Scythe reference sheet

Overview

• 1–5 players, ~115 minutes, alternate-history 1920s Europa [p.1 — Object of the Game]
• Goal: end the game with the most coins (typical winner ~$75) [p.1 — Goal]
• Place 6 stars (achievements) on the Triumph Track to end the game [p.1 — Object of the Game]
• Core loop: choose a Player Mat section → take top-row action → take bottom-row action [p.10 — Gameplay]
• Earn end-game coins from stars placed, territories controlled, and every 2 resources controlled — multiplied by your Popularity level [p.1 — Goal]

Setup

1. Place 1 encounter token on each encounter-symbol territory (11 total) [p.6 — Board Setup]
2. Shuffle combat cards, encounter cards, objective cards, Factory cards separately; Factory deck = players +1 cards [p.6 — Board Setup]
3. Randomly select 1 structure bonus tile; place face-up at bottom of Popularity Track [p.6 — Board Setup]
4. Deal 1 Faction Mat + 1 Player Mat to each player; seat clockwise: Nordic → Rusviet → Crimea → Saxony → Polania [p.6 — Faction Selection]
5. Each player: set Power token and Popularity token per mat indicators; draw combat cards and objective cards per mat indicators; take starting coins [p.7 — Starting Cards]
6. Place character on home base; place 2 workers on territories connected to home base by land [p.7 — Character/Workers]
7. On Player Mat: place 6 tech cubes on green boxes with black-square corners; 6 remaining workers on Produce rectangles; 4 structures on their boxes; 4 recruit tokens on circular spaces [p.8 — Player Mat]
8. Place 4 mechs on Faction Mat over mech abilities; place 6 stars near faction emblem [p.9 — Faction Mat]
9. Lowest Player Mat number goes first; play clockwise [p.8 — Starting Player]

Turn structure

1. Move your action token to a different section of your Player Mat than last turn [p.10 — Gameplay]
2. Take the top-row action on that section (optional) — pay cost first, then gain benefit [p.10 — Gameplay]
3. Take the bottom-row action on that section (optional) — pay cost first, then gain benefit [p.10 — Gameplay]
4. You may also reveal a completed objective card at any point during your turn [p.26 — Objectives]

• You may take both actions, one, or neither — but you must still move your action token [p.10 — Gameplay]
• Resources gained from the top-row action may be used to pay for the bottom-row action [p.10 — Gameplay]

Actions

TOP-ROW ACTIONS

BOTTOM-ROW ACTIONS

• Bottom-row actions also give coins (shown on mat); take coins before implementing the action [p.14 — Bottom-Row Actions]
• Announce bottom-row actions so adjacent players can check Recruit Ongoing Bonuses [p.20 — Enlist]

Combat

• Triggered when your character/mech ends movement on a territory with an opponent's character/mech [p.22 — Combat]
• Attacker uses mech abilities first; attacker wins ties [p.22 — Attacker Advantage]
• Simultaneously: each player secretly sets Power Dial (max 7, cannot exceed current power) [p.22 — Select Power]
• Optionally: tuck 1 combat card per unit involved behind the dial [p.22 — Add Combat Cards]
• Reveal: highest (dial + combat cards) wins; both players pay their dialed power; used cards discarded [p.23 — Reveal]
• Winner: controls territory + resources; places 1 combat star (max 2, unlimited for Saxony); loses 1 popularity per retreated worker if attacker [p.23 — Winner]
• Loser: retreats all units to home base; leaves resources behind; draws 1 combat card if they revealed ≥1 power [p.23 — Loser]

Scoring

All scoring uses your Popularity Track level as a multiplier (higher popularity = more coins per category) [p.28 — End-Game Scoring]

• Coins in hand: kept as-is [p.29 — Coins in Hand]
• Stars placed: coins per star based on popularity level [p.29 — Every Star Token Placed]
• Territories controlled: coins per territory (Factory = 3 territories); home bases don't count [p.29 — Every Territory Controlled]
• Resources controlled: coins per every 2 resource tokens (workers don't count) [p.29 — Every 2 Resources Controlled]
• Structure bonus tile: coins based on the randomly selected tile's criteria (applies even if you don't control those territories) [p.29 — Structure Bonus Tile]
• Tiebreaker order: workers+mechs+structures → power → popularity → resources → territories → stars [p.29 — Declaring the Winner]

End of game

• Game ends immediately when any player places their 6th star [p.28 — Game End and Scoring]
• If 6th star comes from a bottom-row action, gain the benefit + coins + recruit bonus first, then place the star [p.28 — Edge Cases]
• If units remain on an opponent's territory from the triggering Move action, undo that movement [p.28 — Edge Cases]
• Player with the most total coins (in-game + end-game scoring) wins [p.29 — Declaring the Winner]

Glossary

• Star: achievement token placed on the Triumph Track; 6th star ends the game [p.27 — Placing Stars]
• Power: resource spent in combat; tracked on the Power Track; max 7 spent per combat [p.22 — Select Power]
• Popularity: track position that determines end-game scoring multiplier; also used in encounters [p.12 — Trade]
• Territory: a hex on the board; you control it if you have a unit or structure there (and no enemy units) [p.4 — Control]
• Home Base: starting point and retreat destination; NOT a territory; cannot build or deploy there [p.4 — Home Base]
• Tunnel: territory icon (⛏); all tunnel territories are considered adjacent to each other for movement [p.11 — Tunnels]
• Riverwalk: mech ability allowing movement across rivers onto specific terrain types (varies by faction) [p.15–17 — Deploy]
• Recruit Ongoing Bonus: bonus gained whenever you or your left/right neighbor takes the corresponding bottom-row action [p.20 — Enlist]
• Factory Card: a 5th Player Mat section claimed when your character first visits the Factory [p.25 — Factory Cards]
• Encounter: triggered when your character moves onto an encounter token; choose 1 of 3 options on the card [p.24 — Encounters]

FAQ

• Q: Can workers move into territories with opponent workers? — A: No. Only your character or mechs can enter opponent-worker territories (workers retreat, you lose 1 popularity each) [p.11 — Controlled by Workers]
• Q: Can I spend resources from any territory? — A: Only from territories you currently control [p.4 — Resources]
• Q: Do combat cards count toward end-game scoring? — A: No, they are worth nothing at end of game [p.21 — Crimea Coercion]
• Q: Can I choose the same Player Mat section two turns in a row? — A: No (except Rusviet's 'Relentless' ability) [p.21 — Faction Abilities]
• Q: Do Recruit Ongoing Bonuses trigger from Factory card actions? — A: No; Factory card actions do not trigger Recruit Ongoing Bonuses [p.25 — Factory Cards]
• Q: Can structures be destroyed or moved? — A: No, they are permanent [p.18 — Build]
• Q: If I win combat but my opponent revealed 0 power, do they draw a combat card? — A: No, only if they revealed at least 1 power on the dial or through combat cards [p.23 — Loser]