Here’s my first version of the rules for Mycelia, which we are submitting to the Game Crafter lunchtime game challenge competition:

MYCELIA

FUNGUS FAMILIES

by Drayer ink

Mycelia is a competitive abstract strategic game about creating a network of interconnected types of mycelium so your Fungus Families can fruit.

Players take turns placing hex tiles, creating gaps in the middle called “Environments”; if the symbols around your Environment match the 4 symbols on one of your Fungus Family cards, you can place your token in the space, with a Fairy Ring bonus if you match the 5th symbol, too.

The player with the highest score in tokens and bonuses when the tiles run out is the winner!

Simple to learn and easy for spectators to follow, it’s great as a filler on game night, or as a quick lunchtime activity.

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STORY

You represent several Fungus Families, trying to tailor their environment to allow for the perfect Fairy Ring.

WHAT’S IN THE BOX?

• 42 Fungus Family cards
• 32 Mycelium tiles
• 10 matching Mushroom tokens and 5 Fairy Ring tokens per player
• Rulebook

SETUP

Shuffle the Fungus Family cards, and deal three to each player. Place the rest of the deck to the side of the playing area.

Shuffle the hex tiles and deal them into three face-down piles to the other side of the playing area. Place the last tile face-up in the centre. Flip the top tile from each pile face-up.

ON YOUR TURN

Every turn, you place two tiles from the face-up options, continuing the “flower” pattern, and trying to create environments that suit your cards.

Once you have placed the final tile, the Environment is “closed” and can now support a fruit.

FUNGUS FAMILY CARDS

Each player starts with three Fungus Family cards. As with the Mycelium tiles, Fungus Family cards feature Environment symbols – 4 standard symbols, that must be matched, and a Bonus Fairy Ring symbol.

FAIRY RINGS

You have 10 fruit tokens, and 5 Fairy Ring tokens.

Once you match your Fungus Family card to an environment, place your token in the space.

If you have matched the bonus symbol as well, you may also add a Fairy Ring token.

MYCELIUM TILES

Each tile has up to 6 Environment symbols on it, one for each edge. These symbols represent things that help mushrooms fruit in real life:

If a pile of tiles runs out, do not replenish it from the other two. When the second pile runs out, the game is over.

STRATEGY

The big choices are:

1 – How to place your Mycelium tiles so your opponent can’t close an Environment

2 – Pushing your luck before closing an Environment to try and get the Bonus

3 – Deciding when to take tiles from the smaller piles to accelerate game end

END OF THE GAME

Play until the second of the three piles of tiles runs out.

The winner has the highest score in Mushroom tokens and Fairy Rings (1 point each).