OBJECTIVE OF THE ARK OF THE COVENANT: The objective of The Ark of the Covenant is to be the player with the most points after the final scoring round.
NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 2 to 5 Players
MATERIALS: 72 Land Tiles, 5 Prophets, 40 Followers, 1 Ark of the Covenant, 1 Scoring track, and Instructions
TYPE OF GAME: Area Control Board Game
AUDIENCE: Ages 14 and Up
OVERVIEW OF THE ARK OF THE COVENANT
Players will play for control of temples, cities, roads, and flocks through the use of tiles to create different playing areas. Players attempt to build their following, increasing their word being spread. The players with the most followers in cities and roads earn the most points. The player with the most points, will win the game.
SETUP
Begin setup by placing the starting tile in the middle of the table facing up. The rest of the tiles are shuffled and placed facing down in several stacks across the playing area, allowing all players to reach them. The scoring track should be placed to the side so that the middle playing area is available for tile placement.
Each player will collect eight followers and a prophet in the color of their choosing. They will then collect one additional follower to act as their scoring marker, placing it on the starting space of the track. The last player that read a part of the Bible will begin the game.
GAMEPLAY
Players will take turns in a clockwise order. During their turn, a player must draw a land tile and place it somewhere on the table. They may then choose to place a follower or prophet on the tile that they placed, or they may move the Ark of the Covenant across one to five tiles found on the board. If any road or city is completed, it is scored at this time. The next player may begin their turn.
When placing a land tile, the edge must touch another tile and the road, field, or city segments must be continued. Players can only place one follower during their turn, and it must come from their supply. They may also only be placed on the tile that the player just placed. When a player places their prophet, they are able to score double points in their city.
When the first city is completed, the Ark of the Covenant is placed on the board. Whoever completed the city chooses where the Ark is placed. If a player decides to move the Ark during their turn, then each follower that they pass with the Ark will earn one point. The game continues in this manner until all tiles have been placed.
END OF GAME
When the final land tile is placed, the game comes to an end. The players will then tally their scores. For each temple that is incomplete, the player with the most followers on that temple will earn three points. For each road or city that is not finished, the player will a follower there will earn one point for each piece of the road or city. Scrolls and oases also earn them one point.
A completed road is worth one point for each tile in the road. A completed city is worth two points for each tile in the city and two points for each scroll found in the city. These points are given to the player with a follower on the road or in the city, and if there is more than one follower, then the player with the most followers in that location will earn the points. For a completed temple, the player with the most followers there will score seven points.
Once all of the points are tallied the winner is determined. The player with the most points wins the game.
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