How To Play: Age of Exploration

Let me tell you, Age of Exploration is not for the faint of heart or weak of map-reading skills. After playing with my friends (and accidentally discovering the art of friendship-ending trades), I put together this guide to help you sail smoother seas. You’ll get a quick outline of the rules and, more importantly, my best strategies for winning.

Overview

What’s in the box

• 1 Game Board
• 5 Player Boards
• 120 Resource Tokens
• 50 Gold Coins
• 60 Ship Meeples
• 35 Explorer Pawns
• 40 Trade Cards
• 30 Event Cards
• 5 Reference Cards
• 1 Rulebook
• 1 First Player Marker

How To Play Age of Exploration: Rules Summary

Setup

1. Place the main board in the center of the table.
2. Give each player a ship, a starting port, and a matching player marker.
3. Shuffle the exploration, event, and trade decks separately.
4. Each player gets starting coins and resources based on the rulebook (usually three gold, two food, one wood).
5. Place resource tokens and coins within reach of everyone or, if you want chaos, out of reach of Steve.

Gameplay

1. Players take turns starting with the youngest player. We found this often led to tears, so you can also roll a die.
2. On your turn, you may move your ship, explore new regions, trade with other players or the market, and build outposts.
3. After actions, draw an event card and resolve it. No, you cannot ignore bad events. My friend tried and we had to stage an intervention.
4. Keep an eye on resources! If you run out of food, your ship gets stranded—this happened to me, and my crew blamed me for days.

Winning

1. The game ends after a set number of rounds (usually 8), or when all exploration tiles are discovered.
2. Players add up victory points earned from discovered lands, completed trade routes, and secret objectives.
3. Whoever has the most points wins! If there’s a tie, the player with the most gold left wins. If there’s still a tie, just arm-wrestle. (Not official, but it works.)

Special Rules & Conditions

1. Storms: If you draw a storm event, roll the die. On a 1-2, you lose a turn; on 3-6, you keep going but drop a resource overboard.
2. Pirates: Pirates steal half your gold unless you pay two food to bribe them—pirates love snacks.
3. Alliances: Players may form alliances, but remember, betrayal is always an option. Just ask my so-called friend Dave.
4. If you ever have zero resources of any type, you must skip your next turn to resupply.

If you follow these rules, you’ll know How To Play age of exploration like a pro—or at least better than me when I missed the part about storms and ended up shipwrecked. Good luck and happy exploring!

Best Age of Exploration Strategies

Mastering Resources Like a True Explorer

Don’t Hoard – Use What You Get

In Age of Exploration, I learned the hard way that clinging to resources can backfire. Instead, spend smart. If you sit on your gold, someone else will grab all the juicy ports.

1. Invest early in ships and upgrades.
2. Don’t wait for the perfect moment—make moves so you don’t stagnate.

Plan for Shortages

Sometimes, the game slaps you with a drought. My buddy Mike always ran out of food, so be ready for shortage cards.

1. Set aside reserves for rough turns.
2. Trade with others before you get desperate.

Balance Income Sources

You can focus on one thing, but that’s risky. I once tried a gold-only strategy and lost to a guy with a spice empire.

1. Branch out, but don’t get distracted.
2. Make sure you’re earning from at least two sources.

Know When to Gamble

Sometimes, you just gotta risk it. If you get a chance at a big trade or rare resource, go for it. That one big win can seal the game.

Go Big or Go Home: Mastering Exploration and Expansion in Age of Exploration

When playing Age of Exploration with my friends, I learned fast that sitting still gets you nowhere. You must keep moving or risk being left in the dust. Here’s how to rule the map:

Scout New Lands Quickly

1. Always send out explorers early. The sooner you move, the more chance you have to claim rich lands.
2. Don’t wait for the perfect moment. Instead, grab what you can and improve on it later.

Expand Greedily but Wisely

1. Space your outposts to block rivals. This stops them from sneaking behind you.
2. Plan routes to valuable resources. Every move should bring you closer to something useful.

Balance Risk and Reward

1. Sometimes, risky expansion pays off big. But don’t overreach—if you can’t defend it, you may lose it all.
2. Keep some explorers in reserve, just in case your main group hits trouble.

If you want to know How To Play age of exploration with style, never stand still. Bold expansion wins games and leaves your friends wondering what hit them.

Master the Markets: Trade and Diplomacy in Age of Exploration

Outsmart Opponents with Clever Trades

1. Always ask for more than what you want, then settle for what you need. I once traded my only rum card for gold and still regret it, but at least I got a good laugh.
2. Trade with everyone, but never with the same person twice in a row. Otherwise, old grudges will sink your ship.

Build Alliances Wisely

1. Team up to take down the leader. Last time, we all teamed up on Mark, and he still won. But it was fun to try!
2. Switch sides if someone is getting ahead. Keep friends close, but your future enemies closer.

Bluff Like a Pirate

1. Pretend you are desperate for certain resources. When I did this, no one saw my victory coming. Try it and watch the chaos unfold!

If you want to know How To Play age of exploration to your advantage, use every trade, alliance, and bluff. The winner is the sneakiest merchant at the table!

Ready to Rule the Waves?

If you follow these tips, you’ll spend less time floundering and more time bossing the high seas! Remember, in Age of Exploration, luck plays a role, but clever planning (and a sneaky trade or two) always wins the day. My friends once tried to freeze me out with a trade embargo, but I turned the tables with a quick alliance—so never underestimate the power of deals! Now go show the world who’s the captain. Just don’t forget to yell “Land ho!” at least once—it really adds to the fun.

Oh—and if you need a refresher on the basics, remember to look up How To Play age of exploration before you start. Happy exploring!

Want to know what we think of Age of Exploration? Read our detailed review of Age of Exploration here