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== Overview ==
== Overview ==


Cartographers is a flip-and-write game in which each of the players are separately drawing a map of their land. Each round, you'll add a feature to your map, and after a few rounds, you'll score based on the presence or arrangement of these features. The player with the most points at the end of four rounds wins the game!
Cartographers is a flip-and-write game in which each player fills out a map. Each round, you'll add a new feature to your map. After a few rounds, you'll score based on the presence or arrangement of these features. The player with the most points at the end of four rounds wins!


== Game components ==
== Setup ==


Each player has a map. This map starts mostly blank, but may have mountains, ruins, and wasteland spaces already included.
Each player has a map. This map starts mostly blank, but may have mountains, ruins, and wasteland spaces already included.


The table as a whole contains four scoring cards, labeled A through D. These take a specific format:
Each turn, a card from the landscape deck determines what types and sizes are used.
* One of these cards looks for village spaces
* One of these cards looks for forest spaces
* One of these cards looks for water and farm spaces
* One of these cards looks at the whole map, usually around filling certain segments of it with anything at all.


It also contains season cards, which say which two of these cards will be scored at the end of the round and how many cards will be flipped in the round:
The game uses four scoring cards, labeled A, B, C, and D. These take a specific format:
* Spring lasts 8 time units, and players score cards A and B.
* Summer lasts 8 time units, and players score cards B and C.
* Autumn lasts 7 time units, and players score cards C and D.
* Winter lasts 6 time units, and players score cards D and A.


In addition, the table contains the deck of cards used to draw various landscapes.
<ul class="bulletlist" style="margin:1em 0;padding-inline-start:40px;">
  <li>One of these cards looks for '''village''' spaces</li>
  <li>One of these cards looks for '''forest''' spaces</li>
  <li>One of these cards looks for '''water and farm''' spaces</li>
  <li>One of these cards looks at the '''whole map''', usually involving filled segments or patterns.</li>
</ul>


== What to do on your turn ==
Season cards determine which two of these cards will be scored at the end of the round and how many cards will be flipped in the next round:


The top card of the landscape deck is flipped, and all players simultaneously draw that somewhere on the map. These cards usually contain a choice to do two different terrain types in the same shape, of one specific terrain in one of two shapes. These shapes can be flipped or rotated in any 90 degree increment, and can be placed anywhere on the map - it does not need to be adjacent to anything. These shapes can't hang off the edge of the map, nor can they overlap any filled space.
<ul class="bulletlist" style="margin:1em 0;padding-inline-start:40px;">
  <li>Spring lasts 8 time units. Players score cards '''A''' and '''B'''.</li>
  <li>Summer lasts 8 time units. Players score cards '''B''' and '''C'''.</li>
  <li>Autumn lasts 7 time units. Players score cards '''C''' and '''D'''.</li>
  <li>Winter lasts 6 time units. Players score cards '''D''' and '''A'''.</li>
</ul>


If any player can't draw a particular shape, they instead draw a single 1x1 square of any terrain type anywhere on their board.
== Turn Overview ==


Some smaller shapes contain a gold coin. If you draw that shape, cross off a coin on the side of your map. This will be worth 1 point each scoring phase. You can also earn coins by filling all four spaces adjacent to a mountain space on your board.
The top card of the landscape deck is flipped, usually containing two possible shapes or two different terrain types. All players simultaneously put one of those two choices on their map. The shapes can be flipped and rotated, but cannot hang off the map edge or overlap.  


Each of these cards has a number on the top left corner indicating how much time has passed. If the sum of all cards played this way is greater than or equal to the number on the season card, the round ends after all players have drawn this shape. Otherwise, start the next turn.
If any player can't place a particular shape, they instead place a single 1x1 square of any terrain type on their board.


=== Special cards ===
Some shapes have a gold coin. These shapes are worth 1 point each scoring phase. You can also earn coins by filling all four spaces adjacent to a mountain space.


There are two Ruins cards in the deck. If the Ruins card is drawn, the next shape must overlap with one of the ruins spaces on your board. All other rules about drawing this shape still apply.
Each landscape card has a number on the top left corner indicating the value of its time unit. When the sum of all cards played equals the season's number, the round ends.  


There is one Monster card added to the deck each season. If a Monster card is drawn, all players pass their maps to another player. Then draw this monster shape on your opponent's board. All other rules about drawing this monster still apply. Players will lose points for each empty space next to monsters. Afterwards, this Monster card is removed from play (but if it's never found, it remains in the deck for the next season).
==== Special cards ====


There is one Rift Lands card in the deck. If a Rift Lands card is drawn, all players draw a 1x1 square of any terrain type anywhere on their board.
There are two "Ruins" cards in the deck. If either of these cards is drawn, the next shape must overlap with one of the "Ruins" spaces on the map.  


== End of a round ==
The landscape deck has one "Monster" card. If drawn, the next player draws this Monster's shape on your map. Players lose points for each empty space next to a Monster space.


At the end of each round, two of the four scoring cards will be resolved.  
The landscape deck also has one "Rift Lands" card. If drawn, all players draw a 1x1 square of any terrain type on their map.
* Spring lasts 8 time units, and players score cards A and B.
 
* Summer lasts 8 time units, and players score cards B and C.
== Scoring ==
* Autumn lasts 7 time units, and players score cards C and D.
 
* Winter lasts 6 time units, and players score cards D and A.
At the end of each round, the two scoring cards are resolved (see above). Players gain 1 point for each gold coin used. Players lose 1 point for each empty space next to a Monster space.
In addition to this, players score 1 point for each gold coin they have, and lose 1 point for each empty space next to monsters.


After scoring, the landscape deck is reshuffled.
After scoring, the landscape deck is reshuffled.


Once Winter is scored, the game ends, and the player with the most points wins!
After Winter is scored, the game ends. The player with the most points wins!
 
In the event of a tie, the player who lost the fewest points to empty spaces near monsters wins.

Latest revision as of 22:02, 10 February 2026

Overview

Cartographers is a flip-and-write game in which each player fills out a map. Each round, you'll add a new feature to your map. After a few rounds, you'll score based on the presence or arrangement of these features. The player with the most points at the end of four rounds wins!

Setup

Each player has a map. This map starts mostly blank, but may have mountains, ruins, and wasteland spaces already included.

Each turn, a card from the landscape deck determines what types and sizes are used.

The game uses four scoring cards, labeled A, B, C, and D. These take a specific format:

  • One of these cards looks for village spaces
  • One of these cards looks for forest spaces
  • One of these cards looks for water and farm spaces
  • One of these cards looks at the whole map, usually involving filled segments or patterns.

Season cards determine which two of these cards will be scored at the end of the round and how many cards will be flipped in the next round:

  • Spring lasts 8 time units. Players score cards A and B.
  • Summer lasts 8 time units. Players score cards B and C.
  • Autumn lasts 7 time units. Players score cards C and D.
  • Winter lasts 6 time units. Players score cards D and A.

Turn Overview

The top card of the landscape deck is flipped, usually containing two possible shapes or two different terrain types. All players simultaneously put one of those two choices on their map. The shapes can be flipped and rotated, but cannot hang off the map edge or overlap.

If any player can't place a particular shape, they instead place a single 1x1 square of any terrain type on their board.

Some shapes have a gold coin. These shapes are worth 1 point each scoring phase. You can also earn coins by filling all four spaces adjacent to a mountain space.

Each landscape card has a number on the top left corner indicating the value of its time unit. When the sum of all cards played equals the season's number, the round ends.

Special cards

There are two "Ruins" cards in the deck. If either of these cards is drawn, the next shape must overlap with one of the "Ruins" spaces on the map.

The landscape deck has one "Monster" card. If drawn, the next player draws this Monster's shape on your map. Players lose points for each empty space next to a Monster space.

The landscape deck also has one "Rift Lands" card. If drawn, all players draw a 1x1 square of any terrain type on their map.

Scoring

At the end of each round, the two scoring cards are resolved (see above). Players gain 1 point for each gold coin used. Players lose 1 point for each empty space next to a Monster space.

After scoring, the landscape deck is reshuffled.

After Winter is scored, the game ends. The player with the most points wins!

In the event of a tie, the player who lost the fewest points to empty spaces near monsters wins.

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