Rajas of the Ganges: Goodie Box 1 — How to Play

Objective of the Game

In Rajas of the Ganges: Goodie Box 1, players expand their provinces along the sacred Ganges River using new modules and tiles. The goal is to strategically build villages, gardens, and special structures while managing workers, dice, and resources to maximize wealth (money) and prestige (fame). The game ends when a player’s money and fame markers cross paths on their respective tracks, triggering final scoring.

Preparation (Setup)

Goodie Box 1 includes 5 modules and new tiles. Choose one module per game (recommended for beginners):

• Ganga Module 2: Add 2 new river tiles ("2 upgrades" and "Ganges dolphin") to modify the river.
• Mango Village: Shuffle 10 village tiles into two face-up stacks. Place the Mango Tree tile on the board.
• Shalimar Gardens (Snake Expansion): Mix 4 garden tiles into the snake stacks.
• Tiger Expansion: Shuffle 4 tiger tiles into the tiger stacks.
• The Test of Fate: Place fate tiles on space 24 (money) and 18 (fame) for each player.
• The Gemstone Trader: Place trader figures on space 10 of the fame track.

Game Flow

Players take turns performing actions by placing workers on the board, using dice to pay for buildings, and activating tile abilities. Key phases:

1. Worker Placement: Assign workers to action spaces (e.g., building, village, river).
2. Tile Activation: Resolve immediate and ongoing effects of province tiles (e.g., Mango Village yields, Tiger Expansion bonuses).
3. River Movement: Move boats to claim river rewards (e.g., Ganges dolphin lets you pick any unoccupied round river space).

Actions and How to Play

New Modules and Tiles

• Mango Village: Pay a dice pair (any color) to build. Yields vary (e.g., 1 money + 1 die, 3 money + 1 karma). Workers in the village let you re-score 2 villages.
• Shalimar Gardens: Pay 1 matching-color die + any die to build. Immediately reclaim a worker for an extra turn.
• Tiger Expansion: Pay 2 same-color dice. Tiles grant immediate/permanent benefits (e.g., Ashoka Pillar adjusts karma results by ±1).
• Test of Fate: When passing fate tiles, lose money/fame to later gain free tiles.
• Gemstone Trader: Replace a worker at fame 10+; adjust one die per turn.

End of Game and Scoring

The game ends when a player’s money and fame markers cross. Final scores combine:

• Money: Track position.
• Fame: Track position.
• Bonuses: Upgrades, karma, and tile effects (e.g., Tiger Expansion permanent abilities).

Tips to Win

1. Prioritize Fate Tiles: Sacrifice short-term gains to pass fate tiles early for free buildings/markets later.
2. Combine Modules: Use Shalimar Gardens to reclaim workers for extra turns, or Gemstone Trader to manipulate dice.
3. River Strategy: Land on the Ganges dolphin to claim rewards from distant river spaces without moving your boat.