How to Play The Voyages of Marco Polo: Dice, Contracts & Travel
The Voyages of Marco Polo is a five-round dice-placement game. Dice values determine action strength while asymmetric character powers deliberately break major rules.
Scope: original standalone base game.
Roll your dice at the start of each round
Your dice become workers for the round. Low values can be useful because occupied action spaces often charge based on the value of the die you place.
Place one or more dice on an action space
Use the required number of dice and resolve the action at the strength indicated by the space and die values.
Gain resources and money
Market actions provide camels, pepper, silk, gold and coins needed for contracts and travel.
Take and complete contracts
Contracts require specified resources and provide money, goods, travel movement or other rewards when fulfilled.
Travel across Asia
Spend movement, camels and coins to move your figure between cities. Placing trading posts unlocks city bonuses and can advance end-game objectives.
City actions
Some trading posts give immediate rewards; large cities can unlock recurring action spaces only for players who reached them.
Character powers
Each character changes a major rule or resource constraint. Read your power as part of setup because it should shape your economy from round one.
Endgame
After five rounds, score destination cards, completed-contract bonuses and other final categories specified by the base rules.