Gamehelpkarakum

Karakum

Overview

Karakum is a small card game of Resource management and Camel acquisition.

During the game:

• Players gather different Goods
• Spend them to buy Camels
• Build their personal Caravan

Important:

• Each Camel must match the previous one by color or number

The game ends when the Market cannot be refilled with Camel cards. The player with the strongest Caravan wins.

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Components

• 71 Resource cards (13 of each Goods type, 6 Gold cards)
• 35 Camel cards
• 4 Caravan Master cards

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Card Types

Resource Cards

Each Goods card has:

• Symbol — identifies the Goods type
• Color — used interchangeably with the symbol

There are 5 types of Goods:

• Jewelry (blue)
• Silk (purple)
• Spices (red)
• Honey (orange)
• Paper (green)

Gold Cards

• A special Resource card
• Can be used as any single Goods card

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Camel Cards

Each Camel card has:

• Color — determines what Goods must be spent
• Number — cost AND victory points

To buy a Camel:

• Spend Goods matching the Camel’s color
• The number = how many cards you must spend

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Caravan Master

• Your starting card
• Placed in front of you
• Camels are added next to it

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Setup

1. Separate all cards into three groups:
   • Caravan Master cards
   • Camel cards
   • Resource cards

1. Each player:
   • Takes a Caravan Master card
   • Places it in front of them
   • Returns extras to the box

1. Shuffle Camel cards:
   • Remove 12 cards (2 players)
   • Remove 8 cards (3 players)
   • Keep all cards (4 players)

1. Place remaining Camel cards face down → Camel deck

1. Reveal 5 Camel cards → Market

1. Shuffle Resource cards → place face down → Resource deck

1. Deal 5 Resource cards to each player

1. Reveal 5 Resource cards face up

First player: Youngest player Play proceeds clockwise

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Gameplay

On your turn, choose ONE action:

• Gather Resources
• Buy a Camel

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Gather Resources

• Draw 2 Resource cards
• Choose from:
  • Face-up cards
  • Face-down deck

Gold Rule:

• If you take a face-up Gold card

→ You only draw 1 card

• If you draw a Gold from the deck:

→ You may still draw your second card → BUT it cannot be a face-up Gold

• Face-up cards are immediately replaced

• If the deck runs out:

→ Shuffle discard pile to form a new deck

No hand limit

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Buy a Camel

• Choose any face-up Camel from the Market
• Discard Goods matching its cost

Important:

• 2 identical Goods can replace 1 different Goods

Example:

• Two jewelry cards = one silk card

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Building a Caravan

• First Camel → place to the right of Caravan Master
• Future Camels → placed to the right end

Each new Camel must match:

• Same color OR
• Same number

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If a Camel does NOT match:

• Place it to the left of Caravan Master
• It is NOT part of your Caravan
• It scores half points (rounded down)

Important:

• If it later becomes valid → move it into your Caravan immediately

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Value “1” Camels

When you buy a Camel with value 1:

• Take 1 free Resource card
• Can be:
  • Face-up (even Gold)
  • From the deck

• Replace face-up cards as normal

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Market Movement & Tax

After buying a Camel:

• Shift all Market cards to the right
• Reveal a new Camel from the deck

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Tax Rule:

• The Camel closest to the deck determines the taxed color
• All Camels of that color cost:

→ +1 extra matching Goods

Example:

• If closest Camel is Green → all Green Camels cost +1 paper

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End of the Game

If the Market cannot be refilled:

• The game ends immediately
• Proceed to scoring

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Scoring

Players score:

• Full points from Camels in their Caravan
• Half points (rounded down) from Camels on the left

Winner:

• Most points

Tie-breaker: 1. Longest Caravan 2. Shared victory

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Theme

The Karakum desert is part of the Silk Road where merchants transported goods from East to Europe.

Players act as Caravan Masters helping merchants cross the desert.

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Credits

• Game design: Arif Nezih Savi
• Illustrations: Laimės Kūdikis
• Development: Jānis Bernāns, Artūrs Perepjolkins
• Graphic design: Baiba Horelika, Aldis Rocēns, Andrejs Timofejevs
• Proofreading: Brandan Parsons, Sabīne Stepanova
• Project management: Agnese Freimane
• Playtesting: Sabīne Riseva, Reinis Butāns, Jānis Grunte, Egils Grasmanis, Raivis Mileiko, Arvils Ozoliņš