How To Play: AuZtralia

If you’re ready to face monsters AND try not to run out of sheep, you’re in the right spot. After many late nights yelling at the board and blaming my bad plans on bad luck, I made this handy guide. It has a short outline of the game rules plus the best moves for winning AuZtralia. Get ready to outsmart your friends!

Overview

What’s in the box

• 1 Main Game Board
• 4 Player Boards
• 54 Farm Cubes (wooden)
• 36 Port Discs (wooden)
• 24 Rail Track Pieces (wooden)
• 4 Score Markers (wooden)
• 80 Resource Cubes (wooden)
• 40 Military Unit Tokens
• 30 Old One Discs (wooden)
• 67 Personality Cards
• 41 Event Cards
• 20 Combat Cards
• 4 Player Reference Sheets
• 44 Old One Tiles
• 1 Combat Marker
• 1 Time Track Marker
• 1 Rulebook

How To Play AuZtralia: Rules Summary

Game Setup

1. Pick a map. The base game gives you two options: east or west coast. Both have more sheep than all my dreams at night.
2. Give each player a player board, some cubes, and tasty starting resources (coal, gold, and steel are the main snacks here).
3. Place ports on the coast. Claim your spot before Gary ruins your whole plan.
4. Shuffle and deal personality cards. These little folks help with actions and winning fights.
5. Put Old Ones and resources on their places on the map. Trust me—don’t accidentally put Cthulhu next to your port. I learned that the hard way.

Gameplay

1. On your turn, pick an action: build rails, mine, farm, recruit, build a new port, or attack the Old Ones. Easy, right? Just wait. You pay time for each action. Time is precious—like gold, but more stressful.
2. After you finish, the next player who spent the least time goes. This leads to all sorts of sneaky turn orders. Perfect for stealing those resources under your mate’s nose.
3. Once someone crosses the dreaded red time spot, the Old Ones start to wake up. Now the game gets spicy. They move and attack, aiming to ruin your day.

Winning

1. The game ends when time runs out or all players run out of options. At this point, my group is usually out of snacks as well.
2. Count points for farms, resources, and Old Ones you’ve squashed. Old Ones get their own points—so yes, you can totally lose to evil mushrooms and flying things.
3. Highest score wins. If there’s a tie, the player who took the least time gets bragging rights.

Special Rules & Conditions

1. When building rails, never forget: you can only build next to something you control. Don’t ask how long it took me to learn that.
2. Cthulhu and Shoggoths don’t play fair. They mess with your mind and your sheep. Watch out for their special powers when they wake!
3. Player elimination is rare but possible if you lose all ports and can’t start again. You then get to judge your friends for the rest of the night.

If you want to learn more, just invite some friends, set up the game, and try it. That’s the best way to master AuZtralia. Oh, and never trust a smiling kangaroo on the card art.

Best AuZtralia Strategies

Mastering Time and Resources in AuZtralia

Always Watch the Clock

AuZtralia doesn’t wait for anyone. Every action burns precious time, which can speed up the Old Ones. I learned this the hard way, when I spent three turns building farms and the Old Ones woke up in my backyard. Oops.

Choose Your Actions Wisely

1. Plan two or three moves ahead, not just one.
2. Cluster actions that use the same resource to avoid waste.
3. Don’t travel all over the map—walk in a circle, not a line and back.

Money Talks

Spend coins early for rails and combat support, but always keep a backup stash for emergencies. Trust me, nothing ruins your day faster than running out of cash before a nasty Old One encounter.

Keyphrase Alert

For more tips on How To Play auztralia, focus every turn on resource efficiency. This one trick alone will boost your score faster than you can say Cthulhu.

Old One Smackdown: AuZtralia Combat Tactics That Actually Work

I once stared down a Shoggoth with nothing but a rusty train and a prayer, so trust me—combat in AuZtralia can get spicy fast. You need sharp tactics if you want to live long enough to brag. Here are my top moves for winning against those slimy Old Ones.

1. Mix Up Your Troops

1. Combine infantry, armor, and trains, since different units hit different Old Ones harder.
2. Never forget your artillery. Nothing says ‘go away’ like a shell to the face.

2. Boost Your Combat Cards

1. Build up your combat card stash early. More cards mean more options and bigger hits.
2. Snag cards that match your fave units to make every swing count.

3. Gang Up With Friends

1. Ask your buddies for help when Old Ones get chunky. Joint attacks can knock out the nastiest monsters fast.
2. But always, always make sure you get to claim the tasty victory points!

Lay Those Tracks: Mastering Rail and Port Networks in AuZtralia

Early Expansion is Key

Get your rails out fast! The sooner you start, the more ground you cover. This also keeps your options open when those nasty Old Ones pop up.

1. Build rails toward rich resources early.
2. Use the shortest routes to save time.

Strategic Ports Always Win

After connecting rails, ports come next. Ports let you resupply and bring in troops, so never ignore them!

1. Place ports near gold mines and coal fields.
2. Spread them out—don’t cluster!

Don’t Box Yourself In

Keep future moves in mind. Plan your network so you don’t get stuck or need to waste actions rebuilding.

1. Always leave exits open to new regions.
2. Check other players’ rails and avoid easy blockades.

The Final Stop on the AuZtralia Express

Let me tell you, not every board game gets your heart pumping and your brain sweating at the same time. AuZtralia does both, and sometimes you’ll wonder if that sheep or coal mine was worth the zombie kangaroo that’s now eating your railroad. My pals and I learned this the hard way. Remember, if you plan ahead, keep an eye on the time, and don’t poke the Old Ones too soon, you’ll have a blast. Now go show Cthulhu who’s boss—just don’t let him eat all your breakfast biscuits. If you forget something, just think back to this guide on How To Play auztralia. Happy gaming!

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