Game Objective

Alright, builders! Prepare for the challenge of your lives in Sprawlopolis! You and your partners have been hired to erect the largest and most spectacular metropolis the world has ever seen. But don't think it will be easy: the authorities have very specific requirements, and for the city to be a success, you'll need to plan every move very carefully.

The objective is simple, but the execution is a puzzle: build a city that meets or exceeds the Scoring Goal defined by the condition cards. If your final score equals or exceeds this goal, victory is yours!

Preparation (Setup)

Let's set up the table and get to work building this city! Follow these simple steps:

1. Separate the Scoring Conditions: Shuffle all 18 cards and randomly separate 3 of them with the scoring conditions side face up. These 3 cards dictate the specific rules for how your city will be evaluated. Ignore the scoring conditions on the back of the other cards.
   • Each of these condition cards has a number. Add these three numbers together to find your Scoring Goal. This is the total number of points your team needs to reach or exceed to win.
2. Deal Starting Hands: Choose a starting player and deal them 3 cards, with the blocks side face down. The other players receive only one card, also face down. Remember: do not reveal the blocks side to each other!
3. Assemble the Draw Deck: The remaining cards form the draw deck. Flip them with the blocks side face up, so everyone can see the next card to be drawn.
4. Start the Construction Area: Take the top card from the draw deck and place it in the Construction Area. This is the first piece of your metropolis!
5. Start the Game: The first player begins the round, and the game proceeds clockwise.

The Game Turn

In Sprawlopolis, each turn is a crucial decision for the future of your city. Here's how it works:

• Starting Player: If you are the starting player for the turn, choose one of the 3 cards from your hand.
• Reveal and Add: Reveal the chosen card and add it to the city, with the blocks side face up.
• Placement Rules: When placing a card, you must follow these rules:
  • At least one edge of your new card must touch the edge of an existing block in the city.
  • You can place your card on top, covering one or multiple existing blocks.
  • You are NOT allowed to place a card underneath another already present.
  • You CANNOT connect a card to the city only by the corner.
  • You can rotate the card 180 degrees, but it must be positioned horizontally.
  • Leaving open spaces in the city is totally allowed.
• Pass the Cards: After playing your card, pass the two remaining cards in your hand to the player on your left. They will now have 3 cards and will be the starting player for the next turn. If you have fewer than 2 cards to pass, pass what you have.
• Draw a New Card: Finally, draw the top card from the draw deck to have 1 card in hand. If the deck runs out, continue playing with an empty hand.

The game continues until all 15 cards have been added to the city.

Table Talk: Communication is key! Discussing cards and the best strategies is not only allowed but encouraged. The only rule is: do not show your hand to anyone. If you show a card, you are obligated to play it. But feel free to talk about the best way to position it!

Solo Play: In solo mode, the game is identical to cooperative, but you will always have a hand of three cards. After placing a card, draw a new one to keep your hand at 3 cards. If the deck runs out, continue playing until you run out of cards in your hand.

End of Game and Scoring

When all 15 cards have been played, your city is complete! It's time to calculate your team's final score:

1. BLOCKS Scoring:
   • Your team earns 1 point per block in the largest group of each zoning type (commercial, park, industrial, residential).
   • A "group" is a cluster of blocks of the same color connected by at least one edge.
   • Only the largest group of each type is scored. If there's a tie between two or more groups of the same type, you choose which one to score.
   • Example: If you have a group of 2 commercial, 2 industrial, 4 parks, and 3 residential, your BLOCKS score would be 11 points.
2. ROADS Scoring:
   • Your team loses 1 point from your final score for each road in your city.
   • A "road" is a continuous stretch of connected road parts.
   • Example: If your city has 7 roads, you lose 7 points.
3. SCORING CONDITIONS Scoring:
   • In addition to the basic scoring, you gain (or lose) points for each of the 3 condition cards that were placed on the side at the beginning of the game. Each has a specific scoring condition.

Final Calculation:

Add the total of your block groups, subtract the total of your roads, and add/subtract the points gained/lost according to the scoring condition cards. The result is your FINAL score.

Victory Condition: If your FINAL score equals or exceeds your SCORING GOAL (the sum of the values of the 3 condition cards), you win!

Tips for Winning

To become a master in Sprawlopolis, pay attention to these tips:

1. Balance is Everything: Keep an eye on the largest groups of blocks of each type to maximize your points, but don't forget that roads deduct points! Trying to build large groups without creating too many roads is a constant challenge.
2. Focus on Conditions: The 3 scoring condition cards are crucial. They can completely change the game's strategy. Prioritize actions that will give you the most points (or prevent losses) according to these conditions. Sometimes, sacrificing a little in one scoring type to gain a lot in another is worth it!
3. Constant Communication: Remember, discussion is encouraged! Talk about the cards each person has and how they can best be used to meet the scoring conditions and minimize roads. Teamwork is essential to building the perfect metropolis!