Scout is a small box card game with a circus theme, but it is more about making good choices with how to play your cards than being at the circus. Scout received a nomination for the prestigious Spiel des Jahres board game award in 2022, and I think it lives up to its reputation as one of the best strategic card games issued in the last few years.
Components included in the game are 45 cards, 23 Scout Chips, 5 Scout & Show Chips, 30 Score Chips, and 1 first player marker.
Game Setup: Place scout chips and score chips in the center of the table and give each player one scout & show chip. Choose a first player and give them the first player market. Set up the card deck according to the instructions and deal all cards out to players. The cards are divided into different numbers on the top and bottom. Players may change the orientation of their hand only during the start of each round but may NOT change the order of their hand.
The goal each round is to put together stronger sets of cards than other players and do so enough to collect the most points as possible throughout the rounds. Sets of cards consist of the same numbers or straights. The cards are numbered 1-10. There is a varied number of rounds based on player count, and whoever has the most points at the end of the game wins!
Brief Gameplay Summary: There are three actions available each turn, and you can choose only one:
- Show: Place a set of cards from your hand on the table with either the same or consecutive numbers. If the next player can show a stronger set of cards, they capture your cards for points, and their hand becomes the active set. If they cannot show a stronger set, they must either scout or scout & show.
- Scout: To scout, take one card from either side of the active set. The player with the active set receives one scout chip. Each chip collected during the game is worth one point. When the player scouts and takes a card, they may place it anywhere in their hand.
- Scout & Show: Once per round a player may take this action, which is available after you scout if you can immediately put a set on the table that beats the active hand. Turn in your scout & show chip and capture the remaining cards in the previously active set.
The round ends when a player either runs out of cards in their hand or when no one takes the show action after the player with the current active set. Players add their scores by counting their captured cards and scout chips received. Turn in cards and chips in exchange for score chips. Lose one point for each card remaining in your hand at the end of the round, unless you are the player that kept the active set throughout everyone’s turns. Set up for the next round by shuffling all cards and dealing new hands to players. Players retrieve their scout & show chip, and the first player marker rotates to the left. Once all rounds (per player count) are played, the player with the most points wins!
There is a modified rule set for a two-player game included. Scout is for 2-5 players and best at four in my opinion. Game time is about 20 minutes. ~Marsha