EcoChains: Arctic Futures

Overview

The goal of the game is to strategically manage your food web so that you gain the maximum number of points.

Points

Points are awarded for:

Diversity and abundance

1 point for each species in play or supplied to the hunters

Sea ice maintenance

1 point for each ice card in the game environment
1 or 2 points for the ice requirements in the small white circles for each species in play or supplied to the hunters

Taking action

2 points for each action card played

Cards

Species cards

Game play begins with drawing a card from the draw pile. If it is a species card, at the bottom of the card is an abbreviation indicating the prey of that species. If possible, place the card in the environment under the species they prey on, as indicated by the relationships of the cards in the starter set up. If you cannot play the card, draw another one.

Hunter cards

If you draw a hunter card -- either a human being or a polar bear -- it will be automatically placed in the space for hunters. When you build an EcoChain of prey for a hunter, move the chain over to the hunter to supply it with food.

Event cards

If you draw an event card, such as carbon pollution, overharvesting, ocean acidification or invasive killer whales, it must be played before drawing another card. If cards can't be played, then they remain in the play pile and the next card can be drawn.

Action cards

Action cards include reduced warming and therefore reduced ice melting through alternate energy, green transportation, energy efficiency, carbon capture, and protecting species from overharvesting. It is up to you to play the cards or not. You get 2 points for each action you take.

Card Info

If you want to know more about a species, action or event, double click the card to pull up more information.