Gamehelptheisleofcatsduel

Game Overview

The Isle of Cats: Duel is a competitive tile-placement game for 2 players, where players rescue cats and place them on their boat to complete lessons and score points.

Goal of the Game

The player with the most points from rescued cats, completed lesson cards, and discovered treasures at the end of the game wins.

Gameplay

The game is played over several rounds. On your turn, you choose and perform actions until both players have passed or run out of resources.

A Player's Turn

Players alternate taking actions from their player board:

• Rescue a Cat: Choose a cat from the island. Pay the required cost in fish and place the tile on your boat.
• Take a Lesson: Select a lesson card. These provide personal goals for end-game scoring (e.g., "Have 5 blue cats").
• Find Treasure: Place treasure tiles to fill small gaps on your boat or cover rats.

Placement Rules

• The first tile can be placed anywhere on the boat.
• Every subsequent tile must be placed adjacent to an existing tile (sharing at least one full side; diagonal does not count).
• Tiles must not overlap or extend beyond the edges of the boat.
• Cat Families: Adjacent cats of the same color form a family. A family must consist of at least 3 cats to score points.

Special Rules

• Oshax Cats: These special white cats act as wilds. When placed, you must immediately assign them a color that they will maintain for the rest of the game.
• Rats: Each rat symbol on the boat that is not covered by a tile at the end of the game results in a penalty.
• Rooms: The boat is divided into distinct rooms. A room is considered complete only when all its squares are covered by tiles.

End of Game & Scoring

The game ends when the island is empty or no more tiles can be placed. Scoring is calculated as follows:

Category	Points
Cat Families	Points based on size (starting at 3 cats of the same color).
Rare Treasures	3 points for each rare treasure.
Lessons	Points according to the conditions on the cards.
Rats	-1 point for each visible rat.
Incomplete Rooms	-5 points for each room that is not fully covered.

Tie-breaker

In the event of a tie, the player with the most remaining fish wins. If still tied, the victory is shared.