Gutenberg

• Select a language:
• en

• Setup
  • 1. Place the board with the correct side up based on player count.
    2. Shuffle both decks of order cards separately and place the decks face down next to the board.
    3. Shuffle and Draw printing and refinement cards based on player count and place them face up next to the board (the space used is temporary).
       • 2 players: 6 cards
       • 3 players: 8 cards
       • 4 players: 10 cards
    4. For each printing and refinement space on the board, add a a matching card face up.
    5. Put all the ink tokens in the bag and then draw and place 1 ink token on each space on the board. Keep the token bag handy.
    6. Shuffle the specialty cards and place them face down next to the board.
    7. Place a specialty card face up in each of space on the board.
    8. Shuffle the gears deck and place it face down next to the board.
       • In a 2 player game, return the gears with white lines between sectors to the box.
    9. Place a face up gear card in each space on the board.
    10. Shuffle the patronage cards and place 1 face up in each space on the board. Return the rest to the box.
    11. Place the round marker on the 1st space of the round track.
    12. Place the guilders and types near the board.
    13. Choose a 1st player and give them the 1st player token. Turns are taken in clockwise order.
    14. Each player picks a player color and takes:
        • A printing house board
        • An initiative board
        • A screen
        • The first player takes 7 initiative markers and each player then takes 1 more than the previous player such that the 4th player takes 10.
        • 3 gray cylinders which are put in the 3 gear axle holes on the printing house board.
        • 5 player markers in their color
          • 1 goes on each of the 4 specialty tracks
          • 1 marker goes beside their printing house
        • 2 player discs in their color
          • 1 goes on the fame track on the main board at 0
          • 1 goes on the leftmost space of the reward track on their printing house board
        • 10 guilders
        • 3 used gear markers next to their printing house
        • 2 random character tiles and chooses 1 to keep, discarding the other
        • Starting with the 1st player, each player selects 1 printing and 1 refinement card of their choice from the face up options. Then repeat this in reverse order, starting with the last player. Return the 4 unselected cards to their respective discards.
          • An order consists of the pair of printing + refinement cards, which slot in on open slots on the side of their printing house board.
        • Each player chooses 3 types from the type pool
• Gameplay

  • The game is played over 6 rounds with each round consisting of 5 phases.

  • Turn Gears

    • Each player must turn the top gear on their printing house board clockwise 1 sector. Skip this step in the 1st round.

  • Plan

    • Players secretly plan their actions during this phase.

      • Each player hides their initiative board and markers behind their screen.
      • Everyone simultaneously allocates their markers among the 5 actions.
        • Markers go in empty slots, from left to right on an action's row.
      • When all players are ready, the plans are revealed.
      • Actions are resolved from top to bottom. Note that the sequence on the initiative board matches the main board.
      • For each action, the number of player markers in that row determines the player order for the action.
        • The player with the most markers is 1st.
        • Ties are broken by player order.
      • A player must have at least 1 marker on an action to take that action.
  • Execute Plans
    • Take Orders
      • • Each acting player may choose 1 printing and 1 refinement card from the main board, creating an order.
        • The order is placed in a free slot connected to their printing house board.
          • The 2 cards of an order can never be separated or re-combined.
          • A player may have a max of 4 orders.
          • If a player has 4 orders and takes another, they must 1st discard an existing order.
        • Once all players have taken this action, discard any remaining printing and refinement cards.
        • If a player receives an order as a reward, they draw 2 printing and 2 refinement cards from their decks and chooses 1 of each type to keep. The unchosen cards are discarded.
          • If a player doesn't like the drawn cards, they may pay 2 guilders to draw 2 additional cards of their choice (2 printing, 2 refinement, 1 of each). This can be repeated as many times as the player can afford.
    • Take Inks
      • • Each acting player may select 1 of the 3 inks from the main board and may take 1-3 inks from that set.
          • The 1st ink is free, the 2nd costs 1 guilder, and the 3rd costs 2 guilders.
          • Inks must be taken from left to right.
          • A player may choose a set that was partially taken by another player, but the costs remain the same, which means 1 or 2 guilders for the 2nd and 3rd inks.
          • Inks are placed next to the player's printing house board.
        • Once all players have taken this action, discard any remaining inks back to the bag.
    • Develop Specialties
      • • Each player taking this action may choose 1 specialty card from the main board. Cards can be used in 1 of 2 ways:
          • Move the indicated specialty marker(s) up 1 level for each of that specialty's symbol on the card.
          • Move any other specialty marker 1 level up.
        • After players are done with this action, discard all remaining specialty cards on the board.
        • The 1st time a player reaches a level marked with ">" on any of their specialty tracks, the player advances their disc on the reward track to the next space and takes the reward.
        • Reaching the same reward level on another track does not give any additional reward.
        • If level VI is reached and the track would go up, the player instead receives 3 guilders.
    • Improve Printing Houses
      • • Players taking this action may take 1 gear from the main board.
          • Gears are installed starting at the top gear (number 1).
          • Each successive gear must touch the previously installed gear and should be correctly meshed.
          • When adding a new gear, make sure that 1 of its sectors lines up with the gear's active sector.
        • Instead of taking a gear, a player can remove an existing gear from their board, rotate it, and put it back.
        • A printing house can have at most 3 gears. If a player has 3 gears and takes a new gear, they must discard 1 to make room for the new gear.
        • If a player has used a gear this round, that gear cannot be repositioned or discarded.
        • The gear sections next to the lightened areas are active.
          • Players can gain the bonus from these sectors at any time.
          • When used, place a used gear marker on the gear.
          • Rewards can only be gained once per round.
          • Players are not required to take gear bonuses.
          • See Gear Rewards for info on symbols.
        • After players are done with this action, discard all remaining gears.
    • Patronage

      • Players taking this action may do 1 of these actions

        • Choose 1 of the following available rewards by putting their marker on it (not available to anyone else this round).
          • Take 1 order
          • Advance 1 specialty by 1 level
          • Take 3 guilders
          • Take any 2 inks from the bag
        • (or) Take 1 patronage card if the card's conditions are met.
          • The card may be taken if it's on a space below or to the left of the round marker.
          • If a player uses ink to take a patronage card, the ink is put back in the bag.
          • Types and specialties are not spent.
          • Note: In the 1st 2 rounds, the round marker has not reached any patronage cards.
  • Fulfill Orders

    • This is done in clockwise order, starting with the 1st player.

      Orders

      • To fulfill an order, the player needs the resources indicated on the cards.
      • Important: Types and specialties are never discarded. The player merely needs to have them to meet requirements.
      • Printing cards reward guilders and refinement cards reward fame points.
      • The printing card must be fulfilled to complete an order.
      • The refinement card is optional. The player may fulfill both, 1, or none of the requirements.
      • When the order is fulfilled, both cards are discarded, regardless of how much of the refinement card was fulfilled.
      • Unfulfilled orders simply remain in their slots.
      • Orders are fulfilled simultaneously. You cannot use rewards from 1 order to fulfill other orders.

      Printing

      • The player assigns the required types to the printing card and receives the specified number of guilders.
      • Again, types are not spent, but are retained.
      • Players can buy additional types. The cost is based on how many types you already have (see table).

      Cost	Buying n-th type
      3	3
      4	4
      5	5
      ...	...

      • Players can buy types at any time during a round. It is not an action.
      • There is no limit on the number of types a player can own.
      • A given type can be assigned to only 1 order in a round.
        • Types should be placed on order cards to show what is being used where.
      • Types are unlimited, if a particular type runs out, use a replacement.

      Refinements

      • Refinements include colors and decorations. Both parts are optional.
      • Fulfilling both of the requirements gives an additional bonus.
      • Colors require discarding (to the bag) matching inks.
        • Inks are limited by the bag's contents.
      • Decorations require the player to have the indicated specialties. Again, specialties are never discarded, you must simply have them.

      Reward	Description
      	Take the number of ink shown from the bag
      	Take the number of guilders shown
      	Take the number of fame points shown
      	Move 1 specialty 1 level higher
      	Take a new order

  • End of Round

    • Do the following at the end of each round:

      • If any deck runs out, shuffle its discard to create a new deck.
      • Refill the main board:
        • Order cards face-up on each printing and refinement card space.
        • 1 ink from the bag on each ink space.
        • 1 face-up specialty card on each specialty space.
        • 1 gear on each gear space.
      • Move the round marker 1 space.
      • Return all players' markers on patronage spaces.
      • Remove used gear markers from gears
      • Remove initiative markers from initiative boards.
      • Pass the 1st player token clockwise.
      • Each player gives 1 initiative marker to the player who just passed the 1st player token.
        • This means that the 1st player will have 7 initiative markers, the 2nd player has 8, the 3rd player has 9 and the 4th player has 10.
• End of Game

  • The game ends after 6 rounds. Final scoring of fame points occurs. In addition to already earned points, the players take the following:

    • Specialties
      • 6 points for each specialty at level VI
      • 3 points for each specialty at level V
      • 1 points for each specialty at level IV
    • 8 points for each acquired patronage card
    • 1 point for every 3 guilders

    Final Scoring

    1. The player with most fame wins.
    2. If there is a tie, the player with the fewest types wins.
    3. If there is still a tie, the player with the fewest inks wins.
    4. If there is still a tie, the players share the victory.
• Gear Rewards

  • Symbol	Reward
    	Exchange 1 ink for another ink in the bag
    	Exchange 1 type for another from the pool
    	Increase your lowest specialty by 1 level. If there's a tie, the player chooses.
    	Gain fame points equal to the current round
    	Take an order
    	Discard 1 type to take either 3 fame points or 5 guilders
    	Gain 2 fame points for each of the orders being fulfilled where the indicated ink is being used. If an order requires more than 1 of the indicated ink, only 2 points are gained.
    	Gain an ink of the indicated color from the bag
    	Exchange 1 ink for any 2 inks from the bag. The player can re-take the color they put in the bag.
    	Gain 2 fame points for each of the orders being fulfilled showing the indicated type. If an order requires more than 1 of the indicated type, only 2 points are gained.
    	Buy 1 of the indicated types with a 3 guilder discount.
    	Gain 2 points for each of the order being fulfilled with the indicated specialty.
    	Advance the indicated specialty by 1 level

• Characters

  • Symbol	Rules
    	Johannes Gutenberg After all players have revealed initiative boards, but before actions are taken, this player can move 1 initiative marker to a different action.
    	Aldus Manutius If the player fulfills 2 or more orders at the same time, they can ignore 1 of the required types on 1 order.
    	Petrus Schoyffer This player may use the active sector of 1 gear 2 times in a round. They may still only do 3 gear actions in a round.
    	Christophorus Plantinus Once per round, this player can permanently swap the levels of 2 of their specialties, adjusting the markers on both tracks.
    	Sveboldus Fiol If this player fulfills only 1 of the 2 refinement requirements on an order, they still gain the reward for completely fulfilling the order.
    	Carola Guillard Immediately after selecting this character, this player draws 4 random gears, keeps 2, and installs them in their printing house.
    	Helena Ungler Immediately after selecting this character, the player advances 1 specialty to level I and another to level II. Then they advance their reward marker on the reward track to level II and gets the reward.
    	Godofredus Torinus At the end of each round, if this player can assign all of their inks to their current orders, they gain 3 fame. Note: The inks are not permanently assigned to these orders and may be assigned to other orders.
    	Gulielmus Caxton Immediately after selecting this character, the player takes the 2 large William Caxton tokens. At the start of each round, the player must select 1 ink color which will be wild for this player only during the round. Put the corresponding Caxton token with that selected color next to the Caxton character tile as a reminder.
    	Hieronymus Vietor At the end of the game, this player doubles their fame points from guilders.

• How to Play Videos 📹