Councils & Contracts
Councils & Contracts Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Game Components
GAME COMPONENTS: 25 influence cards (5 in 5 different colors), 4 council cards, 1 overview "resolving an issue", 1 card "special committee", 1 overview "resolving a special issue", 1 City Hall card, 36 cards "building projects", 30 employees (6 in 5 different colors), 5 point markers (in 5 colors), 25 transparent markers, 6 cards "scoring board".
Card key from the rulebook's example building card: the costs (influence needed) are shown at the top left of the card, the victory points (awarded when placed) at the top right, the card type (color and building) in the centre, the workers needed (0, 1 or 2) at the bottom left, the building action at the bottom right, and the card number in the bottom corner.
Before the First Game
Sort the 6 cards "Scoring board" on their backs from 1 to 6 and stick them together with a piece of cellotape.
Sort the 25 influence cards by player colors (on the backs!) and from 1 to 5; stick together each set with a piece of cellotape.
Setup
Each player chooses a color and receives the following components, which he places in front of him:
- 5 transparent markers
- 6 employees
- 1 point marker
- 5 influence cards (player color on the backs!)
With less than 5 players: components not used are placed back in the box.
2 employees of each player are placed back in the box (but keep them in reach) - thus each player has only 4 active employees at the beginning.
On the influence cards 1 transparent marker is placed on each "1" field of the first four councils and one on the "0" field of the last council (see marks). The point markers are placed on position "0" of the score board.
The scoreboard, the 4 council cards and the overview "resolving an issue" are placed on the table and should be in full view for everyone. With 5 players, the "special committee" and the "resolving a special issue" are placed as well.
According to the number of players, the not used building project cards are taken out of the game (see tag number of players on the backs!).
Then the "A" and "B" cards are separated and shuffled separately. A deck is formed were the "A" cards are on top of the "B" cards.
The top 8 cards are placed face up beside the council cards forming an open display.
The City Hall card is placed in the middle of the table. It represents the city and is furtheron expanded by the building measures.
In Detail: The Councils
- committee for education
- committee for transport
- financial committee
- legislative committee
- special committee (5 players)
Note: The brown council card which you may find in the card deck is not needed for the basic game. It will be used in an upcoming expansion to the game.
Turn
The last player having been in a city hall becomes starting player and the further play runs in clockwise order.
The active player can perform one action.
The available actions depend on whether the player has available employees or not:
- If he has 1 or more employees available, the player can either place employees in councils or start a building project.
- If he has no employees available, he can either resolve an issue or execute a building action.
With Employees Available
Placing Employees in a Council
The active player can place 2 employees in 1 council or 1 employee in 3 different councils. The employees remain in session until an issue is resolved.
Starting a Building Project
Each of the 8 face up building projects of the display can be activated if the player has the necessary employees and the needed influence.
The costs of the project can be seen on the top left part of the card: up to 3 different symbols with values (showing the needed influence). For spending influence, slide down the transparent marker on the according influence card.
The player also receives the victory points shown on the top right part of the card. He moves his point marker on the score board one space further.
The chosen building project card now has to be placed horizontally or vertically (not diagonally) adjacent to at least 1 existing building in the city - at the beginning to the City Hall card.
Then the active player, depending on the project, needs to place 0, 1 or 2 employees on that card.
The display with the building projects is again filled to 8 cards. If the deck is exhausted and if there are still more than 4 buildings available in the display, the game continues as normal.
No Employees Available
Resolving an Issue
The player chooses 1 council where he has at least one employee. The active player receives 1 influence point for resolving the issue.
According to the number of workers on that council every player attending this council receives influence, which he marks on his according influence card by adjusting the transparent marker; players with 4 employees in this council receive victory points as well:
- 0 influence points for 1 employee
- 2 influence points for 2 employees
- 3 influence points for 3 employees
- 4 victory points and 1 influence point for 4 employees
Afterwards, all employees of that council are returned to their owners. With 5 players: For resolving an issue in the "special committee" see according overview card.
Building Action
Every building project has a building action described on the bottom part of the card.
To execute some of these actions, the player sometimes has to pay the additional costs listed on the card.
After the building action the player takes back the 1 or 2 employees of the building project (if the action does not dictate otherwise). Precise descriptions: Pg. 14 - 16.
Building Actions: General Notes
- The City hall counts for all card types.
- On depictions of cards: X/Y/Z stands for the different card types.
- "Put one own employee out of play (= in the box)".
The Different Cards
- #1 & #4: Decrease 1 influence point of any kind (excluding "development"), receive 2 (or 3) influence points "development".
- #2 & #6: Put 1 employee from this card back in the box, take back the second employee, receive 3 influence points "development".
- #3 & #7: Receive 2 (or 3) influence points "development".
- #5: Put 1 employee from this card back in the box, take back the second employee, receive 4 influence points of any kind(s) (excluding "development").
- #8 & #11: Execute the building action of any card, adjacent to this one.
- #9, #10 & #14: Employee(s) on this card move(s) to any vacant card in the city (take back the second employee if not needed).
- #12 & #13: After placing this card put 1 or 2 employees onto any vacant card in the city (use as many employees as indicated on the chosen card).
- #15: Choose 1 card type - receive 3 victory points for each adjacent card of this card type.
- #16: Receive 2 victory points for each adjacent card of different types.
- #17 & #20: Receive 1 own employee from the box.
- #18: Receive 1 victory point for each (own and foreign) employee in the city.
- #19: Decrease 1 influence point "development", place a building project from the display - employee(s) move(s) to the new building card (take back second employee if not needed).
End of Game
If the display has gone down to 4 building projects and the deck is exhausted, the ongoing round is followed through (= to the starting player). Afterwards, there are 2 end turns, beginning with the starting player again. In each of these 2 turns players are allowed to take 1 freely chosen action, regardless of having employees available or not.
After that the game ends.
Now, additional winning points are awarded for the highest influence: For every type of influence, the player with the highest influence scores 4 victory points. In case of a tie all tied players score 2 victory points.
The player with the most victory points wins the game.