The Great Zimbabwe

Objective and victory requirement: Players score Victory Points (VP) by owning craftsmen and building monuments, and try to reach their personal Victory Requirement (VR). Each player begins at 20 VR. Choosing a god or specialist and taking a technology card modifies the requirement as shown; VR cannot exceed 40. At each round’s victory check, the game ends if a player’s VP has reached or passed their VR. A powerful option may increase the threshold as well as improve your economy.

Map and currency: The map contains land areas, water, resources, and empty spaces; land spaces are adjacent horizontally, vertically, and diagonally. Cattle pay most costs. Silver cattle are worth one, while gold cattle are worth three. Cattle paid to a craftsman are placed on its technology card and cannot be spent by that owner until returned in the Revenue phase. Resources feed craftsmen, and their goods are then used to raise monuments.

Four-phase round: Each round follows Generosity of Kings, Religion and Culture, Revenues, and Let Us Compare Mythologies. The first two phases proceed in turn order; Revenue and victory checking resolve quickly. If no one wins, clear used-resource markers and begin another round. The effects of a player’s chosen god or specialists can alter some phase procedures.

Cattle gifts and turn order: Arrange empire plaques in descending order of players’ current VR, then proceed along the queue as players give cattle or pass. The first gift must be at least one cattle; each later gift must exceed the previous one by at least one, and is paid immediately. Gifts are distributed evenly across the plaques in queue order. Once all but one player have passed, everyone retrieves the cattle on their plaque. Players who pass later receive an earlier turn position. Cattle are both the bidding cost and the funds available for later construction and purchases.

Religion and Culture actions: Players act in the order set by the cattle phase. Each turn, choose either one god or one specialist, use specialists already owned and affordable, and choose one of three development actions: build a new monument, place craftsmen, or raise monuments. You may place multiple craftsmen that meet their conditions or raise multiple monuments, but cannot combine these development categories in one turn. Specialist use follows its card and is generally limited once per turn.

Gods, specialists, and technologies: In the game’s setting, a player may choose only one god and cannot later replace it. Specialists can be acquired over time, generally no more than one new specialist per turn. Both cards and technology adjust VR while providing abilities. To place a craftsman, you must have its technology; if you do not, you may acquire that technology while building the corresponding craftsman and adjust your VR. You may not exceed 40 VR or take a technology without building at least one matching craftsman. Check that the new threshold fits your VP plan before acquiring an ability.

Craftsmen and resource networks: There are seven types of craftsmen: four primary craftsmen produce basic goods and three secondary craftsmen refine related goods. Placement requires the matching technology, a legal location, an available craftsman piece, a cost, and an eligible resource. The resource must be within the craftsman’s range and not already within range of another craftsman of the same type when placed. A secondary craftsman must also reach the corresponding primary craftsman. Owners set goods prices; buyers pay cattle to the craftsman card, and resource markers are used according to the rules.

Monuments and ritual goods: You may build a new level-one monument on a legal empty space or raise an existing monument. A new monument cannot be adjacent horizontally, vertically, or diagonally to another monument unless a specialist effect permits it. Raising a monument requires different types of ritual goods, with the quantity based on its level before the raise. Buy goods from craftsmen that can reach the monument; monuments can serve as hubs to extend the route to craftsmen, but cattle are paid for each hub use. Raising monuments grants VP and increases future income, up to level five.

Revenue phase: First collect cattle on your gods, specialists, and technology cards. Then gain base income according to your highest monument level; the number of monuments does not matter for this basic income. Payments for goods are already included among the cattle collected from technology cards; do not count them twice. Revenue does not end the game by itself; it prepares players for another bidding round before the victory threshold is checked. If nobody has reached their VR, clear used-resource markers and continue.

Victory check and ties: The game ends when at least one player’s VP equals or exceeds their VR. If only one player qualifies, that player wins. If multiple players qualify, compare how far each has exceeded their own VR; the greatest margin wins. If tied, compare total VP, then the current round’s turn order. Reaching the threshold first is not the only concern: initiative and the amount by which you can finish above your requirement can decide the result.