Game Objective

Welcome to Small World, a land that's just a little too small for everyone! In this fantastic game, you and your friends will lead whimsical fantasy races, each with unique powers, in a grand conquest for territory and victory points. Your ultimate goal? To be the wealthiest conqueror by the end of the game!

Preparation (Setup)

Let's get this tiny world ready for some epic battles! Here's how to set up your game:

1. Choose a game board appropriate for your player count.
2. Place the Victory Point (VP) tokens in a general supply, easily accessible to all players.
3. Shuffle the Race banners and Special Power badges separately.
4. Create six unique Race/Special Power combos by pairing one of each, face up, in a column.
5. Place any remaining Race banners and Special Power badges back in the game box.
6. Each player receives 5 Victory Point tokens as starting wealth.
7. The player who most recently conquered a territory goes first.

The Turn of Play

Your turn in Small World is all about expanding your empire and raking in those precious VPs. Here's a breakdown of what you'll do:

Taking Your First Race

As the first player, you'll choose one of the six available Race/Special Power combos. The first combo is free. For any combo further down the line, you must pay 1 VP token for each combo skipped. These VPs are placed on the skipped combos, making them more attractive for future players.

Conquering Territories

Once you've chosen your race, it's time to conquer! To conquer a territory, you need to place at least 2 Race tokens on it. If the territory is already occupied, you'll need 2 Race tokens plus 1 additional Race token for each opposing token already there. If you don't have enough tokens, you can use the Reinforcement Die once per turn to add 0, 1, 2, or 3 extra tokens to your attack.

Redeploying Your Troops

After conquering, you can redeploy your remaining Race tokens from the territories you occupy to any adjacent territories you also control. This is a great way to consolidate your forces for future attacks or defend key positions.

Collecting Victory Points

At the end of your turn, you'll collect Victory Point tokens. You get 1 VP for each territory your active race occupies. Some Special Powers or Race abilities might grant you additional VPs.

Going Into Decline

Sometimes, your race might become stretched too thin, or a new, more powerful combo might appear. When this happens, you can choose to put your active race in decline. Flip their Race banner and Special Power badge to their gray side, remove all but one token from each territory they occupy, and place a single token from that race on each of those territories. These "declined" tokens still earn VPs, but your active race tokens are now free to be used for a new conquest!

Choosing a New Race

After putting a race in decline, you'll choose a new Race/Special Power combo from the available options, just like at the start of the game. Remember, you'll pay VPs for any skipped combos.

End of Game and Scoring

The game ends after a predetermined number of rounds (usually 10 for 2-3 players, 9 for 4 players, and 8 for 5 players). The player with the most Victory Point tokens at the end of the final round is the undisputed ruler of Small World and the winner!

Tips for Winning

Want to dominate this tiny world? Here are a couple of pointers:

1. Timing is Everything for Decline: Don't be afraid to put a race in decline when it's no longer efficient or when a fantastic new combo appears. A well-timed decline can set you up for a powerful comeback.
2. Maximize Your VP Collection: Always be thinking about how to get the most VPs. Sometimes, conquering one more territory is worth it; other times, consolidating your forces to defend existing territories and ensure your current VP income is more strategic.