Promised Land — Game Manual

Languages: English · Español · Português

Overview

Promised Land is a turn-based strategy board game set during the Hebrew invasion of the land of Canaan in the Bronze Age and its consolidation as a kingdom. The game’s backdrop is drawn from the biblical books of Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles.

Each player commands a tribe of Hebrews across a hex map: placing generals, collecting income, raising armies, fortifying villages and cities, and fighting over territory with the other players and with the peoples who already dwell in the land.

Objective

The goal of the game is to conquer the land God promised to the Hebrews. To do so, players must subdue the peoples who inhabited the region — while remaining obedient to God. Disobedience fills the Cup of the Wrath of God, and when it overflows, foreign generals are sent to ravage the region, destroying settlements and carrying off the survivors as slaves.

The first player to reach 3 victory points wins the game. Points can be earned by controlling regions (Judge titles), crowning a king from your tribe, or erecting the Tabernacle in one of your cities.

Mechanics

The game is played in rounds, each divided into seven phases — some controlled by the players, others resolved automatically:

1. Announcements — The events happening this round (such as famines and sandstorms) are announced, along with king elections and successions to each region’s judge title.
2. Draw Cards — Each player receives two cards. They may be generals to place on the map, items to equip on generals, single-use cards, or events. Event cards are revealed, go to the Events Area, and are announced the following round.
3. Income — Each player collects income in proportion to their domains.
4. Acquisitions — Each player may buy titles, troops, and improvements for their villages and cities, and ransom captive generals.
5. Movement — Generals move across the map according to their speed and may lay siege to enemies.
6. Combat — When generals of different players end their movement on the same hex, combat may break out. Each player chooses how many troops to sacrifice in the battle and which cards to play.
7. Check Victory — Victory points are tallied; the first player to reach 3 points is the winner of Promised Land.

Chapters

• The Board: Terrain, Regions and Settlements — the four terrains and their movement rules, the six regions and their settlements, villages and cities, and improvements (walls, developments and the Tabernacle).
• The Player Boards — the Players panel part by part, what the order of the boards means, and the difference between generals and items.
• The Announcements Phase — how the Wrath of God is measured, the invaders move, events fall, and titles change hands.
• The Automatic Phases: Income and Check Victory — what each settlement pays, the victory points, ties, and the four ways a game ends.
• Judges and Kings — the titles that carry the points: how to claim and lose them, the King election, and the powers of the crown.
• The Events Area — the panel right of the map: events waiting, events in force, draw and discard piles, and the region legend.
• The Draw Cards Phase — what is dealt each round, how to place generals and attach items, and which cards can be played in the phase.
• The Acquisitions Phase — the shopping panel, the improvements, Judge titles, ransoming captives and the Sacrifice for the Guilt.
• The Movement Phase — terrain cost, what blocks a move, taking command of troops, and sieges.
• The Combat Phase — declaring, responding, effective strength, the battle cards, and the choice between conquering and looting.
• The Cup of the Wrath of God and the Invaders — what fills the cup, the judgement at 13 points, and how the Canaanite invaders arrive, move and fight.
• The Game’s Cards — the full catalogue: the 24 generals with their stats, and the effect of every item, single-use card and event.