Trailblazers: Travel Edition
Trailblazers: Travel Edition Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
- 4x 3 Camp Cards
- 12x Goal Cards (6 In-Game, 6 End-Game)
- 4x 4 Player Cards
- 135x Trail Cards
- 1x Solo Card
Goal
Score the most points by building hiking, biking, and kayaking trail loops from your camps. A loop is a contiguous run of trail of a single type that starts at a matching camp and returns back to that camp.
Setup
- Each player takes 3 Camp Cards (1 of each type) and 4 Player Cards of a single type.
- Shuffle the In-Game and End-Game Goal Cards separately. Draw and place 2 of each type face up in the center of the play area. Return the rest to the case.
- Shuffle the Trail Cards and place the deck in the center of the play area.
Gameplay
The game is played over 4 rounds of simultaneous play where players select and arrange 3 camp cards and 24 trail cards in their own personal areas. Trail cards contain 3 possible trail types (hiking/biking/kayaking) that match the camp types.
To start the round, deal each player a hand of 8 trail cards. Once players have had a chance to review their hands, they simultaneously select and place a camp from the remaining camps in their supply. (In the 4th round, no new camp will be placed).
The round consists of 3 turns in which players simultaneously select and place 2 trail cards from their hand. The remaining cards in hand are then passed to the player on their left in rounds 1 & 3 and to their right in rounds 2 & 4. After 3 turns, players discard the 2 cards remaining in their hand, and that concludes the round.
Card Placement
A camp or trail card must be placed orthogonally adjacent to or overlapping (partially or fully) an existing card. There are two exceptions:
- The first camp begins a player's area, so it starts out adjacent to and overlapping nothing.
- No cards may overlap a camp.
Legal placements:
- Place orthogonally adjacent to existing cards.
- May overlap trail cards.
- Not required to connect matching trail types.
Illegal placements:
- Cannot overlap camps.
- Must be orthogonally adjacent to existing cards.
In-Game Goal Cards
At the end of any turn, if a player has met the criteria for either In-Game Goal Card, then they may place their Player Card into the highest unclaimed slot of that card (1st/2nd/3rd will score 6/3/1 points). If multiple players meet the criteria on the same turn, they all place their cards in the same highest unclaimed slot to score full points. If all slots have been claimed on an In-Game Goal Card, then remaining players can no longer score points for that goal.
Note: Once an In-Game Goal is achieved, the Player Card remains there permanently, even if the player later disrupts a loop that was required to meet the goal.
End Game & End-Game Goal Cards
The game ends at the completion of the 4th round. Players now check to see how they performed on the End-Game Goal Cards and place their Player Cards accordingly. If there is a tie, all tied players will be placed at the same rank. A qualifying player will still place a scoring card into the 2nd or 3rd slot even if there is a tie above that slot.
Scoring
Players score points for their completed loops and for In-Game and End-Game Goal Cards. The player with the most points wins. If players are tied for most points, the tied player who achieved the most In-Game and End-Game goals (i.e. the tied player who placed the most player cards) wins the game. If there is still a tie, the victory is shared.
Scoring Loops
Players score 1 point per length of each completed loop. The length of each loop is determined by counting the trail markers along the trail. Trail markers are displayed on every intersection and bend; they include bridges, berms, rapids, mud, rocks, and tunnels.
Note: Whenever a loop intersects itself, the trail marker at that intersection will end up being counted twice (once each time it is passed over).
Example: This kayaking loop scores 8 points.
Example: 16 Hiking loop points, 10 Biking loop points, 0 Kayaking loop points.
Standard Solo Mode
This booklet describes the rules for the 1-player game. Be sure to read the multiplayer rules first.
Standard Solo Mode contains 3 difficulty levels:
Tenderfoot
- Score at least 30/40/50 loop length points.
Voyager (recommended after you have won a Tenderfoot game):
- Score at least 50 loop length points.
- Successfully qualify for the selected Goal at the designated time.
Blazer (recommended after you have successfully won at least several Voyager games):
- Score at least 50 loop length points.
- Successfully qualify for the In-Game Goal at the start of round 4.
- Successfully qualify for the End-Game Goal at the end of the game.
Note: The Solo Card serves as a checklist for each Goal Card and Goal Card combination that you have successfully completed. This list is generally ranked in order from easiest to most difficult. For a more gradual ramp-up in difficulty, we strongly recommend that you play through the challenges in order.
Setup
- Shuffle one deck of 135 Trail Cards and place it nearby.
- Place 3 Camp Cards (1 of each type) nearby.
- Select a challenge from the Solo Card and, if playing Voyager or Blazer, retrieve the corresponding Goal Card(s). An In-Game Goal Card should be placed next to your Camp Cards. An End-Game Goal Card can be placed next to your Trail Cards.
Gameplay
Like the standard game, Standard Solo Mode is played across 4 rounds of selecting and arranging Camp & Trail Cards into your personal area.
To start the round, draw a hand of 8 Trail Cards from the deck. After reviewing your hand, you must select and place a camp from the remaining camps in your supply. In the 4th round, no new camp will be selected or placed; instead, this is when you resolve the In-Game Goal Card (if you chose one during setup).
The round consists of 3 turns. Each turn, you select and place 2 Trail Cards from your hand. The remaining cards in hand are then placed in a new discard pile, and you will then draw as many cards from the deck as you just discarded. After 3 turns, you will discard the 2 cards left in your hand, and that concludes the round.
We recommend that you arrange your discard piles from each turn adjacent to each other and start a new row of discard piles in each successive round. This will help you to keep track of which turn and round you are on.
All card placement rules from the standard game apply.
In-Game Goal Cards
When playing with an In-Game Goal Card, you must qualify for it at the start of round 4. Normally, you start a round by placing a Camp Card. When starting round 4, you already have all your camps out, so you'll instead resolve the In-Game Goal card. If the goal is not currently met, then you automatically lose. If the goal is currently met, then you may flip the card face-down and proceed with round 4. There is no penalty for later editing or breaking up loops that were originally required to meet the In-Game Goal.
End Game & End-Game Goal Cards
The game ends at the completion of the 4th round. If you are playing with an End-Game Goal Card, then you will resolve it at the end of the game. You must meet or exceed the goal's numerical requirement (displayed in the lower right corner) to successfully complete the goal.
Exception: In the case of the Metro Park Goal Card, your player area must be 8 squares or smaller in order to count as a success.
If the goal has not been met, then you automatically lose. If the goal has been met, then you may proceed with the end-game scoring.
Scoring
Tally your score only from completed loops. Unlike the multiplayer game, no points are awarded for completed goal cards. Your score must reach or exceed 50 points in order to win. When playing Tenderfoot difficulty, you must reach or exceed 30, then 40, then 50 points.
If you win, then celebrate your achievement by checking off that challenge on the Solo Card. Nicely done!
Credits
- Game Design by Ryan Courtney
- Artwork by Seth Lucas
- Development by Tim Kizer
- Published by Nick Murray & Kyle Spackman
- Special Thanks to our playtesters and Kickstarter backers!
Want to stay in touch? Subscribe to regular updates at https://bitewinggames.com/subscribe
© 2022 Bitewing Games LLC. All rights reserved. © 2022 Ryan Courtney. All rights reserved.
Authorised Representative: Asmodee Group, 18 rue Jacqueline Auriol, Quartier Villaroy, BP 40119, 78041 Guyancourt Cedex – France.
Imported and distributed in the UK by: Esdevium Games Ltd – trading as Asmodee UK, 6 Waterbrook Road, Alton, Hampshire, GU34 2UD.