Designed by Klaus Palesch
Translation by Richard Ingram
Typed (subjectively) by eyeofnight@bogo.co.uk
Published by Goldseiber 1998
Copyright 1998 Simba Toys
Translation posted October 18, 1998
Distributed from The Rules Bank by Mike Siggins
A fossil collecting game for 2-6 players, aged 10 and up.
Remove all tiles from their frames before starting.
There are 9 different fossils, each consisting of 9 'find' tiles. The pictures should be easy to assemble. The tiles are marked with values (little symbols like fish, dots), 1 of 3 points, 2 of 2 points and 6 of 1 point per fossil.
The board is in 2 sections: the playing area, where tiles are laid and the scoring area, where scores are recorded with markers.
Mix the face-down tiles, then, starting in the top left corner of the board, set them out on the board, turnng them face up.
Each player receives their colour and score markers. Each score marker starts on the 30 space. Keep your colour marker in front of you so everyone knows your current score (the symbols on them are meaningless).
Discard unused markers, but keep the value markers to one side.
One player places the stones on 2 different tiles. The player on their left begins.
Remove all tiles for 2 fossils and all other tiles worth 3 points from the game. Then, starting in the top left corner, only lay out tiles on a 7x7 grid. The remaining 7 tiles are also removed from the game.
The stones are neutral and can be moved by all players. On your turn, move one stone horizontally or vertically, but do not pass over another stone. Pick up the tile where the stone is moved to and place it in front of you, keeping similar tiles in stretched out piles (see illustration on page 2 of rules).
Players must declare their destination before moving a stone, and must pay 1 point for each tile that the stone moves over and lands on.
If a player cannot afford to move, they cannot make it, and must sit out if necessary (that is, if their scoring cube has reached zero). ((Presumably you can move freely over empty places, but must end on a tile and hence pay at least 1 point)).
When a player takes the last tile of any fossil, it is scored. Before scoring, the same player may exchange one tile with a tile belonging to another player. The opponent may not refuse. The exchanged tiles must be of the same value. The tiles may belong to different fossils, and may include those of the fossil that is about to be scored.
Each player with tiles belonging to the fossil being scored adds the points depicted on their tiles and then multiplies the result by the number of tiles they have. (For example, if you have 3 tiles worth 2, 2 and 1, your total value is 5 x 3 =15).
Record points on the scoring track. Players with none of the appropriate tiles must pay as many points as the highest scoring player has tiles. These points are paid to the highest scoring player. If you don't have enough points, pay what you can. The receiving player however still receives their full entitlement, but no minus score is noted. (For example; Ann owes Bill 3 points, but only has 2 left. Bill gains 3 points, and Ann is down to zero, not minus one).
If 2 players both score the most for one fossil, the points paid by the other players are split equally between them, remainders being ignored. However the paying player must pay its debt in full. (For example, Ann must pay 5 points, though Bill and Carol only collect 2 each).
After scoring, the tiles are removed from the game
If a player reaches 100 points, they take the 100 points marker and sets their cube to show the excess.
Only the most succesful player(?) scores points as described above. With ties, both players get due points. Other players score their tiles by adding the points but don't multiply. Players without tiles must still pay as before. ((Presumably, most successful player means the player with the most tiles in that fossil)).
The game ends when neither stone may legally move to a new tile. Incomplete fossils are then scored as before, but no tile exchanges are allowed. The player with most points wins.