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Scytheis a production and warfare game set in an alternate 1920s Europe for one to five players. Players can choose one of the five factions: Nordic, Saxony, Polania, Crimea, and Rusviet. One of the most intriguing aspects of Scythe is the mechs, which grant various abilities as they are deployed.
While the game has a strong area-control element, wars do not necessarily dominate the gameplay. To win the game, players must place six stars on the game board by completing various objectives and have the most coins at the end of the game. If you’re ready, we have prepared a comprehensive guide on how to set up and play the game.
How To Setup Scythe
Main Component Setup
First, place the game board in the center of the table. You will see that the game board has two sides; you need touse the side with the smaller hexes.
Remember, to play on the side with the larger hexes, you need to purchase the Extension Board.
Next, create asupply area for the resourcesin the game, which are wood, oil, food, and metal. Then create a supply area for the resource multiplier tokens. Finally, create a supply area for the coins. The coins come in denominations of one, three, five, ten, and twenty.
Below the eleven hexes on your map, you will see a green compass symbol. You need toplace Encounter Tokens on these hexes.
Place the yellowcombat cards face-down in the upper rightsection of the game board. Remember to shuffle the cards before placing them. The area just below this section is for discarding combat cards.
On the right side of the game board, you will find a space for the Factory cards. These are thelarger purple cards.Shuffle these cards and place a number of face-down Factory cardsequal to the number of players plus onein this area on the board. You can return the other cards to the game box as they will not be needed.
In the bottom center of the game board, shuffle thebeige envelope-shaped cardsand place them face-down. Then, in the lower-left corner of the game board,shuffle the large green Encounter cardsand place them face-down.
Right above the area where you placed the Encounter cards, randomlyselect one of the six structure bonus tilesgiven to you and place it face-up.
Player Component Setup
After setting up the main components,shuffle the Player Mats and Faction Matsand give one of each to every player. It will be convenient for players to sit near the large round Home Base icons on the game board thatcorrespond to their chosen factions.
Some Player Mat and Faction Mat combinations are officially banned in the new rulebook because they are too overpowered. These banned combinations areCrimea/Patriotic and Rusviet/Industrial.If a player gets one of these combinations, discard the Player Mat and give them a different one.
Next, take the components in the color of your chosen faction according to your character figure. The components you need are:
1
6
4
8
Technology Cubes
Place yourcharacter figure on the Home Baseon the game board. Based on the number in the small rectangle on the right side of your Faction Mat, place yourPower Token on the corresponding number on the trackin the lower right corner of the game board.
Also, take thenumber of combat cards indicated by the combat card iconin the same rectangle and keep them hidden from other players. Place themech figures in the four large circleson your Faction Mat that correspond to your color. Then, place your star tokens near the symbol in the upper left corner of your Faction Mat.
On the right side of your Player Mat, in the small rectangle that lists the mat’s aspect, there are several things you need to take. Draw the number of objective cards indicated by the numberbelow the pigeon iconand keep them hidden from other players.
The heart icon to the right of this indicates thestarting value for your Popularity Token.The Popularity Track is located on the left side of the game board and is numbered from 0 to 18. The icon to the right of this showshow many coins you start with.
Next, place yoursix technology cubes on the green boxes with black squaresin the lower right part of your Player Mat. Place your six workers (meeples) on the rectangular spacesabove the Produce section.
Then, place your remaining two workers on thetwo hexes adjacent to your Home Base.Do not place a worker on a hex adjacent to your Home Base if it is separated by a river.
You will notice that the Player Mat is divided into four sections. In each section, you will see building names: Armory, Monument, Mill, and Mine.Place your structure tokensthat match your color in these areas.
Place your cylindrical Recruit tokens in thedesignated areas in the lower right cornerof each of the four rows on your Player Mat. Lastly,place your Action Token next to your Player Mat.With this, the setup is complete.
Key Concepts
Understanding these key concepts in the game is crucial. Once you grasp these, the other rules will be easier to follow:
Game Flow / Action Overview
In Scythe, there are no “rounds.“After a player completes their action, the next player’s turn begins in a clockwise direction. This flow continuesuntil any player places their sixth staron the game board. Once a player places the sixth star, the game ends, and scoring begins.
On your turn, you will use your Action Token to perform actions. You must place your Action Token onany section of one of the four separate rowson your Player Mat. The most important rule is that you cannot place your Action Token on thesame row as your previous turn.
Next,perform the top actionof the section where you placed your Action Token. After completing the top action,perform the bottom actionof that section. Remember to perform the actions fromtop to bottom.
You can use the resources gained from the top action to pay for the bottom action. Since you perform actions from top to bottom, if there is a Pay action at the top, you must complete it first before proceeding with the other actions in order.
Remember that theactions you perform are optional.For example, you can choose to perform the bottom action without performing the top action or vice versa.
you’re able to alsocomplete your objective card at any timeduring your turn. This does not count as an action.
The red boxes in the sections indicate what you need to pay, while the green boxes represent the benefits you will receive. When gaining benefits, you canchoose to take all or less than what is shown in the green boxes.For example, if gaining three coins doesn’t suit your objective, you may choose not to take any at all.
The first player to start the game is determined by the numbers to the right of the aspect name in the rectangular section on the player mat. The player with the lowest number starts first, and the game progresses clockwise.
Top Row Actions
If actions are separated by a “/” symbol, this means “or,” and youmust choose one of the two options.Remember that the Top Row action is optional, meaning you can directly perform the Bottom Row action even if you select this section.
Each Player Mat may have a different arrangement of Top Row actions, but their functions are generally similar.
Move Action
This action allows you tomove two different units you control from one territory to an adjacent territory.First, complete the movement of the first unit, and then move the second. you may also choose not to move and instead gain coins as an alternative option. Here are some scenarios you might encounter during movement:
Description
Transporting Resources
During movement, your units can pick up or drop offany number of resources.
Mechs Carrying Workers
Mechs cancarry any number of workerswhile moving. For example, in your first move, a mech can pick up five different workers and move to the next territory. In your second move, you can choose one of these workers and move it to another territory.
Water Obstructs Movement
Unless you have an ability that allows you to cross water, your unitscannot normally move across riversbetween territories. Similarly, theycannot move onto lakesunder normal circumstances.
Moving Between Tunnels
You will see territories with tunnel icons and red borders. These territories areconsidered adjacentto each other only for the purpose of the movement action, allowing you to move across long distances via tunnels.
Moving a Character or Mech to a Territory with Opponent’s Workers
If you move a character or mech into a territory with the opponent’s workers, the movement ends even if you could move further. All opponent workers in that territoryretreat to their Home Base.All resources in that territory remain there. You loseone popularity for each opponent workerthat retreats. If your popularity cannot decrease further, the opponent’s workers still retreat.
Moving a Character or Mech to a Territory with Opponent’s Character or Mech
If you move a character or mech into a territory with an opponent’s character or mech, the movement ends even if you could move further. After completing the movement of all your units, if any of your mechs or characters are still in the same territory as an opponent’s mechs or characters,combat occurs.
Workers Moving to a Territory with Opponent’s Units
Your workerscannot move into a territory with opponent’s units alone.Similarly, they cannot leave a territory with opponent’s units alone. They can only do so with the help of mechs.
Moving to a Territory with Structures
If a territory containsonly a structure, any unit can move there. The player who controls the unit that moved there also controls the territory with the structure.
Cannot Move to Home Base
Under normal circumstances,you cannot move to a Home Base, even if it is adjacent to your territory. The Home Base is only accessible after a defeat.
Moving to a Territory with an Encounter Token
If your character moves to a territory with an encounter token, the movement ends. After all combats are resolved, discard the encounter token anddraw an encounter card to resolve it.
Bolster Action
To perform this action, first pay one coin. Then choose one option:
Trade Action
Produce Action
When you select the Produce action,choose two different territories.Each worker on those territoriesproduces one resource specific to that territory.All produced resources are placed on that territory. If a worker produces another worker,take the leftmost workerfrom your mat and place it on the respective territory.
As you produce more workers, the cost of performing the Produce action increases due to the symbols that appear from left to right in the pay section. Here are the terrain types and what they produce:
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Bottom Row Actions
Bottom Row actions function similarly to Top Row actions. Remember to perform them in order: first, the Top Row action, and then the Bottom Row action in that section.Both actions are optional.Even if you perform the Top Row action, you do not have to perform the Bottom Row action.
You are not required to take the coin rewards from the Bottom Row action.
Additionally, if you have removed the cylinder from the bottom right of that section, a green circular area will be revealed. If you perform the Bottom Row action in that section, don’t forget to take the bonus shown in that green area. In a multiplayer game, if your opponent performs the Bottom Row action in the section where you have removed the cylinder,you will receive the bonus indicated.
Upgrade Action
When you perform this action, take one of the technology cubes fromthe green areas in the Top Rowof your Player Mat andplace it in one of the red areas with bracketed bordersin the Bottom Row. This makes your Top Row action more efficient while reducing the cost of your Bottom Row action.
Deploy Action
When you perform this action,take one of the mechs from your Faction Matand place it on aterritory you control that has at least one worker.The area on your Faction Mat where you removed the mech will now provide you with a permanent bonus. Remember, you cannot deploy mechs to a lake.
Build Action
When you perform this action,take one of the four buildings from your Player Matand place it on aterritory you control that has at least one worker.Here are the features of the buildings:
Whenever you take the Trade action,gain one Power.
Buildings provideend-game scoring based on their placement.Additionally, if there is no enemy unit in the territory where your structure is located, you are considered to control that territory. Onlyone structure can exist in each territory, regardless of which player owns it.
Even if your opponents control the territory where your structure is,they cannot use its effects.You benefit from your structures' effects even if you do not control the territory, except for the Mill. you’re able to build a structure on the territory with the Factory butnot on territories with a Home Base or Lake.
Enlist Action
The Enlist action allows you toremove one of the cylinder-shaped tokens from any Bottom Rowaction on your Player Mat. Place the removed token on one of the small circular spaces in thebottom left corner of your Faction Mat.You immediately gain the one-time bonus indicated in the space you covered.
Additionally, you will now see the symbol in thegreen circle that was revealedwhen you removed the cylinder. From now on,whenever you or the players to your left or rightperform the associated Bottom Row action, you gain the bonus shown in the green circle.
The active player gains the benefit first, followed by the player to their left, and then the player to their right. If any of these players place their sixth star, thegame immediately ends.In a two-player game, if your opponent has removed the cylinder from the relevant space and you perform the associated Bottom Row action, your opponentgains the benefit only once.
Faction Differences
Each faction has unique abilities that set them apart from others. you’re able to find these abilities in thetop right corner of your Faction Mat.
Unique Ability
Rusviet
you’re able to select the same sectionon your Player Mat as you did on your previous turn. This ability does not apply to Factory cards.
Crimea
Once per turn, you canuse a combat card as if it were any resource.
Nordic
Your workerscan cross rivers.This does not include lakes. Additionally, your mechs and character cannot use this ability.
Polonia
When resolving encounter cards, you canchoose two options instead of one.You can use the resources gained from the first option to pay for the second option.
Saxony
There isno limit to the number of stars you can placefrom combat or objectives. You can complete and place stars for both of your objectives. Additionally, as long as you still have stars to place and you win a combat, you can place a star for the victory.
Additionally, with each Mech you deploy using the Deploy action, you gain permanent abilities unique to your faction. Here are those permanent abilities:
Fourth Ability
Your character and mechs can move fromrivers to villages or farms.
Villages you control and factoryterritories are considered adjacent for the movement of your character and mechs.
If you haveat least one workerin combat, you’re able to play an additional combat card.
When your character and mechs move, they can move one extra territory.
Your character and mechs can move fromrivers to farms or tundras.
Your character can move from any territory or your Home Baseto your own Home Base or any inactive faction’s Home Base.
Before combat, draw a combat card atrandom from your opponent’s hand.You can do this once per combat.
Your character and mechs can move fromrivers to forests or mountains.
Your character or mechs canmove to or from lakes.When retreating, you can move to adjacent lakes. Your mech cannot leave workers or resources alone on lakes. Combat can occur if another faction moves in the lake. No structures or mechs can be deployed on lakes.
Before combat,pay one power to make your opponent lose two power.This must be done on the Power Track. You can do this once per combat.
Your character and mechs can move fromrivers to villages or mountains.
Your character or mechs canmove to or from lakes.Your mech cannot leave workers or resources alone on lakes. Combat can occur if another faction moves in the lake. No structures or mechs can be deployed on lakes.
If you are the attacking side in combat and win, youdo not lose popularityafter forcing the opponent’s workers to retreat.
Mountains you control and tunnelsare considered adjacent for movement of your character and mechs.
Before combat in a tunnel or your mine,your opponent loses two powers.This must be done on the Power Track. You can do this once per combat.
How Combat Works
After a player’s Move action, Combat can occurbefore the Bottom Row action takes place.Combat happens when one player’s Mech or character is in the same territory as another player’s Mech or character. Combat can occur in multiple territories, and the active player chooses the order in which combats resolve. The victor of the combat earns a star.
Before combat, a playercan bribe the opponent to prevent them from attacking.The only thing that can be used for bribery is coins; other items cannot be used for bribery. Bribery cannot occur during combat, and if players share the same territory, combat must occur.
There is no requirement to have a specific amount of popularity or power to enter combat. The attacker in combat uses their mech abilities first, followed by the defending player. Additionally,if combat results in a tie, the attacker wins the combat.
During combat, both sidestake the Power Dial and secretly choose a number, up to their maximum power indicated on the Power Track. Then, both sidescan tuck power cards behind the dialequal to the total number of mechs and characters involved in the combat.
Tucking cards is optional; you can choose to tuck zero cards even if you select a number. Remember to keep the number of chosen or tucked cards hidden during combat.
Revealing Dials
After preparing their dials and power cards, both sidessimultaneously reveal their dials.The total power shown on the Power Dial and the tucked power cards is considered. Theside with the highest power wins the combat.
However, if powers are tied, the attacker wins the combat. Then,both sides reduce their power on the Power Trackby the amount shown on their dials and discard the used cards openly onto the game board’s discard section.
The winning sideplaces a star on the Triumph Track.Note that through combat, you canplace a total of two stars.The winning attacker losesone popularity for each worker retreatedby the losing defender. Then, if there is an Encounter Token present, the winning side discards it and draws an Encounter card.
The losing sideretreats all their units to their Home Base.All resources carried by those units remain in the territory where the combat occurred. If the losing side used at least one power card during combat,they gain one power card after retreating.
If placing a sixth star immediately ends the game after combat, any units in other territories with ongoing combats are retreated to their respective territories. Combat can occur on a lake if both players can move to the lake.
What Are Encounters?
When your character moves to a territory with an encounter token, your charactercannot move for the remainder of the turn.The encounter token is discarded, and youdraw an encounter card. Before resolving the encounter, remember tocomplete any ongoing combats you have.Similarly, encounters must be resolved before performing Bottom Row actions.
After choosing an option from the encounter card, place itface down under the Encounter Deck. If you cannot pay the required coins or popularity for an option on the encounter card, you cannot choose that option. Additionally, you are not obligated to claim all benefits offered by the chosen option. For example, if you are supposed to gain three wood, you can choose to take only one.
Any rewards gained from the encounter card areadded to the territory where your character is located.There is no additional cost for actions taken from the encounter card, and they do not trigger anything on the Player Mat. If an encounter token is in a combat area, it triggers the winner’s encounter after combat concludes.
The Factory
Unlike other territories, the Factorydoes not produce any resources.Controlling the Factory at the end of the game is equivalent tocontrolling three territories.When your character first moves to the Factory territory during their turn, look at all the Factory cards on the board.Choose one card, keep it, and return the others to the board.
The Factory card you acquirefunctions similarly to the sections on your Player Mat.When you take a Factory card, you can place it to the right or left of your Player Mat. This card provides you with a fifth option on your Player Mat.
The ‘move’ action on the Factory card differs from the move action on your Player Mat. With the move action on this card, you canmove one of your units twice.Note that you cannot acquire multiple Factory cards, and once acquired, you cannot change the card.
Objectives
At the beginning of the game, you’re able to completeone of the two objective cardsyou received at any time during your turn, either before or after top or bottom row actions.
When you complete an objective, remember toplace a star on the corresponding space on the Triumph Trackon the game board. Once you complete an objective, place both objectives face down under the Objective deck.
If you are playing as the Saxony faction, you do not need to discard the second objective card after completing the first one.
You may choose to reveal and complete an objective card at any time, but you must fulfill its condition upon revealing it.
Placing Stars
When any player placestheir sixth star on the Triumph Track, the game immediately ends.The more stars you place, the more advantageous it is because they provide extra points at the end of the game.
Once you place a star on the Triumph Track, you do not lose it. For example, if you have placed a star with 16 power and later your power decreases, you do not need to remove that star from the Triumph Track.
Placing a star in a space on the Triumph Track does not prevent other players from placing stars there. Here are the conditions for placing stars on the Triumph Track from left to right:
Scoring and Tie Breakers
Once a player places their sixth star, the game immediately ends, and the scoring phase begins. During the scoring phase, the following are calculated:
Coins
Countall coins you have accumulatedthroughout the game. Additional coins you earn at the end of the game are added to this total.
Stars
Earn coins based on your position on the popularity track foreach star you have placed.
Controlled Territories
Earn coins based on your position on the popularity track foreach territory you control.
Controlled Resources
Earn coins based on your position on the popularity track forevery two resources you control.
Structure Bonus Tiles
Earn extra coins based on the structures you have placedaccording to the structure bonus tile.You do not need to control these structures.
After calculating your coins, the player with the most coins wins the game. In case of a tie, tie-breakers are prioritized from highest to lowest as follows:
Additionally, the winning player has the right to write their name in two different areas on the Achievement Sheet.
