Das Vermächtnis des Maharaja

Designer	Michael Schacht
Publisher	ABACUSSPIELE
Players	2-4
Suggested Age	10 and up
Additional Info	216694/das-vermachtnis-des-maharaja http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/216694/das-vermachtnis-des-maharaja/forums/63

Note: This is English/German version

You need to collect antiques in Das Vermächtnis Des Maharaja, a.k.a. Maharaja, but more than that you need proof that those antiques form a collection and aren't merely a hodgepodge of old trinkets.

To set up the game, shuffle the 36 antique cards (six types in six colors), lay out four on the table, give each player 4-5 rupees (depending on turn order), and lay out the fifteen collection cards. Place the trade cards — numbered 4-3-3-2-2 in a four-player game — on the table in a row, then place a gold coin worth 3 rupees on each trade card.

On a turn, a player either takes the leftmost gold coin from a trade card or pays the cost shown on the leftmost trade card bearing a coin to purchase one of the antique cards on display. After doing either of these, the player can claim a collection card as long as they own the antiques depicted on that card; many collection cards force you to discard one of the antiques depicted, which then sets you back toward claiming other collection cards. To end your turn, pay taxes so that you have at most 8 rupees. As soon as all the gold coins are claimed or the antique cards purchased, the round ends, after which you refill the trade cards and lay out four new antique cards.

Once the antique cards run out, the game ends and players discard any antique cards they hold if they have only one card of that color. Then they tally their scores based on their collection and antique cards and the money they still hold. Whoever has the most points wins.