A Game for 2-4 Players by H. Jean Vanaise, Flying Turtle Games
The waters of the Nile flow slowly past the fertile fields and shining
temples, as it has always done. The Nile does not notice the struggle
for control of the great valley. The great and powerful hope to claim
the kingship of the valley by expanding their influence in the largest
and most valuable regions, while thwarting the growth of competing
factions. Can you claim the favor of the gods and reign supreme over
the Kingdom of Egypt?
OBJECT OF THE GAME
During the game, you and your opponents place tiles and create the
hallowed kingdom of Kemet (ancient Egypt). You expand the Nile
using blue river tiles. You create the neighboring regions using green,
red, black, and brown land tiles. These tiles form regions. If you hold
the most influence in a region, you control it. The number of tiles in a
region determines its value.
When 2 types of tiles run out, the game ends and the player with the
most valuable regions is proclaimed the winner!
GAME COMPONENTS
Besides these rules, Horus includes the following items:
™
• 120 Tiles (80 terrain tiles plus 40 special tiles);
• 80 Influence Markers (20 each of four colors);
• 54 Cards; and
• 1 Tile Bag.
SETTING UP THE GAME
Cards
Terrain
Tiles
Special
Tiles
Influence
Markers
Tile Bag
Unlike most games, Horus has no board set up prior to play. Instead, the players will build the
ever-evolving board during the game, based on the placement of their tiles.
Before you play, sort out the tiles by the symbols on their back. Place the Temple of Horus and all
of the other gold-backed “random” tiles with the reddish scarab symbol in the bag and mix them
up. Sort the purple-backed “selection” tiles bearing the greenish scarab
symbol by type, face-up, into 4 piles by the play area. Place a 5th pile
containing the river/necropolis tiles beside them.
Then, place the silver-backed “river-start” tile bearing the black steppyramid (stacked mastaba) face-up in the center of the
playing area. Place the 2 “river-end” tiles bearing the
golden barges on either end of the river-start as shown.
Take all 20 influence markers of your chosen color.
Give each player 1 purple-backed “river-transport” card.
Now shuffle the gold-backed cards and deal 5 to each
player. You should keep your hand of cards hidden from
other players throughout the game. Place the remaining
cards face down near the playing area.
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SEQUENCE OF PLAY
The youngest player begins the game.
After the first player’s turn is over, play proceeds clockwise in a
series of player turns. During your turn, you take up to 4 steps in
the order shown in the illustration to the right.
Explore the Kingdom
First, draw 1 random tile from the tile bag and place it adjacent
to one or more tiles in the kingdom.
Expand Your Influence
Second, play a card from your hand. Third, depending on the
card played, you select a tile from the face-up tiles in the reserve
and place it adjacent to 1 or more tiles a region. Then fourth, if
possible, place an influence marker on a region whose size
corresponds to the number on the card.
PLAYING TILES
A kingdom is composed of tiles. There are 4 types of region tiles:
• (Brown) Desert: This wild, arid land offers mystery and
protects the kingdom from invasion.
• (Red) Hills: Here the Egyptians create rich monuments and
tombs for their kings and their royal families and retainers.
• (Black) Farmland: Replenished by
the flooding river, the black alluvial
farmland of Kemet harbors settlements and cities.
• (Green) Marsh: Teaming with flora and
fauna, the marsh offers food, reeds, and
papyrus.
The kingdom also contains 3 types of
special tiles: River tiles, Necropolis tiles,
and the Temple of Horus.
When you play a tile, you add it to the
kingdom. Every new tile must touch at
least 1 other tile already in play. Each tile is
marked by an indentation at the halfway
point to help you place the tiles correctly.
You may place a tile so it lines up with the entire side of the adjacent
tile or so that its corner aligns with the indentation on the adjacent tile
(i.e., the cut-in at the halfway mark).
Example 1: Hill tile “A” has been placed so that it lines up with the neighboring River tile “B.” Marsh tile
“C” is placed at the halfway mark adjacent to another Marsh tile “D.”
Farmland tile “E” has been placed incorrectly, because it is not lined up by the halfway mark to Desert tile
“F”! Desert tile “G” is also incorrectly placed, for it sits at an angle to the other tiles.
Since tiles can be place either full or halfway to another tile, it is possible to create empty areas in
the kingdom. This is okay. In fact, clever use of these empty areas can give you an advantage
against your opponents!
CREATING REGIONS
When a tile is placed, it becomes part of a region. A region is a group of connected tiles that are all
of the same type. (All symbols on the terrain tiles are for flavor only, so they are equivalent in value!)
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Example 2: The Hill region (A) is made up of 4 tiles. Farmland region
“B” contains only 3 tiles. The Desert tile (C) separates it from the other
Farmland tile (D). The River (E) is never part of any region. Neither is
the Temple of Horus (F) nor the Necropolis (G).
At the end of the game, each region will score points for the player that controls it. The value of each region is equal to the number
of tiles within that region. So, in Example 2, Hill region “A” would
be worth 4 points, and
Farmland “B” region
Example 2
would be worth 3 points.
A single isolated tile like
“C” or “D” also forms a
region, but it is a region
worth only 1 point.
All regions located on
islands double in value.
Two or more regions may
share an island.
Regions have no size
limit. A region can include
every tile (i.e., 20) of a
Example 1
given terrain type.
Regardless of its size,
though, no region can ever be worth more than 10 points.
THE RIVER NILE
At the beginning of the game, the only tiles in play are
the lone river-start and the 2 river-end tiles. During the
game, you will “explore the Nile,” adding more tiles to the
river and causing it to grow. In some cases, the river may
completely surround a region or group of regions, thus
forming an island.
As you add tiles, the river-end tiles may at times move. Note that a river-end tile can never be
completely blocked. It must have a least 1 open end (see page 4).
No player can control the Nile. You may not place influence markers on river tiles during the
game.
Exploring the River
Save “river-transport” (see page 7), there are no cards bearing images of river tiles. The only way
that the river will normally expand is when you draw a river tile from the bag during the
Exploration phase (step 1) of your turn. When you draw a river tile, you must add it to the river.
The new river tile must be placed so that it replaces 1 of the river-end tiles. You then move the
river-end anywhere adjacent to the newly-placed river tile. As usual, the river-end tile may line up
fully with the new river tile, or it can line up halfway.
After adding the random river tile and moving the river-end, you must then take a
second river tile, this time selecting a river tile from the reserve stacks. You then have
2 choices of tile play:
• River: You may add the second tile to the river at any point along the river. If you
choose to move a river-end tile, you can replace it with the new river tile and play
that river-end anywhere adjacent to the river.
• Necropolis: The back-side of each river tile shows a gray “necropolis” (burial city).
You may choose to turn over the second river tile and play it as a necropolis instead.
Necropolis tiles may be played like regular (non-river) tiles. But, necropolis tiles are
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never part of any region (even when they are adjacent to other
necropolis tiles!), and you may never place an influence marker
on a grey necropolis tile. Unlike the Temple of Horus (see below),
a necropolis does not add to the value of nearby regions.
Example 3: Larry picks a random river tile (A) from the bag and replaces
the upper river-end tile (B), moving the river-end up and to the left of its old
location. He then selects a river tile from the reserve and plays it as a
necropolis (C). Later, Jane picks a river tile (D) and replaces and moves the
other river-end (E). She then selects a second river tile from the reserve and
plays it as a river tile (F). When she placed this second tile (F), Jane could
have elected to replace a river-end and put that river-end anywhere along the
river (e.g., at F, beside river-start, etc.).
Changing the Course of the River
At the beginning of the game, there are only three special river tiles on
the table. Two mark the end of the river. These tiles may move, but they
can never be completely blocked. They must have an “exit.”
As noted, when you play a second river during your turn, you may
move one of the river-end tiles to any point along the river. Of course,
you may never place any tile—including a river-end—where it would
block a river-end tile.
Sometime players will create a split in the river. That means that the
river will have three or more ways or “forks” to go. Whatever the case,
though, the river will have only two river-ends. Any additional river
forks can be completely blocked through tile play.
Example 3
Example 4: The river has four forks at A, B, C, and D. Two forks—B and D—are river-ends. These tiles
may move, and they can never be fully blocked. Tiles A and C are regular river tiles. They cannot move and,
unless they’re later “protected” by an adjacent river-end, they may be surrounded and blocked.
THE TEMPLE OF HORUS
A special green and gold random tile represents the great Temple
of Horus. It is always placed in the bag at the beginning of the
game. When drawn, it must be played adjacent to the river but not
adjacent to any region. It must stand alone beside the mighty Nile.
Discard the Temple of Horus if it cannot be properly placed.
The Temple of Horus is the local center of religion. Whoever
controls the surrounding regions receives a great boost to their
prestige. Any region with at least one tile adjacent to the Temple
of Horus is worth double its normal value. Still, the Temple of
Horus cannot raise the value of any region higher than the limit
of 10 points.
Example 4
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Example 5: Catherine drew the Horus tile (A) from the bag and then
placed it by a river tile (B). At the time there were no region tiles
adjacent to the temple. Later, Bob placed a Desert tile (F) next to the
temple. In time, the Farmland (D) and Hill (C) regions grew adjacent
to the temple. The Farmland (D) is now worth 8 points (4x2). The
Hills (C) are worth 10 points (while 6x2=12, the maximum value of a
region is 10). The Desert by Horus (F) is worth 2 points (1x2), while
the other Desert (E) is worth but 1 point.
Since this is a holy place, no one may ever claim control of it. You
may not place your influence markers on the Temple of Horus.
The temple is never part of any region. It simply enhances the
value of surrounding regions.
CREATING INFLUENCE
When playing a card, you perform 2 actions, which are
independent and sequential:
• First, play the tile (or tiles) shown on the card, selecting
the tile from the face-up tiles in the reserve.
• Second, you place or—in the special case of “rivertransport”—move an influence marker.
Selecting and Playing Tiles
You play a tile designated by your card in the same way
you play a random tile. If the card bears a picture of two
river/necropolis tiles, you play 2 such tiles as you desire.
Again, any river tile played from the reserve may be played
anywhere adjacent to the river. You may also use such a tile
to move a river-end. (See page 4.) If the tile symbol on the
card is blank and bears a black question mark (?) symbol,
you may select and play any face-up tile available (including
a river/necropolis tile).
Playing Influence
Markers
You play your influence marker according
to the number (or number range) designated
Example 5
by your card. You may
play your influence
marker on a region with a size exactly equal to this number.
Remember that the play of an influence marker is always
independent of tile play. You do not have to play your
influence marker in the region where you just played a tile,
nor do you have to place an influence marker in a region
of the type designated on your card. You may still end up
playing an influence marker in a region you just created or
grew because it’s your sole or desired option.
Example 6: Schar, the black player, decides to play a “Desert 5”
card (A). The card tells her to take 2 sequential steps using a
Desert tile (B) and an influence marker (C). First, she plays the
Desert tile (B) above the Necropolis, adding a seventh tile to a
Desert region she already controls with two influence markers
(see Part 1). Second, after playing the Desert tile, she places an
influence marker (C) in the Hill region that contains 5 tiles (see
Part 2 on page 6). She could have elected to have placed the influence marker in the Farmland region, for it also contains 5 tiles.
Playing Influence Markers
With the exception of turn one (see below), you can only
place a marker on a tile if there is a free tile in a group of the
size indicated on the card you played.
Example 6
(Part 1)
Since the numbers on the cards fall within a range of 1-5,
you can only use a card to play an influence marker on regions
containing 1-5 tiles. The only way you can put new influence
markers in regions of 6+ tiles is to either: (1) combine regions
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of like color/terrain (e.g., merge two Hill regions); or (2) move
an influence marker into the region from another region using
“river-transport” (see page 7).
When two regions merge, you combine and recompute all
the influence markers.
First Turn Influence Exception
During each player’s first turn, all numbers on all cards
count as “1.” When you play an influence marker on turn one,
it must be played in a 1-tile region. Once you have played
your first turn, the numbers on your cards are “live” and play
proceeds normally.
River-Transport (Moving Your Influence)
At the beginning of the game, each player receives 1 special,
purple-backed “river-transport” card. This card bears an
image of two river/necropolis tiles and a black barge symbol
in each corner. Once a game, on your turn,
you may play this card instead of playing
a regular card from your hand. Discard it
after you play it. It’s then out of the game.
The river-transport card also allows you
to take two important steps. First, play 2
river/necropolis tiles (see page 4). Second,
you have the option of moving any one of
your influence markers located in a region
bordering the river Nile. The marker may
be moved off any tile in that region, even
if the marker is not adjacent to the river. You may then move
the marker to any other open tile in any (even the same)
region that also borders the river.
Example 6
(Part 2)
FINISHING YOUR TURN
In rare cases, you cannot place an influence marker and your
turn ends after tile play. Upon finishing your turn, draw from
the deck to bring your hand back to five cards.
CONTROLLING A REGION
By having the most influence markers in a region, you control it. You can tie with one or more
opponents for the most influence, thus sharing control of the region. Control only affects scoring.
It is only important at the end of the game, when you count up the value of the regions you control
in order to determine your score.
ENDING THE GAME
The game ends when any 2 of the 5 stacks of the tiles in the reserve are exhausted (i.e., all the tiles
in those stacks have been selected and are in play). The player who uses the last tile in the second
stack finishes his/her turn and the game ends immediately.
Note: When the first of the 4 stacks of terrain tiles is exhausted, players immediately discard any cards they
are holding of that color/type. As you begin your next turn, draw cards to bring your hand back to 5.
SCORING
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Count your points at the end of the game by adding up the score of all the regions you control.
You receive 1 point per tile in a region you control (or tie for control). Double this score if the region
is on an island or borders the Temple of Horus. A doubled score may be doubled.
Note: No region can count more than
10 points, even if it contains more
than ten tiles and/or is doubled or
quadrupled in value.
The player with the most points
wins the game. Ties are ties, so two
or more players can share victory!
Example 7: Here Sophie, the white
player, has 26 (6+4+3+5+8) points.
Catherine, the yellow player, has 22
(6+2+10+1+3) points. Carlo, the
black player, has 19 (4+5+10) points.
Alex, the blue player, has only 18
(6+1+3+8) points. So, Catherine
wins the game!
CREDITS
Game Design: H. Jean Vanaise.
Game Development: H. Jean
Vanaise & Alex Klesen.
Graphics: Pete Fenlon.
Rules: Pete Fenlon, William
Niebling, Jane Meagher.
Rules Development: Alex Klesen,
S. Coleman Charlton, Alex
Yeager, Will Niebling, Robert T.
Carty, Jr., Larry Roznai.
Playtesting: Chevaliers du
Hainaut à Montreal (Cabal,
Fred, Simon, Martin, Yves,
Carlo, Daniel, Paul), the Ann
Arbor Crew, the Toledo Game
Group, the Charlottesville
crew, Kevin Barrett, Jane La
Dame de Hainaut et damoiselle
Catherine, Jocelyn, Dennis &
Kevin, Michel Lalet, Laurent
Levi, Fabrice Sarelli, Mike
Gray, Wyatt Gray, Ron Magin,
Morgan Dontanville, Kris
Burm, Yves, Jerome, Tommy,
Olivier, and Sophie Klesen.
Special Contributions: Uli
Blennemann, André Maack,
Jan-Paul Deurloo, Michael
Bruinsma, Olivia Johnston,
Larry Roznai, Guido Teuber,
Nick Johnson, Luc Mertens, Jo,
Rik, Dominique & Rosemary at
Spiel Mit in Essen.
Copyright © 2008 Mayfair Games, Inc. and Henri Jean
Vanaise. “Horus” is a trademark of Mayfair Games, Inc. &
Henri Jean Vanaise. All rights reserved.
See www.mayfairgames.com.
If you have any damaged or missing parts, please contact
us at “[email protected].” You can also call us at
1-847-677-6655.
In Memorium: With special thanks to Mr. Friedhelm Merz; without him, the
games world would not be the same.
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GAME SUMMARY
In Horus you build the Nile Valley by placing
tiles. You create the game area as you play—by
constructing the river with blue tiles and the
adjacent land with green (marsh), black (farmland), red (hill), and yellow (desert) tiles. Place
tiles along all or half of the side of adjacent tiles.
Adjoining land tiles of like color form regions. You
score points at the end of the game by controlling
these regions with your influence markers.
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Setting Up
Place the 3 silver-backed starting tiles face up
on the board, with the “starting-river” (black
pyramid) tile sitting between the 2 “river-end”
(gold barge) tiles. Put the gold-backed “random”
tiles in the bag. Stack all of the purple-backed
“selection” tiles according to type in 4 face-up
stacks. Stack the river/necropolis tiles beside
them. These 5 stacks constitute the “reserve” tiles.
Now, give each player 1 purple-backed “rivertransport” card. Shuffle the gold-backed cards
and deal 5 face-down to each player. The youngest
player starts clockwise play. On turn 1, all players
treat all numbers on their cards as “1s.”
Turn Sequence
Example 8
Each turn you perform the following actions:
• Draw & Place: Draw a random tile from the bag and play it beside at least 1 tile on the table.
If it’s a river, play it at the river-end, adjust the river-end, and play another river from the
face-up reserve beside the river.
• Play Card & Place: Play a card. Select a tile of the type shown on the card from the face-up
reserve and place it. Play an influence marker on an empty tile in any region of the size
indicated by the number on the card. While the same card determines the choice of the exact tile
type to be placed and the placement of the marker on a tile, these actions are not connected.
• Restore Your Hand: You should end your turn with 5 gold-backed cards in your hand.
Region Control and Value
The number of tiles in a region determines its value. Each tile is worth 1 point. Islands and regions
bordering the Temple of Horus (the green and gold random tile) double in value. No region can
be worth more than 10 points. You score the point value for any region where you have the most
influence tiles. Each player who ties for the most influence points in a region receives full value.
Example 8: Region “A” is worth the max of 10 points for the black player. River-ends “B” can’t be further
blocked through tile play, but may move. Regions “C” and “H” are beside The Temple of Horus and doubled
in value (H = 10 points). Both the blue player and the white player score 8 for Region “D” (black gets 0).
The white player gets 5 for Region “E.” Region “F” is worth but 2 to the yellow player. Region “G” is
shared by 3 players. The yellow player controls “H,” the black player controls “I,” the white player and the
black player share “J,” the yellow player controls “K” (for 1 pt), and the blue player dominates “L” (1 pt).
Game’s End
The game ends when a player finishes a turn that exhausts the second of the 5 stacks of tiles in the
reserve. You each count your points by summing up the values of the regions you control with your
influence markers. The player(s) with the highest point score win(s)! (Ties are ties.)
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