Belfort: Her Majesty's Civil Service Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Less Red Tape Variant
  • Changes to Basic Setup
  • Gameplay Changes
    • Main Actions
    • 2-Player rule for Less Red Tape variant
  • Free Actions
  • End Game
  • Effect on Specific Properties & Guilds
• Heritage Properties
  • Changes to Setup
  • Effect on Gameplay
• The Queen of Belfort
  • Components
  • Additional Setup
  • During each Calendar phase
  • During the Placement phase
  • During the Action phase
• Parks & Rex
  • Components
  • Additional Setup
  • Effect on Gameplay
  • Moving Parks & Rex
  • During the Scoring Phase
• The Key to Belfort
  • Components
  • Additional Setup
  • Effect on Gameplay
  • During the Placement Phase
• Appendix: Guilds
  • Basic Guilds
  • Interactive Guilds
  • Resource Guilds

Less Red Tape Variant

There is so much red tape to cut through when you're building a city... This new variant rule set is quicker and less complicated than the original rules, but still delivers a full Belfort experience. Timing is still key to success, just in different phases!

Changes to Basic Setup

Set up the game according to the usual instructions for Belfort. There are only three very simple changes to the main setup:

1. Leave the Turn Order Crests out of the game and randomly pick a starting player; turn order always passes clockwise in this variant.
2. Leave the Calendar marker out of the game. Instead, each player places one of their own Property markers beside the first calendar space.
3. Do not make a Draw Pool of Property cards. Instead, deal out a row of 5 face up cards to form the Property Row.
   • If there are ever 3 or more identical cards in Property Row (during Setup or during the game), discard the entire row and replace with 5 new cards.

Banner: Expansion Expansion only.

4. Lay out 2 more assistants than there are players in the game. In reverse turn order, each player chooses one Assistant to begin the game with. Leave the remaining Assistants there as a display.

Gameplay Changes

On your turn, you will perform one Main Action and any number of Free Actions.

Main Actions

1. Place a worker on a Guild and activate it. Same as in the original game (including placement fee), but gain the Guild's benefit immediately.

2. Place a worker in the Recruitment Center. Same as in the original game; pay the fee, place the Elf or Dwarf, and that's it.

3. Place as many of your workers as you want in the various Resource Areas to gather resources, then Build anything you want to and can afford. The Resource Areas work similar to the original game except that you don't have to place all of your workers if you don't want to.

   • Gain the resources immediately.
   • There are no majority bonuses in the Resource Areas in this variant.

   Building is the same as the original game except that you may only build a Wall, a Guild, or one of the 5 Properties in Property Row.

   • When you build a Property, take it and fill the gap in Property Row with a fresh card from the deck.

4. Collect workers, recruit workers, progress, score, and collect income. This is how you get your workers back. If you have no workers left, you must choose this main action. Perform the following in order:

   • a) Take back all of your workers into your supply, from wherever they are.
     • Gain 1 Elf per Elf and 1 Dwarf per Dwarf that you take back from the Recruitment Center.
   • b) Move your property marker one space forward on the Calendar.
     • If you move onto a scoring round, then calculate majorities for districts and workers as in the normal game, but only you score points.

2-Player rule for Less Red Tape variant

At game start, assign one Non-Player as color A and another as color B. During gameplay each time you move to a new spot on the Calendar, immediately build a Non-Player property from Property Row (for no cost), then refresh Property Row. If you are the first to reach that Calendar spot, use color A. If you are the second to reach that Calendar spot, use color B.

Free Actions

• Hire one Gnome and place it immediately. Maximum once per turn; you must have an empty Gnome Lock to put it on.
• Place workers on your Properties. As many or as few as you want (pay fees as normal). Activate the Property powers immediately.
• Visit the Trading Post. One sell and one buy per turn as usual (unless you have something granting you extra visits, such as a gnomed Market).

End Game

The game ends when all players have completed their third and final scoring (remembering to also collect income and then pay taxes).

• Once you have completed your final scoring, your turn is skipped for the rest of the game.
• If your score ever goes above 50, keep moving on the score track. Remember that your score is 50 points higher, and your tax rate is 9 coins more than what is displayed on the board.

Effect on Specific Properties & Guilds

Library. When you place a worker here, draw 2 cards, add them to the Property Row, then remove any 2 cards so the Property Row will contain 5 cards. When you place a Gnome on a Library, draw a new card and place it face-up in a top shelf row above the Property Row. Only players with a gnomed Library may build properties from the top shelf row. After you build a card from the top shelf row, replace it with a new one from the deck.

Blacksmith. For each gnomed Blacksmith you own, you may buy 1 metal for 1 gold, but only when you are Building as your main action.

Librarians' Guild and Spies' Guild. Do not use these guilds with this variant.

Banner: Expansion Expansion only.

Gargoyle Assistant. Do not use the Gargoyle with this variant.

Giant Assistant. The first time you place workers in the collection area while you have the Giant assistant, place the Giant token(s) there as well.

Goon Assistant. The Goon may not be placed on the Locksmiths' Guild or the Guild of Parks & Rex.

Banner: Expansion Expansion only.

Gorgon Assistant. Immediately upon taking this assistant, place the Gorgon token. The first time each opponent builds in the Gorgon's district, they must pay the fee. The first time you build in the Gorgon's district, collect the reward. You can temporarily place property markers onto the Gorgon tile to help remember that you've done this. When returning the Gorgon tile to the supply, give these property markers back to their owners. The next time someone takes the Gorgon assistant, everyone is subject to her abilities again.

Archives Expansion. Treat the plank as if blank, and the red board as if it had 2 coins on it. Bonus Scoring: Earn 1 point for every Property card in the top shelf row.

Clipboard Makers' Guild. Draw the card off the top of the deck and keep it face down in front of you. You may build that card as if it were in the property row.

Non-Human Resources Guild. Return the 3 workers to the supply when you take the Retrieve Workers action.

Heritage Properties

This can be played with the base game rules or the Less Red Tape rules. For 2-4 players only.

"By decree of the Belfort Historical Preservation Society, citing bylaw 24A, section 118.3, pre-existing structures may not be demolished. Failure to heed these laws will result in immediate revocation of a Master Builder's surveying wand."

Changes to Setup

Pick an unused player color to represent the Heritage properties. Reveal 1 Property card and place a Heritage Property marker on the matching spot in any one district to start. (Remove that Property card from the game.) Continuing clockwise, perform this process for all five districts.

Effect on Gameplay

Heritage properties are considered to be an independent player when calculating majorities during the Scoring phase; the Heritage properties could therefore come in 1st, 2nd, or 3rd in a given district, but you do not need to keep track of the Heritage property's points.

• When playing a 3 player game with Heritage properties, score 3rd place as if it were a 4 player game.
• Heritage properties may be moved to a different district via the Wizard's Guild.

The Queen of Belfort

The Queen has had enough of her husband's lollygagging and wants to ensure that the city is completely armed and operational by the time the Yetis appear. A savvy Master Architect who builds quickly and efficiently can earn her favour!

Components

• 1 Queen Pawn ("the Queen")
• 10 Queen Cards
• 1 Queen's Chamber Tile

Additional Setup

• Place the Queen in any random board district.
• Shuffle the Queen cards, and keep the deck face down near the Calendar board.
• Place the Queen's Chamber tile in the middle of the board, covering the Keep roof.

Banner: Less Red Tape only.

Remove the "Swap Turn Order Crests" card from the game.

During each Calendar phase

Discard the active Queen card (if this is the first round of the game, there will not be one). Reveal a new Queen card from the deck to be the active Queen card. Move the Queen 1 district clockwise.

Banner: Parks & Rex only.

Move the Queen past any districts that contain either Ms. Parks or Mr. Rex; none of the three may ever occupy the same district as another.

Banner: Less Red Tape only.

After all players have moved one space on the calendar track, move the Queen 1 space clockwise, and replace the current Queen card with another one. Do this again after all players have moved 2 spaces, etc.

During the Placement phase

You may place a worker on the plank in the Queen's Chamber during the Placement phase. This will give you control over the Queen's movement during the Action phase (see below).

During the Action phase

Each time you build in the Queen's current district (whether Property, Wall, or Guild), you receive the benefit listed on the active Queen card.

Note: Placing a Property marker on the second half of a Gatehouse does not count as "building".

If you have a worker on the Queen's Chamber, activate and reclaim it at any point on your turn to relocate the Queen to any other district (except one containing Ms. Parks or Mr. Rex).

Note: Moving the Queen using the Queen's Chamber does not cause the current Queen card to change.

Banner: Less Red Tape only.

Move the Queen immediately upon placing in the Queen's Chamber (which is a Main Action). This movement does not cause the current Queen card to change.

Parks & Rex

The Queen has decreed that the inhabitants of Belfort need some more recreation areas to make the fairest of cities even fairer! She has sent out her intrepid crew of bylaw officials, Ms. Parks (a Dryad) and Mr. Rex (a Lizardfolk), to ensure that the city gets built to her standards, but with an eye to maintain places for everyone to relax and enjoy the city in all of its beauty!

Components

• 1 Ms. Parks Tile
• 1 Mr. Rex Tile
• 1 Guild of Parks & Rex Tile

Additional Setup

You must play with the Guild of Parks & Rex as one of your Guilds. Place Ms. Parks in one random district and Mr. Rex in another. If you're also playing with the Queen, ensure that all 3 are in different districts.

Effect on Gameplay

Parks & Rex change the point values of the districts they are in when scoring occurs.

Moving Parks & Rex

If you place a worker on the Guild of Parks & Rex during the Placement phase, you may move either Ms. Parks or Mr. Rex during your turn of the Action phase.

Banner: Less Red Tape only.

In the Less Red Tape variant, move either Ms. Parks or Mr. Rex to another district immediately upon placing on the Guild of Parks and Rex.

Remember, no two of Ms. Parks, Mr. Rex, and the Queen can ever be in the same district.

During the Scoring Phase

The district with Ms. Parks scores 8/3/0 for 1st/2nd/3rd place, and the district with Mr. Rex scores 6/5/4 for 1st/2nd/3rd place, instead of the normal values.

As usual, you do not score 3rd place in a 2-3 player game.

The Key to Belfort

One of the more powerful guilds in Belfort is the Locksmiths' Guild; they hold the keys to many untold riches. When you are a patron of the Locksmiths' Guild, you will gain access to abilities beyond those of a typical Master Builder. Enjoy having the key to the city while it lasts, for the loyalty of the Locksmiths' Guild can change with a simple visit to their hall!

Components

• The Key to Belfort
• 14 Key Cards
• 1 Locksmiths' Guild Tile

Component note: This comes with the base game, not the expansion.

Additional Setup

• Place the Key to Belfort in the general supply.
• Make sure the Locksmiths' Guild is included in the 5 Guilds you use for this game.
• Shuffle the Key cards and deal one to each player, placing the rest off to the side in a face down draw pile.

Banner: Less Red Tape only.

Remove the "Draw an extra property card" Key Card from the game.

Effect on Gameplay

Use the Locksmiths' Guild to get your hands on the Key to Belfort and more Key cards. While you hold the Key, all of your Key cards are active, providing you with game-changing benefits.

During the Placement Phase

When you place one of your workers on the Locksmiths' Guild, draw another Key card from the deck into your hand, and take the Key to Belfort into your playing area.

While you hold the Key to Belfort, your Key cards are considered active; display them next to the Key tile. You may take advantage of their benefits until someone takes the Key from you.

When an opponent takes the Key to Belfort from you, take your Key cards back into your hand, they are no longer active.

Appendix: Guilds

These six new Guilds can be included in your selection of Guilds when setting up your game. Check the banners on the guilds to make sure you don't include any that can't be used in your game.

Note on costs: each guild's Cost is printed on its card as a row of icons (the placement fee; the icons are wood, stone and metal). The rulebook does not spell these out in text, so they are not repeated here.

Basic Guilds

Printers' Guild

• Cost: (icons as printed)
• Action: Choose another Guild that currently has a worker in it, and activate it as if you had a worker in it.

Summoners' Guild

• Cost: (icons as printed)
• Banner: Less Red Tape only.
• Action: Immediately on placement retrieve any 3 of your workers from their current positions (except the one in the Summoners' Guild), back to your player board.

Guild of Parks & Rex

• Cost: (icons as printed)
• Banner: Parks & Rex only.
• Action: Move either Ms. Parks or Mr. Rex from their current district into a different one. The new district may not contain the other character or the Queen.
• Expansion Expansion note: If playing with the Expansion Expansion, a Goon may not be used to activate this guild.

Interactive Guilds

Landlords' Guild

• Cost: (icons as printed)
• Action: Check all five districts. For each district if there is a player other than yourself with a clear majority of Property markers (no ties), steal 1 Gold from that player.

Locksmiths' Guild

• Cost: (icons as printed)
• Banner: Key to Belfort only.
• Action: Immediately on placement draw 1 Key card and take the Key to Belfort from whoever has it. While you hold the Key to Belfort, only your Key cards are active.
• Expansion Expansion note: If playing with the Expansion Expansion, a Goon may not be used to activate this guild.

Resource Guilds

Employee of the Month Guild

• Cost: (icons as printed)
• Action: Immediately on placement for every Elf on your own Property card planks gain 2 Wood and for every Dwarf on your own Property card planks, gain 2 Stone.