Mountaineers is a strategic board game in which 1-6 players compete against each other and AI climbers to earn climbing points (victory points) as they maneuver around an 18 in./45 cm tall rotating 3D modular game board.
Mountaineers is lighthearted and fun, primarily focused on competitive route finding, resource management, character building, and upgrades, while challenging players to react to various exciting (and sometimes comical) events that occur on the mountain.
Strategy during both set-up and gameplay is important. At the beginning of a game, players need to choose four climbing routes, one character, and a starting position that work well together, in order to earn the maximum amount of points possible. However, as the game progresses, the mountain terrains fill up, making it more difficult to complete certain climbing routes.
Additionally, various mountain conditions change (once per player), and event cards (drawn on each turn) require players to adapt their strategy, change their climbing routes, and purchase various combinations of gear upgrades to continue climbing.
Resource management is important as players start with a limited number of thirty route markers and will on average draw only sixty supply tokens during a game. Depending on the game and the various difficulty of event cards used, players have to balance how often they spend supplies and route markers in order to climb efficiently and complete routes.
Climbing strategy is also important. Players must be careful in what order they complete routes, how they maneuver on the mountain, and whether or not they pay extra to “lock in” certain route markers to avoid sabotage by other players.
A typical turn involves drawing an event card, resolving the conditions of the event card (which may apply to other players), saving the event card for later use with your character, performing 0 to 2 regular actions, 0 to 1 special actions (if available), and special character actions (as allowed).
Games with 1 to 4 players last ten rounds, each player drawing a total of ten event cards, and 5 to 6 player games last for eight rounds (with eight event cards/player). For 1 to 2 player games (and more challenging 3 to 5 player games), an “AI” mechanism can cause “automated climbers” to move around the mountain, placing route markers and blocking/sabotaging players.
The goal of a 2-6 player game is to have the most victory points at the game end, and the goal of a one-player game is to have a specified number of victory points, based on the type of route cards drawn.
Components:
12 Automated Climber Cards
60 Carabiners (Cardboard, spares)
60 Carabiners (Wood)
6 Card & Component Trays
12 Character Cards
6 Climbers (Cardboard, spares)
6 Climbers (Plastic Miniatures)
55 Climbing Route Cards
8 Competition Climbing Goals + Stands
12 Competition Climbing Markers
1 Conditions Board + Stands
1 Conditions Board Marker
1 Dice
80 Event Cards
1 Game Board
1 Game Spinner
6 Guide Cards
6 Mountain Sides
192 Pitons (Laser Engraved Wood)
5 Rubber Bands
1 Rule Book
6 Score Trackers
90 Supplies
6 Upgrade Boards
Noble Knight Games
