Tapestry Income Turns, Advancement Tracks & Endgame Explained
Tapestry does not use shared rounds in the usual sense. Each civilization advances through its own eras, and an Income turn is what ends one era and starts the next for that player.
How many Income turns do you take?
Every player takes five Income turns during the game. The first turn of the game is your first Income turn. Your fifth Income turn is your final active turn.
What do you do between Income turns?
You normally take Advance turns. Pay the cost shown for the next space on one of the four advancement tracks, move one space, gain its benefit, and optionally pay for a listed bonus when permitted.
Do all players start new eras together?
No. Era timing is asynchronous. One player can begin a new era while another continues taking Advance turns in the previous one.
What happens during an Income turn?
Follow the chart on your income mat. Across the game’s Income turns, the sequence can include civilization abilities, a Tapestry card, a Technology upgrade, victory-point scoring and resource/card/tile income.
Not every step applies on every one of the five Income turns, so use the printed income-mat sequence rather than assuming each Income turn is identical.
What are exposed income icons?
Income Buildings begin on tracks on your income mat. When you gain a Building, you remove it from its track and place it in your capital city. The icon revealed underneath becomes part of later Income scoring or resource production.
What happens on the fifth Income turn?
The fifth Income turn is your end-game turn. Resolve the steps specifically shown for that final Income, including applicable civilization effects, Technology upgrade and victory-point scoring. You do not continue taking normal Advance turns afterward.
Can other players keep playing after you finish?
Yes. Players finish independently. Once your fifth Income turn is complete, your active turns are over while players who have not yet finished continue their civilizations.
When does the whole game end?
When every player has completed their fifth Income turn. Compare final victory-point totals to determine the winner.
Why track tiers matter
Advancement costs and effects change as you progress through track tiers. Being first into certain tiers can also award a landmark, making a single Advance turn relevant to both track value and capital-city scoring.
Common rules mistakes
- Treating eras as shared rounds.
- Taking six Income turns because the first one was assumed to be setup only.
- Gaining every possible Income step on all five turns instead of using the mat’s sequence.
- Continuing to Advance after the fifth Income turn.
- Forgetting to uncover income icons when Buildings leave the income mat.
Related guides
For the complete rules overview, read How to Play Tapestry. For planning advice, continue with Tapestry Strategy. The central overview is Tapestry.