Hello everyone !
Today we're going to talk about Whistle Stop!
Create your own railway network, for 2 to 5 players, ages 13 and up, for 75 minutes, to stand out and hear the train whistle!
The Royal Botanic Garden Sydney holds a special place in the hearts of Sydneysiders. World-renowned for its location, beauty, and historical and scientific significance, each of its 30 hectares is not only breathtaking but also a peaceful haven away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
In a game of The Gardens, each player collects 24 cards to place on their individual player board. The game is played over 8 rounds, during which each player collects 3 cards.
In each round, the player with the "Beginner" token starts by choosing a card to place on their board, and so on. Then, each player takes their turn. Once each player has taken and placed 3 cards, a new round begins, and the "Beginner" token passes to the next player seated to the left of the previous player.
On your turn, proceed as follows in this order: choose a card from those displayed, decorate your garden by adding the card to your player board, and guide your visitor through your garden to your new card. You must first choose a face-up card from those displayed. On your first turn, you can choose a card from any row (A, B, or C).
After each turn, you can only choose a card from a row where you haven't yet drawn a card. At the end of the turn, you will have drawn exactly: one card from row A, one from row B, and one from row C.
After choosing a card, place it on the corresponding row of your player board (an "A" card on the top row, a "B" card on the middle row, and a "C" card on the bottom row).
Each chosen card must be placed on your player board in the first available space, either to the left or right of the central board. There must never be any empty spaces between your cards.
Therefore, the first card chosen in each row must be placed next to the central board, either to its left or right. Next, cards can be placed next to the leftmost or rightmost card in your row.
As the game progresses, you will reach a point where you can no longer choose to place each new card at the far left or right of its row, because you can never place cards outside the player boards!
After placing the chosen card, your Visitor takes a walk. Move your Visitor, always on the same row, from their current position to the new card you just placed. The Visitor "visits" this new card, and depending on what they "see" on it (and what they saw along the way), you can score points!
If the new card depicts a Focal Tree, a Fountain, or a Bench, you score points immediately (see below and on the Score Tiles).
Remember that on each walk, the Visitor discovers the starting card, the ending card (which is always the one you added to the row this turn), and all the cards in between.
Record your points by moving your Visitor along the score track. If your Visitor stops on a card depicting a target tree, count the number of identical trees they passed along their walk.
Count the tree(s) shown on the visited card, as well as all trees of the same species on the intersecting cards. Award 1/3/6/10 points for 1/2/3/4 identical trees.
If your Visitor stops on a card with a Fountain, count the number of individual Streams on all the cards they saw during their walk. Score 1 point for each Stream.
If your Visitor stops on a card with a Bench, count the number of Garden cards adjacent to the card, either orthogonally or diagonally. Score 1 point for each card adjacent to the bench.
If the new card contains a Statue or a Stream without a Fountain, you do not score any points for this turn. These elements will score points at the end of the game. Your network of connected paths will also score points at the end of the game.
The round ends when all the cards on the board have been chosen and the players have finished their turn. To prepare for the next round, each player must reset all their Visitors (keeping each one on the Garden card they visited during the round).
The game ends after the 8th round, when the players' gardens are full and each row is filled with cards. All players can then score bonus points, as explained below.
The player with the most points wins! In case of a tie, the winner is the tied player who played last in the final round.
Good day and good game ;)
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