A Guide to Playing Endeavor – Rules, Strategy & Instructions

Introduction

Endeavor is a strategy board game that’s all about exploration, trade, and control during the Age of Sail. Players represent European empires expanding their influence across the globe. The game was first released in 2009 and has since gained a solid following among board game enthusiasts, where I generally see good reviews and high ownership.

It’s a mix of tile placement, area control, and engine building, which makes it pretty interesting to play. The goal is to earn the most glory for your empire, which you can do by controlling regions, shipping goods, and developing your board. It’s a game for 2 to 5 players and usually takes about 90 minutes to play. The cool thing about Endeavor is that it’s not just about luck; you really need to think and plan your moves to win.

Rules for playing Endeavor

Alright, let’s get into the rules of Endeavor. The game is played over seven rounds, and each round has four phases: the Building phase, the Population phase, the Action phase, and the Discard phase. In the Building phase, you choose a building from your board that will give you actions to use later. In the Population phase, you get workers that you’ll place in your buildings to activate them. The Action phase is where the real fun happens. You use your workers to do actions like drawing cards, shipping, occupying territories, and attacking. The Discard phase is cleanup time, where you get ready for the next round.

There are some important things to remember, like the fact that you can only do each action once per round. Also, the buildings you choose and the actions you take will help you develop four tracks on your board: Industry, Culture, Finance, and Politics. These tracks give you bonuses and help you control regions on the board. Controlling regions is super important because it gives you glory points, and remember, points are what you need to win.

Equipment and Setup for Endeavor

For Endeavor, you need the game board, which shows the regions you’ll be trying to control. You also need the building tiles, which are your main tools for taking actions. Each player has their own board where they’ll place these buildings. You’ll also have worker pieces, which are used to activate the buildings, and a bunch of cards that represent the regions and the actions you can take. Setting up the game involves giving each player their board and starting buildings, placing the region cards, and getting the worker pieces ready. If you don’t have the game, you could try making your own version with some DIY tiles and cards, but having the real deal is definitely better.

How to Play Endeavor and Game Mechanics

Playing Endeavor is all about making smart choices and building up your empire. Here’s a quick rundown of the game phases:

1. Building Phase: Choose a building tile from your board.
2. Population Phase: Get workers based on your buildings.
3. Action Phase: Use workers to take actions like drawing cards, shipping, occupying, and attacking.
4. Discard Phase: Clean up and prepare for the next round.

How to Win at Endeavor

Winning at Endeavor is about getting the most glory points. You can get points by controlling regions, which you do by having presence and dominance there. You also get points from certain buildings and from fulfilling your secret agenda, which is a special goal you get at the start of the game.

It’s important to balance your actions so you can develop your tracks and control regions effectively. Don’t forget to watch what other players are doing, because you can often block their moves or take advantage of their focus on one area by expanding into another.

Best Strategies for playing Endeavor board game

There are a few key strategies I recommend when you’re playing Endeavor. First, focus on developing your tracks evenly, because they all help you in different ways. Second, try to control regions early, because it’s harder to get in once someone else is there. Third, keep an eye on your secret agenda and work towards it throughout the game. And finally, be flexible. If you see an opportunity or if another player leaves a gap, be ready to change your plans and take advantage.

For a bit more detail: one of the best strategies in Endeavor involves a careful balance between building a robust infrastructure and expanding your shipping and colonization efforts. Early on, focus on upgrading your Industry and Culture tracks to unlock more actions and gain valuable assets. This allows for more buildings and a stronger workforce, which are critical to your empire’s development.

You should also be mindful of the regions you choose to colonize or control; it’s often advantageous to establish presence in regions that match your building’s trade routes to facilitate growth. Diplomacy is another aspect not to be overlooked; forming alliances can provide strategic advantages, but be wary of helping your rivals too much. It is essential to adapt your strategy based on the actions of your opponents and the evolving game state.

Timing your actions for maximum impact, such as waiting for the right moment to seize control of key regions or to activate powerful buildings, can be a deciding factor in your success.

Lastly, keeping an eye on the slavery aspect of the game; it can offer short-term gains but comes with long-term consequences that can affect your standing with other players and ultimately impact your final score negatively. Balancing these elements while keeping a watchful eye on your opponents’ strategies will enhance your chances of dominating the high seas and emerging victorious in Endeavor.

Scenarios

Sometimes you’ll find yourself in a tough spot, like if another player takes control of a region you wanted. When that happens, look for other regions to expand into or try to build up your tracks so you can come back stronger. If you’re doing well and controlling lots of regions, watch out for other players teaming up against you. Keep building your tracks and try to stay ahead on points so they can’t catch up.

Frequently Asked Questions about playing Endeavor game

Here are some common questions and answers:

1. Q: Can I take the same action more than once in a round?
   A: No, each action can only be taken once per round.
2. Q: What happens if I run out of workers?
   A: You can’t take any more actions that round. Plan carefully to use your workers wisely.
3. Q: Can I attack other players?
   A: Yes, there are actions that let you attack and take control of regions from other players.
4. Q: What if two players want to control the same region?
   A: Whoever has the most presence there controls it. If there’s a tie, it’s based on the order of play.
5. Q: How do I know who’s winning?
   A: Keep track of glory points. The player with the most points at the end of the game wins.

Related Subtopics

There are a few other things to keep in mind when playing Endeavor. For example, the role of trade routes in the game. They connect regions and can give you extra points. Also, the importance of timing in the game. Knowing when to take certain actions can make a big difference. And don’t forget about the endgame. The last couple of rounds are crucial, so plan ahead and make sure you’re in a good position to score those final points.

External Links

If you want to learn more about Endeavor or get your hands on the official rules, check out these links:

Endeavor: Age of Sail Reviews split by Editions [Video]