Borikén: The Taíno Resistance includes three separate games, each covering a distinct period of the history of the Taíno people of Borikén (modern day Puerto Rico). Each game uses the same map and the same basic system, but with different additional rules and objectives to model the particularities of its era. In my previous articles I played through the first game, covering the fifteen centuries prior to 1492, and the second game, covering the initial arrival of the conquistadors from 1493-1528. I was able to complete my objectives and resist the conquistadors for a time, but unfortunately their numbers and technology are too great, and now in the third game I am tasked with ensuring the survival of the Taíno people by escaping from Borikén. Like the second game, the third game can be played cooperatively, but I will again be playing solitaire as I explain some of the rules and history.

For the third game there is a new ‘Escape’ track that I must reach the bottom of to win the game, and that I shift by removing Taíno cards from the island. However, as the track lowers I also lose access to certain actions, weakening me even as my struggle grows ever more desperate.

The game also begins with five Settlements on the map, increasing the rate at which Conquistadors arrive, and I will lose if the Taíno deck runs out before enough of my people can escape. It’s important to reflect for a moment on what this represents: historically the Taíno people were faced with complete elimination after they revolted against Spanish rule, and they were only able to avoid this fate by small groups escaping from the island, or perhaps hiding for centuries in isolated regions of Borikén. In recent decades there has been a revival of Taíno culture and identity, both in Puerto Rico and across the Caribbean, and the games of Borikén: The Taíno Resistance are both a celebration of this revival and a reflection on the sombre history of the island.

For this game I choose a different Cacique, Cayey, whose unique power will help me to gather the Taíno people that I need to help escape the island, especially as Cassava is in relatively short supply. In game three I am also able to sacrifice my Cacique for a powerful attack in one region, representing a last-ditch effort to resist the Spanish, although hopefully that won’t become necessary. To escape Taíno cards off the island I need to first control a matching Region, and then use the Canoe action to send them on their way. 

My first turn starts inauspiciously, drawing Guainia from the Enemy deck and immediately placing four Conquistadors there. I decide to focus elsewhere to begin with, moving to the sparsely populated northern Region and Mining for Gold – if I can enhance my action tracks to add additional Canoe actions, my escape plans will become much simpler. Before leaving Guainia however, I attempt a possibly foolish Attack action, which costs me two Taíno cards – one spent from my hand for a failed reroll, and another discarded as a casualty from the top of the deck.

I spend several turns travelling the island and gathering resources (Gold, Cassava, and additional Taíno fugitives), while the Conquistador numbers continue to grow. With my Political action track upgraded I am finally able to begin my escape, launching heavily-laden canoes from Guayama in search of better prospects overseas. This is only the beginning though, and I will have to move fast if I am going to avoid elimination.

I spend a few turns Mining as much Gold as possible, because it will be essential to Offer for additional actions, and once I send any more Taíno off the island the Mine action will no longer be available to me. I also get lucky with a discovery of River Gold from the Event deck, and then begin to pursue my objective in earnest. This involves a combination of Attacking to remove Conquistadors, Building new Yucayeque villages to resist their control, and then rapidly initiating new Taíno and shipping them off in Canoes – and all while ever increasing numbers of Conquistadors flock to Borikén, making it an uphill struggle.

I manage to make good progress, but soon Conquistadors have flooded the island, placing almost every Region under Spanish control that is impossible to escape from. At this point I am nearing despair, but then I remember – I have the option to sacrifice Cacique Cayey for the greater good! With several purple Taíno cards in hand I head towards the eastern region of the island, and Cayey launches a brave assault, sacrificing himself to remove all Conquistadors from the Region, and even damaging the Settlement on the smaller island of Bieke. I am also able to Initiate an additional purple Taíno card, bringing me tantalisingly close to my goal, only one more escapee away from winning.

I spend several more turns patrolling the northern (orange) region, keeping it free of Conquistadors while searching for the final Taíno card I need to escape in order to win, and grow increasingly desperate as the Taíno deck gets thinner. Finally I draw the right card and complete my objective, although it was a close run thing, with the map nearly entirely covered by Conquistadors and Settlements. It is clear that there is no hope for the Taíno to survive on the island, although perhaps in future centuries they may be able to return (or come out from hiding).

My solitaire playthrough of the three games in Borikén: The Taíno Resistance is now complete, and I hope that you have enjoyed reading about the games and the history they portray as much as I have enjoyed writing them. I found the evolution of the basic mechanics across the three games to be particularly compelling, especially the use of Taíno cards as resources, which in the first two games I was willing to spend very frequently, while in the third game this became a much more difficult choice, as every card I spent was one less Taíno able to escape the island. This aspect really helped to focus my attention on the desperate plight of the Taíno people after the arrival of the Spanish, and made me feel perhaps a small echo of their struggle. If you’re interested in supporting the game, it is available for preorder on P500 now: https://www.gmtgames.com/p-982-boriken-the-taino-resistance.aspx

---

Previous Articles:

Solo Playthrough of Borikén Game One: Pre-1493

Solo Playthrough of Borikén Game Two: 1493-1528

Other Borikén InsideGMT Articles