Proposal: Scurra

(hoping this is what Darke wants :))

Components
Board showing a blank 8 x 8 grid with certain border squares marked and a scoring track
XX tiles
XX cards
1 token for each player (referred to as the “explorer”)
1 scoring marker for each player
X ownership markers for each player

Set-up
Determine a starting player. In clockwise order beginning with the start player. each player places their explorer and an ownership marker on an entrance passageway. They then draw a tile and place it in any space orthogonally adjacent to the space their token is in. The tile does not have to be placed to form a continuous cave system.

Once each player has done this, the game begins. The start player is the first Active player.

Game Play
The active player’s turn consists of a series of actions. They may perform as many actions as they are able to pay APs. Note that some cards grant additional APs; these must be played at the start of the active player’s turn. APs do not carry over from turn to turn.

1. Draw and place a tile. The tile must be placed in a space orthogonally adjacent to the space the player’s explorer is currently in. It does not have to match any existing caves or passageways. However, it is not permitted to place a tile in such a way that any explorer cannot make onward progress (see examples.)

2. Move an explorer. The explorer may move from one cave to another cave via a single passageway. They must stop in any cave they reach. If no-one has visited this cave before, the player may opt to place an ownership marker on the cave. If they have no markers left, they may not do this. If the cave already has an ownership marker, then the owner of that marker scores X VPs. If a passageway or cave is obstructed by an obstacle, they must stop at the obstacle and place their explorer on top of it. An explorer may leave the cave system but only via an entrance tunnel with a differently coloured ownership marker on it. That player receives X VPs. The active player scores X VPs (according to when they left the cave.)

3. Search a cave. The explorer may search any cave they have reached. They draw a card from the Events stack and follow it (see Cards below.) A player may not choose to search if they are in a passageway. A card will mostly have two options, depending upon whether the cave has an ownership marker in it or not.

4. Pass an obstacle (X). If an Explorer is atop an unrevealed obstacle, they reveal it. They must spend a number of APs to pass the obstacle. If they do not have enough (or do not have an appropriate piece of equipment) they cannot pass the obstacle. Most passed obstacles are removed from the board once they have been passed, but some remain (see Obstacles below.)

Once the player has decided not to take any more actions, their turn is over. Play passes clockwise to the next Active player.

Game End
The Game Ends when two explorers have left the caves. Any players with explorers still in the caves lose X VPs. The winner is the player with the most VPs.

notes
This outline deliberately omits details simply to give an overview of how I could see the game working. Yes, the set-up is clearly absurd (a square board with entry points evenly spaced on all sides!) but it was the only way I could get it to work. I’ve tried to incorporate bits of everyone’s suggestions without getting the thing too top heavy. There are issues about tile placement – ensuring that a player can’t sabotage another player by simply blocking their main passageway, for instance – but these probably aren’t insurmountable.
I do have an issue with “equipment” which I can’t think of an elegant way to include and yet seems crucial to a Spelunking game.[/b]