Dragon Delta is a German-style board game where 2-6 players try to be the first to cross a river by placing stones and planks, then walking across. Players can block opponents by removing their planks or summoning dragons. Each turn players secretly pick cards to place stones/planks, move their pawn, or summon dragons. If a move can't be completed, the player falls in the river. The first to reach the shore opposite their start wins.

1. How to play…
A series by Wendy Derman

3. Dragon Delta
 German-style board game
 2 to 6 players
 Ages 8 and up
 1 hour or less to play

4. The Challenge
Be the first to cross the Dragon River by:
 Placing stones on sandbars
 Placing planks on stones
 Walking across the planks
You must reach the shore directly opposite your
starting location.

6. The risks
Thwart your opponents by:
 Blocking them
 Removing their planks
 Summoning dragons

7. The pieces
 A pawn for each player
 A set of 6 planks for each player
 A common pool of stones

9. Placement cards
 Place 1 or 2 stones
 Place 1 or 2 planks
 Remove a plank or a stone
 You may not remove a plank that someone is
standing on
 You may not remove a stone that is supporting a
plank

11. Movement cards
 Move pawn 1 space
 Move pawn 2 spaces
 Jump your pawn over an opponent’s pawn
Two players may not stand on the same plank.
If you cannot complete movement exactly as shown on
the card, you fall into the river and go back to your
starting zone.

13. Here be dragons
 Every player has 5 dragon cards, matching the
colors of their opponents
 When you play a dragon card, the opponent
who has the color you play loses their turn
 You may only play 1 dragon card per round

15. The Play
 Every player secretly picks 5 cards from all available
cards and stacks them in the order in which they will be
played.
 Everyone turns up card #1. Actions on the cards are
carried out, beginning with the starting player and
moving clockwise.
 Turns 2 through 5 are completed in the same way.
 After turn 5, the round ends. All cards are returned to
the players hands. Starting player moves to the next
person clockwise.

16. Round 1
 Here is what the board might look like at the
end of round 1.
 Most players have headed towards the center,
and are on a collision course.
 Blue has decided to go around the outside edge
instead. It is a longer path, but with less risk of
bumping into opponents.

18. The catch
 You may not change the cards you picked or the
order you picked for them once the round
begins.
 This means that based on your opponent’s
moves, you may not be able to legally complete a
move that you had planned.

19. Oh no!
 If you play a movement card but your pawn is
not able to complete the movement, you fall
into the river and go back to your starting zone.
 The next image shows yellow blocked by other
players in all directions.
 If yellow’s next card is to move one or two
spaces, yellow will fall into the river.
 However, if yellow’s next card is placement, a
dragon, or jump a pawn, they are safe.

21. The win
The first player to touch the shore of
the zone directly opposite their starting
zone, wins the game.