FIRST SETTLEMENT
INTRODUCTION
Card game for 2-4+ players.
The game is a simulation of the hardships faced by the first
English Colonists to the New World in the 1600s.
Each player controls their own colony, modeled after
Jamestown, the Plymouth Pilgrims, and the Boston Puritans.
TIME & GAME LENGTH
The game lasts 5 years.
This represents the first 5 years of each players colony.
Each Season is a turn, so the game runs for 20 turns.
Season = Turn.
Each year starts with Winter.
VICTORY
The player with the most Victory Points (VP) at the end of the game wins.
END GAME SCORING
Gain 2 VP for each Colonist Token you have.
Each Building is worth a base 5 VP.
Some Buildings are worth additional VP.
Gain 1 VP for each Land Purchase Token.
THE DECKS
There are 6 Decks:
1. Leader Deck
2. Site Deck
3. Action Deck
4. Build Deck
5. Food Deck
6. Hardships Deck
LEADER DECK
Each player starts with 1 Leader randomly drawn.
During play when a Leader is lost, a new card is drawn to replace them.
Leaders provide a benefit to their colony.
Leaders have the title of Governor.
SITE DECK
A site is where the Colony is Founded.
An individual site is described by 3 cards from the Site deck.
Site cards give benefits and/or detriments to the colony.
ACTION DECK
Each Player keeps a hand of Action cards.
These cards represent Stocks of Trade goods as well as actions that can
Mitigate Indian Raids, Mutinies, and Disease.
BUILD DECK
These cards represent buildings and land use projects that
(at a cost of food) can be built by your colonists.
Buildings provide Benefits and Victory Points.
Drawn Build cards are kept in a players hand; When built,
They are placed face up in front of the player.
FOOD DECK
These cards will determine how much food your colonists are able to
Raise, grow, catch, and hunt each season.
HARDSHIPS DECK
These cards represent the difficulties your colonists will face including:
Disease, Spoilage, Blights, Indian Raids, Mutinies, and Others.
COLONIST TOKENS
Each Colonist Token (CT) symbolizes 10 people.
FOOD TOKENS
Each Food Token (FT) represents enough food to feed 1 CT for
1 Season (1 Turn).
Unused Food Tokens can be saved from turn to turn.
STOCK TOKEN
The Stock Token (ST) represents whether you have Livestock or not.
If you ever have a food shortage, it is assumed that all of the
Livestock have been slaughtered and eaten; You loose your ST.
This also represents stored food brought over from England.
Every time a Ship arrives, you regain your ST if you lost it.
PLANT TOKENS
These represent seeds planted in the spring to be harvested in Fall.
LAND PURCHASE TOKENS
These can be bought in Trade Phase.
DICE
6 sided dice are needed. (1D6)
10 sided dice are needed (1D10)
SETUP
Players roll high on 1D10 to see who goes first.
Each Player starts with 10 Colonist Tokens.
Each Player starts with 1D6 Food Tokens (Victuals).
Each Player starts with a Stock Token.
Each player draws 3 Leader cards, selects 1 and discards the other 2.
Each player is dealt 4 Action cards and discards 1.
Each player is dealt 4 Build cards and discards 2.
The game starts in Winter of the first year.
Each player goes through the site selection process detailed below.
SITE SELECTION PROCESS
Each player in turn gets to select 1 of 3 possible sites to found their colony:
For each site draw 3 site cards, placed together face up.
The player picks 1 site and keeps those 3 cards.
The cards from the other 2 sites are shuffled back into the deck and then
The next player selects his sites.
TURN SEQUENCE
Players take turns.
Each turn has 17 Phases:
1. Time Phase
2. Draw Phase
3. Plant Phase
4. Ship Phase
5. Blight Phase
6. Food Phase
7. Harvest Phase
8. Spoil Phase
9. Trade Phase
10. Eat Phase
11. Starve Phase
12. Cold Phase
13. Sick Phase
14. Raid Phase
15. Rebel Phase
16. Hardship Phase
17. Build Phase
TIME PHASE
Keep track of the season and the year.
Play starts in Winter of the first year.
DRAW PHASE
Skip this phase the first turn of the game.
Draw 2 cards from the Action Deck.
Draw 2 cards from the Build Deck and discard 1.
You may discard 2 cards (any type) to draw 1 card (any type).
Max hand size is 5 cards. Discard excess cards.
PLANT PHASE
Skip this phase if it is not Spring.
Gain Plant Tokens equal to the number of CT you have.
SHIP PHASE
Skip this phase the first turn of the game.
Roll 1D10. On a roll of 7 or better, a ship (from England) arrives.
The ship will contain 1D10 CT and 1D10 FT.
The ship replenishes your Stock Token if you lost it.
BLIGHT PHASE
Draw and discard 10 Hardship cards.
Discard 1 Plant token for each Blight Hardship card you drew.
FOOD PHASE
Draw 1 Food card for each CT you have.
If it is Winter, only draw 1 Food card for every 2 CT you have.
Place them face up in front of you.
Discard all Farm cards.
If it is Winter discard all “Warm” cards.
Discard Livestock & Victual cards if you do not have a Stock token.
Each useable Food card provides 1 or more FT.
Discard the Food cards after you have collected the FT.
HARVEST PHASE
Skip this phase if it is not Fall.
Discard all your Plant Tokens.
Draw 1 Food card for each PT discarded.
Each Farm card you drew produces FT equal to its value.
Discard the cards after you have collected the FT.
SPOIL PHASE
Draw and discard 10 Hardship cards.
Discard X Food Tokens for each Spoilage Hardship card you drew.
X is the value of the spoilage card.
TRADE PHASE
You may play (discard) Trade Action cards.
For each such card, you may gain either 1 Food Token or
1 Land Purchase Token.
You may convert 5 FT into 1 VP.
EAT PHASE
Each CT consumes 1 FT.
If you do not have enough FT, there is a Food Shortage.
STARVE PHASE
Skip this phase if there was no Food shortage.
Draw and discard 10 Hardship cards.
Lose your Stock Token and 1 CT.
Discard X CT for each Hunger Hardship card you drew.
X is the value of the hunger card.
COLD PHASE
Skip this phase if it is not winter.
Draw and discard 10 Hardship cards.
Discard 1 CT for each Cold Hardship card you drew.
If there is a Food Shortage, discard an extra 1 CT for
each Cold Hardship card you drew.
SICK PHASE
Draw and discard 5 Hardship cards.
Discard 1 CT for each Disease Hardship card you drew.
If there is a Food Shortage, instead discard X Colonist Tokens for
each Disease Hardship card you drew.
X = the value of the Disease card.
You may discard a Medical Action card to negate 1 Disease card.
RAID PHASE
Draw and discard 10 Hardship cards.
Discard X CT for each Indian Raid Hardship card you drew.
X is the value of the Raid card.
You may discard a Defense Action card to negate 1 Raid card.
Each Defense Building you have negates 1 Raid card each phase.
A “Defense” Leader negates 1 Raid card each phase.
REBEL PHASE
Skip this phase if there was no Food shortage.
Draw and discard 10 Hardship cards.
You may discard a Morale Action card to negate 1 Mutiny card.
Each “Morale” Building you have negates 1 Mutiny card each phase.
A “Morale” Leader negates 1 Mutiny card each phase.
If there is 1 un-negated Mutiny card, discard your hand and gain a New Leader.
If there are 2 or more un-negated Mutiny cards the Settlers give up: The
Survivors go back to England on the next ship and you lose the game.
HARDSHIP PHASE
Draw and discard 10 Hardship cards.
Special Hardship cards take effect in this Phase:
Go Native: Lose 1 CT
Return on next Ship: Lose 1 CT
Kicked Out: Lose 1 CT, It goes to another random player.
Lose Leader: Gain a New Leader
Storm: No Ship for you next turn
Fire: Lose 1 Random Building
BUILD PHASE
You may put 1 Building into play at a cost of 5 FT.
You may build a second Building for 20 FT.
Keep the building face up in front of you.
LEADER DECK CARD LIST
Name: Notes:
Nobleman Hand Size +1
Sea Captain All Fish Food cards earn +1 FT
Soldier Defense +1 (Negate 1 Raid card in Raid Phase)
Explorer All Wild Food cards earn +1 FT
Farmer All Farm & Livestock Food cards earn +1 FT
Minister Morale (Negate 1 Mutiny card in Rebel Phase)
Merchant Get +1 to Roll in Ship Phase
Frontiersman Get 1 extra Trade in Trade phase
Notes: If you start the game with the Explorer, you get to select from
4 sites instead of 3.
The deck contains 2 copies of each card.
SITE DECK CARD LIST
Name: Notes:
Freshwater Spring Negates first Disease card each turn
Island Negates the first Hunt card each turn. Defense +1
Hill Top Defense +1 (Negate 1 Raid card in Raid Phase)
Good Hunting All Hunt Food cards earn +1 FT
Cleared Land All Farm Food cards earn +1 FT
Sheltered Cove Negates the first Cold card each turn
Safe Harbor Get +1 to Roll in Ship Phase
River Mouth Get 1 extra Trade in Trade phase
Fishing Grounds All Fish Food cards earn +1 FT
Swampy Draw 3 extra Hardship cards in Sick Phase
Many Indians Get 1 extra Trade in Trade phase. Draw 1 extra card in Raid Phase
Windswept Draw 2 extra Hardship cards in Cold Phase
Rocky Soil All Farm Food cards earn -1 FT
Isolated Negate the first Trade card you play in Trade Phase
Tidal Flats All Wild Food cards earn +1 FT
Indefensible Draw 1 extra Hardship card in Raid Phase
Salt Marsh All Farm Food cards earn -1 FT. All Wild Food cards earn +1 FT
Good Pastures All Livestock Food cards earn +1 FT
Rich in Furs Trade cards earn 2 VP each instead of 1.
Quality Timber Worth 20 VP
FOOD DECK CARD LIST
Name: FT Type:
Corn 5 Farm
Melons 1 Wild Warm or Farm
Chickens 1 Livestock
Bluefish 1 Fish
Indian Gifts 1 Wild
Indian Trade 1 Wild
Shellfish 2 Wild or Fish
Lobsters 2 Wild
Wild Turkeys 1 Hunt
Deer 2 Hunt
Fowl 1 Hunt
Pumpkins 2 Farm
Strawberries 1 Wild Warm or Farm
Blueberries 1 Wild Warm or Farm
Harvest 5 Farm
Dried Peas 3 Farm or Victuals
Milk 1 Livestock
Eggs 1 Livestock
Smoked Meats 1 Hunt
Oysters 1 Wild
Cheese 1 Livestock
Squash 2 Farm
Cod 2 Fish
Small Game 1 Hunt
Gardens 1 Wild Warm or Farm
Salted Pork 2 Livestock
Beans 3 Farm
Clams 1 Wild
Crops 4 Farm
Maize 4 Farm
Cranberries 1 Wild Warm
Cows 2 Livestock
Whale Catch 3 Fish
Mussels 1 Wild
Ducks 1 Hunt
Geese 1 Hunt
Wheat 3 Farm
Barley 3 Farm
Grains 4 Farm
Trapping 1 Hunt
Herring 2 Fish
Ground Nuts 1 Wild
Beer 2 Farm or Victuals
Striped Bass 1 Fish
Butter 1 Livestock
Eels 1 Wild
Boiled Acorns 1 Wild
Goats 1 Livestock
Sheep 1 Livestock
Turtles 1 Wild
HARDSHIP DECK CARDS
Name: Value Type:
Sickness 2 Disease
Starving Time 2 Hunger
Famine 2 Hunger
Spoiled Food 2 Spoilage
Rotten Food 1 Spoilage
Fire - Special
Malnutrition 2 Hunger
Bitter Cold - Cold
Exposure - Cold
Freezing Temperatures - Cold
Drought - Blight
Early Frost - Cold
Smallpox 4 Disease
Harsh Winter - Cold
Illness 1 Disease
Crisis - Mutiny
Indian Raid 2 Raid
Skirmish 1 Raid
Scalpings 2 Raid
Indian War 3 Raid
Indian Fighting 2 Raid
Plague 4 Disease
Malaria 3 Disease
Storm - Special
Pestilence 2 Disease
Rodents 3 Spoilage
Insects - Blight
Fungus - Blight
Malcontents - Mutiny
Agitators - Mutiny
Rebellion - Mutiny
Confrontation 1 Raid
Food Poisoning 1 Hunger
Hypothermia - Cold
Snow - Cold
Frost Bite - Cold
Epidemic 4 Disease
Fever 2 Disease
Despair - Mutiny
Go Native - Special
Return on next Ship - Special
Kicked Out: - Special
Lose Leader - Special
Disorder - Mutiny
Conspiracy 3 Raid
Lice 1 Disease
Massacre 3 Raid
Typhus 3 Disease
Mosquitoes 2 Disease
Dysentery 3 Disease
Hostilities 1 Raid
Surprise Attack 2 Raid
Influenza 3 Disease
ACTION DECK CARD LIST
Name: Notes:
Diplomacy Defense
Emissary Defense
Interpreter Defense
Show of Force Defense
Preemptive Strike Defense
Retaliation Defense
Treachery Defense
Surgeon Medical
Medicines Medical
Quarantine Medical
Strong Leadership Morale
Compact Morale
Common Goal Morale
Trial Morale
Common Enemy Morale
Quell Uprising Morale
Cloth Trade Good
Beads Trade Good
Trinkets Trade Good
Knives Trade Good
Shoes & Coats Trade Good
Guns Trade Good
Pots & Kettles Trade Good
Axes & Hoes Trade Good
Liquor Trade Good
Trading Party Trade Good
BUILD DECK CARD LIST
Name: Benefit:
Town Hall Morale (Negate 1 Mutiny card in Rebel Phase)
Church Morale (Negate 1 Mutiny card in Rebel Phase)
Taverns Get 1 extra Trade in Trade phase
Trading Posts Get 1 extra Trade in Trade phase
Warehouses Negate one Spoilage card in Spoil Phase
Granary Negate one Spoilage card in Spoil Phase
Lighthouse Get +1 to Roll in Ship Phase
Docks Get +1 to Roll in Ship Phase
Tobacco Plantation Gain 2D6 VP in Harvest Phase in Fall
Cash Crops Gain 2D6 VP in Harvest Phase in Fall
Lumber Mill Worth 20 VP
Logging Camp Worth 20 VP
Fences All Livestock Food cards earn +1 FT
Clear Land for Pasture All Livestock Food cards earn +1 FT
Fill in Swamp Negates first Disease card each turn
Clear Land for Crops All Farm Food cards earn +1 FT
Irrigation Project All Farm Food cards earn +1 FT
Shipyard All Fish Food cards earn +1 FT
Fishing Fleet All Fish Food cards earn +1 FT
Stockade Defense +1 (Negate 1 Raid card in Raid Phase)
Palisade Defense +1 (Negate 1 Raid card in Raid Phase)
LINKS
Plymouth Plantation
Jamestown Settlement
Massachusetts Bay Colony
Roanoke Colony
OPTIONAL RULES
TRADE OPTION
The Colonies had very little contact in the beginning, however, to
Increase player interaction in this game, Players may at any time freely
trade cards from their hands, as well as CT and FT.
SIMULTANEOUS TURNS OPTION
Players may take their turns together.
If you choose to proceed together, each player goes in turn order
(determined in setup) within each Phase.
RANDOM SEASON START OPTION
Instead of starting in Winter (Historical Coincidence) players each
Start in a random Season.
TWO LEADER OPTION
Each colony has 2 Leaders.