How to Play Small World Rules if you hate rulebooks

I hate rulebooks! This condensed How to Play Small World rules help players get the essential instructions without having to trawl rulebooks.

The Small World overview page introduces you to the game through a summary of the gameplay and videos shared by other gamer.

What is the goal?

There is not enough space in Small World. There too many races living off the land.

In Small World, you will:

pick a fantasy Race and Special Power combination,
use Race’s unique traits and skills to place troops in various regions and conquer adjacent lands
occupy Regions and earn Victory Coins

Eventually, your race will become increasingly over-extended (like those you have already crushed!) and you will need to abandon your race and look for another.

Your victory will depend on you knowing when to push your race into decline and look for a new one to conquer the land of Small World!

Game setup

Pick and place in center, the Small World map that matches your number of players (shown by the symbol next to the Game Turn track).
Place the Game Turn marker on the first spot on the Game Turn track.
The game ends at the end of the turn where the marker reaches the last track position (8th, 9th or 10th turn, depending on the map played).
Pull the removable storage tray with all of its Race tokens out of the box and place it next to the map
Shuffle all the Race banners; draw five at random and lay them face up (i.e. colored side visible) in a single column. Place the remaining banners face up, in a single stack, at the bottom of the column
Shuffle Special Power Badges and place one to the left of each Race banner, its round edge fitting into the banner’s round opening. Stack the rest of the badges in a pile to the left of the Race banners stack
You should now have a total of 6 Race banner and Special Power badge combos visible face-up on the table, including the one on top of the stacks
Place a Lost Tribe token on each Region of the map featuring a Lost Tribe symbol.
Put a Mountain token on each Region of the map featuring a Mountain º
Give each player five “1” Victory coins. Place all remaining coins, including all “3”s, “5”s and “10”s, in a Victory stash next to the board, within easy reach of all players. These coins will serve as your currency during the game, and help determine the winner at the end.

Gameplay

Decide the first player.
Game moves clockwise; new turn begins after everyone has had a turn.
First player moves the Game Turn marker forward and proceeds with the next turn.
When the Game Turn marker reaches the end, one final turn is played, and the game ends.
Player with the most Victory coins wins.

First Turn of the Game

Each player:

Picks a Race and Special Power combo.
Conquers some Regions.
Scores some Victory coins.

Picking a Race and Special Power Combo

Select one combo from the six visible on the table.
Cost is determined by position in the column (top combo is free).
Pay the cost by dropping Victory coins on each combo above the one you pick.
Gain any Victory coins on the selected combo.
Pick the number of Race tokens indicated by the Race banner and Special Power badge.

Replenish the combo column by sliding existing combos up and revealing a new one.
Always have six combos visible.

Replenishing Combos in Small World Board Game

Conquering Regions

Use Race tokens to conquer Regions.
Earn Victory coins for conquered Regions.

First Conquest

Conquer a border Region (adjacent to edge or shore).

Conquering a Region

Requires 2 Race tokens + 1 token for each marker (Encampment, Fortress, Mountain, Troll’s Lair) and for each token already present.
Deploy the used tokens in the conquered Region; they remain there until troop redeployment.
Always have at least one token available to initiate a new Conquest.

Enemy Loss and Withdrawals

Defending player takes back their tokens, discards one, and redeploys the rest.
Redeployed tokens can be placed in any occupied Region.
If all Regions are attacked, redeploy remaining tokens as a First Conquest on the next turn.

Following Conquests

Repeat the conquest process as long as you have enough tokens.
Newly conquered Regions must be adjacent to occupied Regions unless otherwise allowed.

Final Conquest Attempt/Reinforcement Die Roll

Attempt one final conquest if short by 3 or fewer tokens.
Roll the Reinforcement Die; if successful, deploy tokens in the selected Region.

Troop Redeployment

Move Race tokens freely among your Regions, leaving at least one token in each.

Scoring Victory Points

Receive 1 coin per occupied Region.
Additional coins may be earned from Race and Special Power benefits.

In Decline tokens contribute 1 coin per occupied Region.
Victory coins are kept hidden from other players until the end of the game.
Players can request change from the Victory stash for their coins

Following Turns

First player moves the Game Turn marker up one spot.
Each player either expands their race through new conquests or puts their race In Decline to select a new one.
Score Victory coins again.

Expanding through New Conquests

Ready troops by taking all but one token per Region back in hand.
Conquer new Regions following the same rules, except for First Conquest.
May abandon Regions to free up tokens but lose control and Victory coins from them.

Entering In Decline

Flip Race banner to In Decline side and discard the Special Power badge.
Flip one Race token per occupied Region; remove others from the map.
Only one race can be In Decline at a time.
No conquests during the turn your race goes into decline; turn ends after scoring.
Next turn, select a new Race and Special Power combo.