Game Rules: Cartographers

Game Identity

• Name: Cartographers
• Player Count: 1–100 players. Standard: 2–6.
• Teams: No teams. All players compete individually (or cooperatively in some modes).
• Theme: Commercial flip-and-write map-drawing game by Thunderworks Games. Players draw terrain shapes on their map sheets across 4 seasons, scoring different objectives each season.

Scoring Mechanics

• Scoring Variant: Accumulative — scores grow over 4 seasons. Highest total score wins.
• Target Score: No fixed target — highest score after all 4 seasons wins.
• Unit of Scoring: Reputation points (VP) per season.
• Lower vs. Higher: Higher score wins.

Rules & Validation

Season Structure (4 Seasons)

Each season scores 2 of the 4 scoring cards (A, B, C, D) in a fixed rotation:

• Spring: Scores A + B
• Summer: Scores B + C
• Autumn: Scores C + D
• Winter: Scores D + A

Scoring Categories per Season

• Scoring Cards (A–D): Each card describes a different pattern-matching scoring rule for terrain on the map. Players total their qualifying terrain placements.
• Coins: Each gold coin on the map = 1 VP per season it's present.
• Monsters: At season end, each empty space adjacent to a monster = −1 VP (Ambush penalty).

Per-Season Entry

Players record:

1. Scoring Card A value (or applicable pair)
2. Scoring Card B value (or applicable pair)
3. Coin total
4. Monster penalty (negative)
5. Season total

Validation Rules

• Season totals can include negatives from monster penalties.
• Coins apply only during the season they are present (or cumulatively — varies by scoring card).
• Monster penalty: count empty spaces orthogonally adjacent to any monster terrain.

Special Actions / Bonuses

• Ambush Cards: Monsters expand on the map and penalize empty adjacent squares.
• Ruins: Specific spaces that score bonus points when covered by certain terrain types.
• Full Row/Column Bonus: Some scoring cards award extra VP for completing rows or columns.

Win Conditions

• Condition: After all 4 seasons, the player with the highest cumulative score wins.
• Tie-Breaker: Most coins on final map. If still tied, fewest empty spaces.

Set Up in Doodle Score

Cartographers doesn't have a dedicated scorecard yet — track it for free using a general scorecard:

1. Tap New Scorecard and choose Paper Score (tracks all players each round in a grid)
2. Add 4 players (adjust as needed)

• Set Rounds to 4

Score type: Ascending — highest score wins.