

Each player counts all the elements within his largest connection system. This comprises his research stations, researchers, buoys and ships that are connected together in one system. Each element is worth 1 point. Each player moves his score marker forwards on the research point track according to the size of his connection system.

A connection system is subject to the following rules:

• Your research stations can only connect to each other via swarm tiles.
• Note: A ship connects in the same way as a four-connection swarm tile and so can be used to connect between buoys, research stations or to the swarm queen.
• Dangers or other players' ships do not interrupt a connection system.

Illustrated cases: both stations are part of the same connection system; only the upper station is part of the connection system – not the lower; both stations are part of the same connection system.

Note: The queen's space becomes part of a player's connection system as soon as he forms an unbroken connection to it from at least one of his research stations. You can only have a buoy on the queen's space if one of your research stations is connected to the queen.

Skill card – 'Brilliant researcher': If you have this skill card, when scoring, you receive 2 RP instead of 1 RP for each of your researchers in your scored connection system.

New Round

The new round commences with shuffling and laying out the action cards. The players then purchase action cards and turn-order cards as before. The players take their turns in the order of the turn-order markers. The markers are only placed in a new order on the turn-order track after all the action cards and turn-order cards have been purchased; they are then placed in accordance with the turn-order cards. Each player turns his joker action card face-up.

With 2 players, when starting the 4th round, the six blue action cards which have now all been used, are shuffled, and two of them are drawn face-down and placed face-up in the action card layout for the 4th round.

End of the Game

With 2 players, the game ends after 4 rounds; with 3 and 4 players it ends after 3 rounds.

After the final round, together with scoring each player's largest connection system, there is an additional final scoring in which additional research points are awarded:

• Research stations connected to the Swarm Queen – For each of your research stations that is connected to the swarm queen along your connection system, you receive as many research points as indicated by the number printed on the space where the research station is standing.

Example (points for research stations connected to the queen):

• Yellow has 5 research stations, all of which have a connection to the queen. Yellow receives 5+5+7+7+4 = 28 RP.

• Red has 5 research stations, but none of them are connected to the queen. Red receives 0 RP!

• White has 5 research stations, four of which are connected to the queen. White receives 5+6+5+4 = 20 RP. (The lower station on the right side does not have a connection.)

• Connections between your research stations on different sides of the board (north-south-east-west) – If you have connected two sides with each other you receive 10 RP. If you have connected three sides with each other you receive 30 RP. If you have succeeded in connecting all four sides with each other you receive 50 RP.

Example (points for connecting the sides, N-S-E-W):

• Yellow has connected all four sides (N, E, S, W) with each other and receives 50 RP.
• Red has connected three sides (N, E, S) with each other and receives 30 RP.
• White has connected three sides (N, E, W) with each other and receives 30 RP.

The winner is the player who has the most research points after the final scoring.

If red moves his ship away from the space, he will also have to remove his buoy from the queen's space as he would then have no connection to the queen.

Example of a final scoring: Yellow scores 11 RP. Yellow has all his elements – except his ship – joined to his connection system. Red scores 12 RP. Red's station to the lower left is not connected. His station to the right is connected by his ship (that connects in the same way as a four-connection tile). Red placed a tile on top of another on one occasion – which you can tell by the 2 buoys. Both of Red's ships form part of his connection system. White scores 10 RP. White has two connection systems, one with 10 points and one with 4 points. Since only one connection system can be scored, he naturally scores the higher one with 10 RP (1 station, 2 researchers, 6 buoys, 1 ship).

Tips

Starting position:

1. How can Red make a connection to the queen? Red moves a ship to space A or places a 4-connection tile there.
2. How can White connect his lower research station to his connection system? White places a 3- or 4-connection tile on space B and places suitable tiles or ships on spaces C and D.

Summary of When and How You Can Receive Research Points

Immediately on your own turn:

• when you place (= research) swarm tiles
• when you use a danger to damage another player

At the end of a round:

• for your largest connection system. A connection system is made up of your connected buoys, ships, research stations and researchers.

At the end of the game:

• for each research station that is connected to the queen
• for connecting your research stations on different sides, N-S-E-W (10-30-50 points).

Variant 1

Start set-up: At the start, shuffle the turn-order cards and deal them to the players. The player who has turn-order card 4, is first to build a research station with researcher on any land space. Then follow the players with the 3, 2 and 1 turn-order cards. When each player is building his first research station it must be at least 4 land spaces away from any other (at least 3 empty land spaces between two stations). This only applies for the initial research stations. The players then start to purchase the action cards.

Tsunami: The tsunami is more dangerous! As soon as it hits a land space, all directly neighboring (horizontally, vertically and diagonally) land spaces are also hit. Damage is also caused on these neighboring spaces, but by one point less than the damage indicated by the space on the research point track. Stations and ships belonging to the player moving the tsunami are still not damaged.

Note: The eight land spaces in the corners only have one neighboring space; all other land spaces have two neighboring spaces.

Variant 2

The purchased action cards are held in the players' hands so that it is harder for the players to know which action cards the other players still have.

Credits

Designers: Wolfgang Kramer and Michael Kiesling

Graphics and artwork: Franz Vohwinkel

Based on the book 'Der Schwarm' by Frank Schätzing

© 2004 by Verlag Kiepenheuer & Witsch, Köln.

Translation by Steve McKeogh.

Copyright 2007 KOSMOS Verlag

English Edition © 2010 Z-Man Games