Goal of the game

You are traveling through the Amazon region to discover exotic orchids, fish, butterflies, parrots and reptiles. When a player reaches a village, they set up a research station there in the form of a hut and collect a corresponding research tile. 

The player who has 3 or more research tiles of one species at the end of the game scores points.  But points are also awarded as soon as you have 5 different research tiles. In addition, 1 bonus point is awarded if you have the most research tiles of one type (at least 3). 

Each player also receives a task card on which 4 villages are marked. Each hut built in such a village is worth 3 points. The player with the most points wins the game. 

Content of game

1 Board, 60 huts (12 white, 12 blue, 12 orange and 12 red research stations and 12 neutral huts for the two-player game), 60 Research tiles, 4 Indio tiles, 28 income cards, 18 event cards, 8 mission cards, 4 order cards, gold and silver coins, 4 copper coins and 9 round scoring chips. 

Preparations

Each player receives 12 huts and 7 income cards of one color as well as 3 gold coins. Each player also receives a mission card. A starting player is drawn by lot. This player receives the small red copper coin with a value of 1. Subsequent players receive a copper coin with a value of 2, 3 or 4. 

The game board

The game board shows an area of the Amazon with villages connected by jungle paths and waterways. The yellow dots on the rectangular building sites indicate how many gold coins it costs to build a hut. The player who builds the f irst hut in a village pays the lowest building costs.

The mission cards

At the start of the game, each player receives a mission card on which 4 villages are marked.  For each hut that the player builds on one of these villages, they receive 3 victory points. 

The player who owns the adjacent mission card therefore receives 12 points, if he builds 4 huts in Ranchos, Taja, Bidora and Piedras. 

Note: If you click on the mission card with the mouse, these 4 locations are marked on the game board with 4 rotating circles.

Beginning the Expedition

The starting player places a hut on a village of their choice and pays 2 or 3 gold pieces into the cash box. 

Tip: The mission card should be taken into account when selecting the first building site. 

A research tile is shown next to the village. The player receives this. The other players then also build a hut in a village of their choice and also receive a corresponding research tile. 

Playing the game

The game lasts 18 rounds. Each round proceeds as follows: 

1. A new event card is displayed

2. Play an income card

Each player chooses an income card. This is used to determine how much research money a player receives. The monetary value of an income card consists of 2 parts: the number on the card and the number of the player's research tiles of the type shown on the card. 

For example, if a player who already has 2 iguana tiles plays the card with the value 3, he receives 5 silver (3+2). 

Note: The amount of income is always calculated in silver.  3 silver coins are worth as much as 1 gold. If you earn 5 silver, you therefore receive 1 gold and 2 silver. 

Card 6 "Indio" is a special income card. Whoever plays it is not affected by the negative effects of an event card on display. The Indio knows his way around the jungle and knows how to avoid the dangers of the jungle. When determining the money value, you can add the number of Indio tiles you have to the 6, if you have any (see: the event cards). 

All 5 research areas are shown on the income card with the value 0. The player receives 1 silver for each research t ile in his longest row. 

As soon as you have played your 7 income cards in the first 7 rounds, you get them back and can play them again from then on. 3.

3. Order of play

The player who has played the card with the highest monetary value receives the order card with the number 1. The player with the second highest monetary value receives the order card with the number 2, etc.

Tie: If 2 or more players have played cards with the same monetary value, the player with the highest copper coin receives the lower order card. The copper coins of the players involved are then exchanged. 

4. Collect income and build huts

The player who has the order card with the value 1 goes first. The player receives his income first. The event card on display is taken into account. For example, if the "Forest fire" card is on display, the player only receives half of their income (rounded down).

5. Build huts

If you have enough gold, you may build one or more new huts. 

A hut can only be built in a village that is directly connected by a jungle path or a waterway to a village in which the player already has a hut. On BGA, possible building sites are marked with a green circle! 

A player may only ever build 1 hut in each village. 

If a player builds a hut, he pays 2, 3, 4 or 5 gold pieces into the cash box and receives the research tile shown. 

Note: As building a hut is very expensive, it is very rare for a player to build more than one hut. It is much more common to save your money and not build a hut at all for one or two rounds. 

The event cards At the start of a round, an event card is revealed that applies to the current round. 

Jaguar (2x): A dangerous jaguar roams the jungle. In this round, players may not use jungle paths to build a hut in a village. Waterways may be used. 

Crocodile (2x): Crocodiles lurk in the Amazon. In this round, players may not use waterways to build a hut in a village. Jungle paths may be used. 

Forest fire (3x): The supply of explorers is restricted. Each player only receives half of their income (rounded down). 

Theft (2x): A curious monkey steals from the researchers. After collecting their income, each explorer loses silver coins, one silver coin for each research tile of the type in which they have the most tiles. 

Additional research money (5x):  If the event card shows an explorer with a research tile, each player receives one silver coin for each of these research tiles in their display. In the case of the adjacent card, each player receives 1 silver for each orchid tile they have. 

Indio (4x): A local Indian offers his help. The player whose turn it is can hire him and thus receive an Indio tile. As a price, he must pay his entire income for this round. 

For example, if a player has played a card with a monetary value of 7, they must decide whether they want to receive 7 silver or the Indio tile. If the player chooses the silver, the next player has the option of receiving the Indio tile.

The player who hires an Indian must assign the Indian tile to one of his research areas. The Indian now supports this area and counts as 1 additional tile in this area. 

For example, if the Indian tile was assigned to the butterflies the player benefits from the Indian to the same extent as if he had 3 butterflies. This applies to both bonus tiles and event cards. In addition, each Indio t ile increases the monetary value of an Indio tile (value 6) by 1, regardless of which row it is in. 

Round bonus chips

The aim of the game is not only to collect as many tiles of one type as possible, but also to get tiles of all types. The f irst player in the four-player game to have at least 1 tile in all 5 research areas receives the bonus chip with a value of 5. Subsequent players receive a bonus chip with 4, 3 or 2 points if they have 5 different tiles. In the three-player game, players receive bonus chips with the values 4, 3 and 2, and in the two-player game, bonus chips with the values 4 and 2.

The player who has the most (but at least 3) tiles of one type receives an additional bonus chip with a value of 1. However, this bonus chip disappears as soon as another player has the same number of tiles of this type. 

Neutral huts in the game for two

In a two-player game, each player also receives 6 grey, neutral huts. A player may build a maximum of one neutral hut for free each round. Only one neutral hut may be built in each village, but not on the last building site of a village. The possible building sites for neutral huts are shown on Boardgamearena with grey circles. By building neutral huts, you can try to make the other player's life as an explorer a little more difficult.  

End of the game and scoring 

The game ends after the 18th round. The researcher with the most points wins. 

A player receives 1 point for each research tile they have, provided they have at least 3 of same type. Points are also awarded for round bonus tiles and 3 points for huts on each of the 4 villages on the order card. 

Tie: In the event of a tie, the player who has more research tiles wins. If there are also an equal number of research t iles, the player with the most remaining money wins. And if this amount is also equal, the player who has the red copper coin with the higher number wins. 

Have fun! 

Amazonas was first published in 2005 by Kosmos and Mayfair Games. The current version has been expanded to include 4 copper coins with the numbers 1, 2, 3 and 4 for a possible draw on the income cards. There are now also 5 additional bonus chips and 12 neutral huts for the two-player game. 

Game design: Stefan Dorra (c) 2024  / www.dorra-spiele.de 

Graphics: Claus Stephan Programming work for 

BGA: Stefan van der Heijden