Villagers of the Oak Dell
Villagers of the Oak Dell Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components and Setup
Components:
- Village Sheet
- Dice Sheet
- Objective Cards
- 4 Dice (not included)
- Pawns/Tokens or other markers equal to the number of players (not included)
- Something to write with for each player (not included)
Setup:
- Each player receives a Village Sheet, something to write with, and a pawn in their chosen color.
- Place the Dice Sheet and dice in the middle of the table.
- Draw 3 Objective Cards (one of each type A/B/C) and place them in a visible area.
You're ready!
Gameplay Overview
The game lasts for 11 rounds. Some of them (4, 6, 8, 10, and 11) end with the activation of buildings with the red flag. The game ends after the activation of buildings in the 11th round. Then, all players tally their points, and the winner is determined.
Each round is divided into stages:
1. Round Marking
Starting from the left side, each player marks the current round on the Round Track.
2. Dice Roll
If you have dice in 4 different colors (ultimately green, yellow, white, and black), any player rolls them and assigns them according to the color and results to the corresponding sections on the Dice Sheet.
In the case when you have dice of the same color, perform the following actions:
Any player rolls all the dice in such a way that they stop in the middle of the Dice Sheet (using a dice cup works perfectly here, but it's not required), then assigns one die to each of the four colored sections, creating a common pool for all players. From now on, consider the die lying in the green area to be the green die, and so on.
Example: In a situation where multiple dice land in the same section, move the die that is closest to an empty section. If it's hard to determine, choose the die with the higher value.
3. Enemy Attacks (optional)
If sword symbols appear after rolling 1 on the dice, each player must mark them on their individual sheet, on the Enemy Attack Track. Mark the swords from the left to the right. If multiple sword symbols are rolled, players mark all of them! If 12 sword symbols appear during the game, each subsequent one is not marked on the attack track.
4. Production
Players simultaneously and independently choose one die each, and after placing their pawn next to it, they use the resources indicated by the die on their Village Sheet. Resources from the Dice Sheet are color agnostic and can be used anywhere on the Village Sheet.
Each die can be chosen by any number of players.
Unless a sword symbol appears on the die, it provides two resources, the first from the outer circle and the second from the inner circle. If a player decides to choose the die with 1 (sword symbol) they collect only one resource - from the inner circle. The sword symbol has no other effect.
Example: The player chose the yellow die. As their first resource, they will receive wood from the outer circle. Next, they will receive a settler, and at the end of their turn, they will activate the yellow row of workers in the castle.
5. Delivery of Resources to the Castle
After completing the production phase, each player checks the number of workers in the Castle corresponding to the color of the die they chose, then marks the same amount of resources of that color. Every player starts with one worker on each track (indicated by gray workers).
Example: The red player has been using the yellow die this turn. At the end of it, he has 2 workers in his Castle, so he marks 2 resources.
6. Workshops Activation (buildings with a red flag)
(after rounds 4, 6, 8, 10 and 11)
When you reach the red flag on the round track, each player activates all Workshops that they have constructed (in any order). If during this phase you manage to build another Workshop, you can also activate it.
Detailed Description of Individual Sections and Resources
Roads
Each constructed road must be connected to the castle. Roads allow you to:
- Obtaining a flag or a resource - necessary for constructing buildings. Each flag has a specific color/shape, so to build, for example, a green house, you need a green flag.
- Enclosing areas. The surrounded area should be marked with a dot on the sign. Then, the player can activate workers in the Castle in a chosen row/color (it doesn't have to be the color of the die the player chose this round).
Example: After marking all the roads adjacent to one of the areas, the player decided to activate the yellow row of workers. Since they only have one worker there, they mark one resource (dot).
Settlers
Settlers can be used in two ways:
- Knight recruitment - Knights should be crossed out from the left to the right. If there is no sword symbol marked above the knight you recruited, receive gold in the amount shown below.
Example 1: The red player crossed out a knight, above whom there is no sword, so they receive a gold bar and cross it out in their treasury.
Example 2: The red player crossed out a knight, above whom there is already a sword, so they don't receive any gold.
Each sword symbol, under which players don't cross out a knight before the game ends, provides negative points according to the table placed next to the attack track.
Example: At the end of the game, the red player has 3 more swords than knights. According to the table, they receive -5 points.
Keep in mind that if you recruit a knight before any sword symbols are rolled, this knight will provide gold and also defend you from the sword symbol above him if it is rolled in the future.
- Sending workers to the Castle - A player can use the settler symbol to mark one of their workers on the chosen castle track. At the end of each round (during the Delivery phase), the player activates the row of workers in the castle, matching the color of the die they used, and marks as many resources (dots) as they have workers in that row.
Example 1: The red player used the yellow die, so at the end of the round, they activate the yellow row of workers. Since they have two workers there, they mark two resources (dots).
After marking a dot with a resource, you gain it immediately and have to use it. In this example the red player received a pickaxe.
When a player reaches the diamond on the Castle track, they unlock access to one of the gold deposits in the mine (by marking the chosen diamond). They can choose any diamond in the mine.
When a player fills in all dots in a given Castle track, each time they activate that row in the future (by choosing a die in the indicated color or enclosing areas with roads), it provides two gold bars.
At the end of the game, players receive points for the fully filled column on the far right of their Castle track, according to the scoring below.
Example: The red player has fully filled 4 columns, so they receive 15 points.
Pickaxe
This symbol is used to mark mining fields. At the beginning, players have access to three fields marked with white arrows.
Then players can mark fields adjacent to those already marked.
Some fields contain resources. After marking such a field, you immediately receive the resource indicated on it and you must use it.
If a player has unlocked access to a gold deposit, they can use the pickaxe symbol to mark a gold deposit next to a chosen diamond shape. Then, they mark the specified number of gold bars in their treasury.
At the end of the game, fully marked rows and columns in the mine provide points.
Example: The red player fills one row and one column, earning a total of 8 points from the Mine at the end of the game.
Wood
A fundamental building resource. You can use it for:
- Expanding Borders - start with the arrow at the top of the track. By spending wood (to drive in a boundary pillar), a player can expand the borders of their village, also gaining the indicated gold to the right of the marked wood symbol. After every third marking, the player gains one of the three indicated resources.
- Building Structures - To construct a building, player needs to mark the required amount of wood, as well as the flag in a specific color/shape. Then, the player marks the symbol of the completed building and can use its abilities.
You will find a detailed description of the buildings at the end of this rulebook.
Gold
It's a versatile resource that you receive from various sources (mine, borders, knights, castle, building, etc.). Whenever you mark a gold bar with a dot, you receive any other resource indicated on the board.
End Game Scoring
Players score points from the following sources:
- Points for built guardhouses.
- Points for achieved objectives from Objective Cards.
- Points for marked rows/columns in the mine.
- Points for the Castle (the first fully filled column from the right).
- Negative points for unguarded sword symbols.
Objective Cards
Each card has an alphabetical order letter. In each game, you use one of each card with the alphabetical letter A/B/C.
In the center of the card, there is a goal to achieve. After achieving the goal, the first player receives points shown on the star on the left side of the card. Since now every other player receives points from the star on the right. If two players achieve the goal in the same round, both receive the specified number of points.
Side Goal Cards Overview
- A - Build 3 buildings in the indicated color.
- B - Build a road between two indicated flags (with white dots on them).
- C - Dig out all the roads/wood from the mine.
Other Side Goal Cards include: drive in six boundary pillars; recruit 8 knights.
Buildings
Buildings are divided into 3 types:
1. Guardhouses
Activate special scoring for the player at the end of the game:
- 2 points for each boundary pillar.
- 3 points for each full gold row in your treasury.
- 2 points for each knight.
- 4 points for each enclosed geological area.
Please note that Guardhouses are just 'orange houses', so to build one, you can use any orange flag (not necessarily the closest one).
2. Village Buildings
Can be used immediately after construction or from next round (depending on the building type).
A - Immediate buildings: Single-use, immediately after construction, mark 2 resources of the specified color in the Castle.
B - Ongoing buildings:
- Each time you receive wood from the outer circle, you gain 1 additional wood (does not apply to wood used to construct this building).
- Each time you receive a settler from the outer circle, you gain 1 additional settler.
- Allows player to exchange wood for another resource. After each use the player needs to mark one of the dots on that building. After the fifth use, the ability is no longer available.
3. Workshops - Buildings with Red Flags
Activated in any order, after reaching the red flag on the round track.
- Receive 3 gold bars.
- Receive 1 pickaxe.
- Receive 1 settler.
- Receive 1 road.
- Mark 1 resource of your choice in the Castle.
Variations
Variable Difficulty Mode
If you want to make the game easier, you can introduce dice rerolls when a 1 is rolled (corresponding to the Invader Attack symbols).
| Difficulty Level | Number of 1s on dice allowing rerolls |
|---|---|
| Hard | 4 |
| Medium | 3+ |
| Easy | 2+ |