# Marco Polo II: In the Service of the Khan

## General Info
- **Year Published**: 2019
- **BGG Rating**: 7.9
- **BGG Rank**: #203
- **Players**: 2-4 (Best with: 3)
- **Duration**: 60-120 min
- **Weight**: 3.38 / 5
- **Designers**: Daniele Tascini, Simone Luciani
- **Artists**: Dennis Lohausen
- **Publishers**: Hans im Glück, 999 Games, Albi, Albi Polska, Arclight Games, Devir, Giochi Uniti, Hobby World, Korea Boardgames, Swan Panasia Co., Ltd., Z-Man Games
- **Categories**: Dice, Economic, Medieval, Travel
- **Mechanics**: Contracts, Dice Rolling, Point to Point Movement, Resource to Move, Turn Order: Stat-Based, Variable Player Powers, Worker Placement, Worker Placement with Dice Workers

## Verdict
Perfect for those who love Eurogames with 'controlled luck' and want a greater strategic challenge than the first one.Smart and tactical dice managementHigh-quality componentsVery satisfying game progressionAccessible standalone for new playersSlightly steep learning curvePlaytime can run longRECOMMENDED

## Description
Pack your bags and adjust your tunic, because the journey continues! In Marco Polo II: In the Service of the Khan, you once again step into the shoes of the legendary explorer, but with a fresh purpose. After reaching Beijing, the Khan has decided your skills are far too valuable to stay put, sending you back toward the West to explore the farthest reaches of the empire in search of fame and, of course, immense wealth.

If you've played the first one, you'll feel right at home, but don't be fooled: this isn't just a 'more of the same' experience. While it is a standalone game (meaning you don't need the original to play), Marco Polo II introduces novelties that add a different flavor to the gameplay. Expect new actions to plan, revamped scoring rules, and the introduction of a luxurious new resource: rare Chinese jade, which will be crucial for anyone aiming to dominate the game.

The core dynamic remains that clever mix of worker placement with dice, where the value you roll dictates the strength of your action. You'll have to decide whether to retrace familiar paths with a renewed strategy or risk venturing onto unexplored routes to expand your legacy. It's a game of economic management and exploration where every movement decision and every fulfilled contract counts toward your final glory.

If you enjoy games with strategic depth that still maintain the thrill of controlled luck, this voyage is for you. The goal is simple: be the Khan's most efficient servant and ensure your name is remembered for generations. Can you navigate the intrigues and trade routes of the Middle East and Asia with the same mastery as in the first game?

## How to Play
Game Objective
In Marco Polo II: In the Service of the Kahn, you are competing against an Automa (an automated opponent) to establish your influence. The goal is to travel, complete contracts, and obtain guild seals to accumulate the most victory points. The winner is the player who achieves the highest score on the score track.

Preparation (Setup)
Main Board Setup

    Place the city bonus markers, outpost bonus tiles, and city cards.
    Place contracts in their dedicated cities.
    Shuffle offer tiles, remove one of each type, and place the first of each type on the corresponding market.
    Create 4 stacks of guild seals.
    Place 4 black dice on the board.
    Place one neutral die (value 5) on one of the two gold market spaces.
    Place a neutral die on each of the three special cities.
    Place two neutral dice (value 1) on the first two spaces of the Kahn's favor.
    Each player places a figure in Beijing and a figure on space 50 of the score track.
    Randomly select the first player.


Automa Setup

    The Automa receives 5 dice, 11 trading posts, 1 Smart Mat, and 1 randomly chosen trip slide (placed under the playmat with "BEIJING" and "READY TO START" visible).
    Place 1 coin (value 10) on spaces A-B-C-D of the Smart Mat.
    Place 1 starting contract face up on space E of the Smart Mat.
    Shuffle 8 automa cards and place them in the dedicated space.
    Choose a character and difficulty level (L1/L2/L3) for the Automa, then place the corresponding Skill card on the Smart Mat.
    Take the Trading Post card corresponding to the Skill card and place the 11 trading posts in the appropriate slots.


Player Setup

    Each player receives: 1 player board, 5 dice, 11 trading posts, 1 starting contract, 3 camels, and 8 coins.
    Draw 3 goal cards and keep one.
    Draw 3 character tiles and choose one (cannot be the same character as the Automa).


Game Flow
The game is played over 5 rounds. At the beginning of each round, all automa cards must be reshuffled.
On the Automa's turn, draw a card and follow these steps in order:

    Bonus Action: Perform the action if possible, then proceed to Main Actions.
    Main Actions: Perform the FIRST valid main action. An action is valid if the Automa owns the required number of dice (value does not matter). The Automa uses its own color dice first, using black dice only if required.

If the automa deck runs out before all dice are used, the Automa ends its round prematurely.

Actions and How to Play
Automa Bonus Actions

    Take 1 Black Die: The Automa takes 1 black die from the board if available.
    Complete 1 Guild Seal or 1 Contract: The Automa completes a seal (turns it face down, no bonus) or a contract (takes the top contract from space E, receives bonuses like VPs, black dice, map advancements, or new contracts) following priority A/B/C/D/E.


Automa Main Actions

    Travel: The Automa moves to the next city on the trip slide. It uses the 1-die action space for 1 move, or the 2-dice space for 2-3 moves. It places a trading post, discards the outpost bonus tile, and takes the contract with the most VPs. The trip slide is then shifted. If a red letter appears, the corresponding coin is removed from the Smart Mat.
        
            Special Case: If forced to use the 3-dice space, the Automa reaches the target city AND the following city, placing trading posts on both.
        
    
    Books: Places a die in a Books action space (Pepper, Silk, or Gold) based on a die roll. If the space is occupied and no black dice are available, it moves to the first valid space from the right (Gold → Silk → Pepper).
        
            Books "LEV 0": Only places a die in a space with no other dice.
        
    
    Kahn's Favor: Places a die in the leftmost free space (via die roll) or a value 6 die if only one space is free. No benefit is received.
    City Card Action: Rolls a die to select a city where it has a trading post and performs the action indicated on the Skill Card.
    External City Action: Rolls a die to place a die on one of the two city cards outside the map and performs the Skill Card action.
    Guild Seal +1: Removes the coin from space D, places 2 dice on the guild seals action space, and takes the Farmer's guild seal (placed on space D).
    Action Space A/B/C/D/E: 
        
            A-B-C-D: Places 2 dice on the guild seals action space and takes the required seal to cover the space.
            E: Places 1 die on the "take contracts" space and takes the two contracts with the most VPs from cities where it has a trading post.
        
    

End Game and Scoring
The game ends after 5 rounds. The Automa calculates its final score as follows:

    Contracts: 8 VPs if it completed a number of contracts equal to or greater than the player.
    Guild Seals: VPs based on the number of completed guild seals (as per Trading Post Card rules). Specifically, VPs are scored for each completed seal placed above areas A, B, and C.
    Shields: VPs based on the amount of different shields obtained.
        
            The Automa gets +1 shield if it completed the Farmer's guild seal.
            Additional shields are calculated by taking completed contracts, returning a number equal to the icon value on the Trading Post Card, and using the remaining contracts to cover "+1" spaces. Remaining uncovered "+1" symbols are added to the total shields.
        
    


Tips for Winning

    Monitor the Automa's Path: The Automa always chooses the shortest route to its next city, but it must own the correct seal to cross rivers, which may force it to take a longer path.
    Manage the Action Spaces: The Automa must respect dice color restrictions and will use its own color first before spending black dice.
    Watch the Smart Mat: The Automa's ability to perform certain actions (like Action Space A/B/C/D/E) depends on whether those spaces are uncovered on the Smart Mat.

## FAQ
### Do I need the first game to play Marco Polo II?
Nope! It's a standalone game, meaning it comes with everything you need to start playing immediately.

### Is the game too hard? What's the complexity?
It's considered an 'Expert' game (3.38 weight on BGG). It's not impossible, but it requires attention to rules and careful planning.

### How long does a game last?
Usually between 60 and 120 minutes, depending on the group's experience and the number of players.

### How many people can play?
From 2 to 4 players. It works well across all counts, though the competitive dynamic shifts with more players.

### What changes compared to the first game?
New actions, revamped scoring rules, and the addition of Chinese jade as a valuable resource.

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