Count of Nine Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Game Components
• Terminology
• Object of the Game
• Set-up
• Sequence of Play
• Game End & Match End
• Game and Match Scoring
• Notes

Game Components

9 double sided cards.

Each face of the card has a resource on each long side of the card, and a different structure on each short side of the card.

All structures show their resources required to build to the left of the structure name, and the resource or victory points they provide in the upper section.

Example: the Tavern structure requires 1 Lumber and 1 Crew to build, and will provide (up to once per round) 1 Crew to build other structures.

If a structure shows 2 resources separated by a slash, either one of the resources may be used.

Structures that provide end game victory points will show the victory point value in a shield to the right of the structure.

Example: the Castle structure requires 2 Crew plus 1 Armoury, 1 Stonemason, and 1 Goldsmith structure to build.

Terminology

• Play Area: The 2 or 3 cards that are active / in play: the top card of the deck, the center card, and the top card of the discard pile.
• City Area: An area in front of the player where built structures are placed.
• Turn: A decision on the cards in the play area (build a structure, or pass).
• Round: One playthrough of the deck.
• Game: Multiple rounds that end when there are no further moves, or when the player chooses to end. Points are totalled and the number of rounds played are counted at the end of each game.
• Match: Two complete games. The scores from the two games are added together to get the total score for the match.
• Rotate: Keeping the card/deck facing you, rotate it 180 degrees so that what was on the bottom is now on the top.
• Flip: Keeping the top of the card facing up, flip the card so that the back side of the card is now facing you.
• Shuffle: Mix the deck of cards to rearrange the order of the cards, but NOT which edge is the top or which side of the card (no flipping or rotating).
• High Structure: One of the 5 top victory point structures in the deck: Castle, Cathedral, Monument, Harbour, Town Square.
• Basic Structure: Any structure other than a high structure.

Object of the Game

Score the most victory points in the least amount of rounds over the 2 games. Total score will be the sum of victory points from both games minus the total number of rounds played in both games.

Set-up

1. Select one high structure card to be the target to build this game. Remove it from the deck and set it aside. (This will allow you to see its build requirements, and ensure that you don't accidentally build a structure on the back side of this card).
2. Arrange the remaining 8 cards with the squared off borders facing up.
3. Rotate about half of the cards.
4. Shuffle the deck.
5. Looking only at the top card of the deck, decide which resource will be active. Position the deck so the selected resource is at the top of the card.

Strategy Tip: Crew resources are needed to build all structures, so if unsure, play with the Crew resource facing up - if you have that choice.

Sequence of Play

Each game is played in multiple rounds. In each round, the player will work through the entire (remaining) deck of cards and have the opportunity to build one or more structures.

1. Starting with the deck slightly left of center in front of you, slide the top card of the deck to the right (to what will be the center position) to display the top 2 cards of the deck side by side.
2. If possible and if desired, use the top resources on these cards (plus any resources available from already built structures) to build one of the displayed structures.
   • a. Move the newly built structure to your city area, and rotate it one quarter turn so that the built structure is facing up. To keep track of rounds played, create a new column of structures for each round played.
   • b. If the top discard pile card was used for its resource to build a structure, tilt it slightly to indicate that the resource has been used. It cannot be used again this round.
   • c. Flip and discard any other cards in the play area that provided resources to build the structure and place them on the discard pile.
   • d. Slightly tilt any structure cards in the city area if their resources were used to build this new structure. (A structure may provide its resource at most once per round).
3. If no structure is built, flip the center card to the right to the discard pile.
4. If the center card was flipped onto the discard pile or built into a structure (so there is a gap between the deck and the discard pile), slide the top card of the deck to the right so that 2 face up cards from the deck are visible, and the top card of the (flipped) discard pile is visible. All 3 of these cards are active for the next turn.
5. Repeat steps 2 - 4 until the entire deck is played through. You will typically have 3 cards to choose from: the top deck card, the center card, and the top discard.
6. At the end of a round, flip the discard pile over to the starting side of the cards. Reset any tilted structure cards.
7. If desired, you may do ONE of the following:
   • a. Rotate the entire deck 180 degrees (to get to the resources that are on the bottoms of the cards), OR
   • b. Shuffle the entire deck (to randomly rearrange the cards), OR

Game End & Match End

A game ends when there are no longer any available moves, or earlier whenever the player chooses to end it (in order to save rounds played). At the end of game 1, score the game, then begin game 2 with a fresh deck. The match ends after 2 complete games.

Game and Match Scoring

At the end of each game, add together all of the following:

• Structure victory points (number in shields)
• +1 VP for each basic structure (0 or 1 VP structures)
• +1 VP bonus for each duplicate structure
• +3 VP for each additional high (3VP+) structure

Then, subtract the number of rounds played in the game. This is the total game score.

Total match score is the sum of both game scores.

Results:

• 25+: Our next King!
• 21-24: The King is worried
• 17-20: The King is impressed
• 13-16: The King shrugs
• 0-12: The King is displeased

Notes

1. Built structures may provide their resource only once per round. If using a structure's resource, tilt the card slightly to show that the resource has been used. Reset at end of round.
2. The "Demolition Team" allows you to take a built structure card and place it in the discard pile (in any orientation you choose) to be used in the next and future rounds. The Demolition team card is also placed in the discard pile when used.
3. You may build more than one high structure per game, but only pre-select one (see rule 5.1).