Earth — the board game: setup guide

Setup 01

Choose one of the four routes

Start with Earth or Earth with Abundance, then choose two or three players. The extra opponent changes the number of follower opportunities between active turns. Use the matching scenario’s components and opening resources.

Setup 02

Give every ecosystem room to grow

Leave space for a four-by-four tableau beside each player board. Separate the shared Earth deck and discard from each player’s compost pile. A discarded card belongs to neither player; a composted card is retained for its owner’s scoring.

Setup 03

Lay out the shared objectives

The base table presents four Fauna races and two shared Ecosystems. Read what counts before placing tableau cards. Fauna rewards reaching conditions quickly, while an Ecosystem checks the final arrangement, so these cards should remain readable throughout play.

Setup 04

Prepare player cards and resources

Follow the route’s Island, Climate and Ecosystem choices and their starting instructions. Sort Soil, sprouts, Growth pieces and leaves into distinct supplies. Soil pays planting costs; sprouts and Growth also contribute to the final value of an ecosystem.

Setup 05

Confirm what the first action will do

Compare the major and follower benefits on the player boards before beginning. The recorded deal is fixed for teaching and is not a normal right to choose a whole opening deck. In Abundance, inspect the additional resources and germination rules in that separate setup.

Before your first move

The active player chooses Plant, Compost, Water or Grow. Other players receive a follower benefit, then the relevant abilities activate. Your own turns are only part of your economy: opponents’ choices can supply resources and trigger useful cards between them.

This is a setup companion for the scenarios below, not a replacement for the publisher’s complete setup diagrams. Open the guided table to inspect the exact locations and the recorded deal.