Micro City (Second Edition) Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Object of the Game
• Components
• District Cards
• Building Cards
• Project Cards
• Engineer
• Investments
• Company Cards
• Round Track
• Dice
• Single Player Variant
  • Setting Up the Game
  • Gameplay
  • Game End
• Basic Mode
• Extended Mode
• Challenge Mode
• 2 Player Cooperative Variant
  • Setting Up the Game
  • Gameplay
• 2 Player Competitive Mode
  • Goal Cards
  • Advantage Cards
  • Victory Point Card
  • Setting Up the Game
  • Gameplay
  • Game End
• Logistics Add-on
• A Game Round (Quick Reference)
• Icon Glossary

Object of the Game

Your end goal will vary depending on the selected game mode but it will generally involve completing all stages of a building in a given time frame. Plan your actions carefully and try not cross your investment threshold.

Components

• 4 District cards
• 3 additional District cards (Logistics expansion)
• 2 Company cards
• 1 round tracker card
• 1 victory point card (used in the 2 player competitive mode)
• 2 player aids
• 13 Project cards (6 per player + 1 for cooperative mode)
• 2 Engineers
• 13 Investment tokens (8 red, 5 blue)
• 11 markers (1 red, 1 blue, 9 white)
• 1 double-sided Building card used in the base game
• 2 double-sided Building cards used in the challenge mode
• 4 six-sided dice
• 8 Goal cards (used in the competitive 2 player mode)
• 10 Advantage cards (used in the competitive 2 player mode)

District Cards

Each District card consists of 4 Quarters. Each Quarter benefits the player in various ways depending on the type. There are 4 types of Quarters in the game:

• Industrial — provide resources (coal, steel or wood) depicted on the bottom part of the Quarter.
• Commercial — allow for exchanging and/or selling resources.
• Residential — used for constructing Buildings and gaining money.
• Logistics (only in the logistics expansion) — allow for retrieving Investment tokens and/or buying resources.

The bottom part of a Quarter contains at least one die symbol (the same color as the Quarter) and a die roll value which is required in order to use the Quarter's advanced action.

District upgrade. District cards are double-sided and marked with an A and B side. The A side shows the basic District where every Quarter has 1 or 2 dice. The B side shows the upgraded District where every Quarter has 2 or 3 dice (one more than on the basic side), increasing the chances of using that advanced action. Upgrading a District takes place after playing the appropriate Project card.

Building Cards

The double-sided Building cards show various Buildings which have to be constructed in a given period of time in order to win the game. Buildings differ in the number of Building stages that have to be constructed (in any or specific order) and the resources and/or money needed to complete each stage.

All challenge mode Building cards also contain information about:

• Time — how many rounds are given to construct a given building depending on chosen difficulty level. Colored numbers indicate the easy, medium and hard levels in the challenge mode. The difficulty levels for the basic and extended modes are explained under Basic Mode.
• Order — the order in which the Building stages need to be constructed.
• Bonus — an additional action that can be performed immediately after completing this Building stage.

Project Cards

The term "any area" used on Project cards refers to any Quarter on a District card, any Building stage, or a Goal card area (used in the 2-player competitive mode). Each Project card shows:

• the number of Quarters the Engineer needs to move to after playing the Project card;
• a basic action description — can be used always after playing the Project card because no additional requirement needs to be met in order to use it;
• a die symbol, indicating a die value required to use the advanced action;
• an advanced action description — can be used after using a die with a corresponding die value.

Engineer

A pawn that players use to move through Quarters. Each round our Engineer is going to move to a different Quarter and perform the action associated with that Quarter's specialisation. Each step of an Engineer is always orthogonal (never diagonal) and when moving two spaces he cannot come back to the Quarter he began his round on.

Investments

Investment tokens are placed on Quarters (where the Engineer finished his movement) as well as on Building cards (on spots indicating the completion of a Building stage).

The setup of each game mode indicates how many Investment tokens need to be placed in the available Investments pool.

A lack of Investment tokens in the pool is usually an indicator that you are about to lose the game.

Company Cards

The Company card is used for marking the number of available resources (coal, steel, wood) and money on their corresponding tracks: coal, steel, wood, money.

The starting values of your Company are 0 coal, 0 steel, 0 wood and 2 money. Each time you need to spend resources or money move the appropriate marker that many spaces to the left. Each time you gain resources or money move the appropriate marker that many spaces to the right.

You can never have less than 0 resources or money. You cannot perform an action if you are unable to cover its cost even if that action would have given you the necessary resources or money (e.g. using a bonus for completing a Building stage). You can never have more than 5 of each resource or money. If you were to obtain more resources or money than you have free spots to the right of the current position of the marker, simply move the marker to the last available spot and the excess is lost.

This icon symbolises ANY resource chosen by the player. If any effect indicates 2 ANY resource, the player decides what resources they are and they don't have to be of the same type.

Round Track

The goal of the game is the construction of a Building(s) in a given timeframe (varying depending on the game mode and difficulty level). Time is being measured by moving the time marker to lower values with each round. When the marker reaches "0" the game automatically ends with the player losing.

Dice

The game uses dice which, based on their values, can be used to perform advanced actions on Project cards or advanced actions on the Quarter the Engineer has moved on in the investment phase.

In the preparation phase of each round the player rolls 2 dice and places them in the dice pool (on the left of the Company card) — these dice are available for that round.

Using a die means taking it from the dice pool and putting it on the right side of the Company card — this die cannot be used for the remainder of the round. Using dice isn't mandatory, and the player who leaves both dice in his dice pool gains 1$ in the final phase.

Single Player Variant

This section describes the setup and rules for the basic level single-player mode.

It's a good idea to play your first games in this mode in order to familiarise yourself with the flow of the game. Once you feel up to the challenge try out different modes explained in the next parts of this rulebook.

Setting Up the Game

1. Take 4 District cards and place them randomly on the table to form a 2x2 city board. All cards should be placed with the A side face up (showing the basic District side) in a way that cards in one row are aligned with their longer sides touching. For your first game you can set up the city board as shown in the picture.
2. Place the Engineer on a Quarter of your choice.
3. Place 8 red Investment tokens close to you — they will form the available Investments pool.
4. Place the Company card in front of you and place a white marker on every track. The starting values of your Company are 0 coal, 0 steel, 0 wood and 2 money.
5. Pick a Building card that you want to construct and place it beside the city board with the desired side up. For your first game we recommend to use the A side of the basic mode Building.
6. Place the round tracker beside the city board and place a white marker on the spot indicating the chosen difficulty level (corresponding to the colored indicators on the Building card).
7. Take 2 dice and place them beside the Building card.
8. Take 6 Project cards into your hand. You will also need some space on the table for the discard pile.

You are now ready to begin the game!

Gameplay

The game takes place over a series of rounds. Their number is determined by the chosen Building and the difficulty level. Each round consists of 4 consecutive phases.

Preparation phase

• Roll 2 dice and place them in your dice pool (on the left of your company card).
• You may change the value of a die by +1/-1 (you can change a 6 to a 1 and vice versa) by paying 1 resource or 2$. This action can be performed multiple times on both dice.
• You may pay 2$ or 1 resource to remove 1 Investment token from any Quarter. Move the appropriate marker on your Company card by that number of spots and remove the chosen Investment token from the city board and move it to the Investment token pool. This action can be performed multiple times.
• You may sell 1 resource for 1$, marking this on the appropriate tracks of the Company card. This action can be performed multiple times.

Project phase

In the project phase you must decide if you want to:

1. Play a Project card. Move your Engineer a number of Quarters indicated on the Project card and perform one of two actions:

   • perform the basic action of the Project card following its description,
   • perform the advanced action of the Project card by using a die from the dice pool, the value of which corresponds to the value shown on the Project card.

   After performing the selected action, put the Project card onto the discard pile.

   OR

2. Retrieve Project cards. Move your Engineer 1 Quarter and retrieve all Project cards from the discard pile.

Investment phase

Skip this step if your Engineer is standing on a Quarter where an Investment token is already present.

If there is no Investment token present you may perform an action (basic or advanced) corresponding to that Quarter.

If there is a die in your dice pool that corresponds to the value on the Quarter you can use it to perform a Quarter's advanced action.

If you don't have the necessary die you will only be able to perform that Quarter's basic action.

• Industrial — Gain 1 resource depicted on the Quarter card. OR use a die with a value that matches the Quarter and gain 2 resources depicted on the Quarter card.
• Commercial — Exchange 1 resource for 1 resource of a different type (money is not a resource). You also gain 1$. OR use a die with a value that matches the Quarter and exchange 1 resource for 2 resources of a different type (they don't have to be the same). You also gain 1$.
• Residential — Gain 2$. OR Build: use a die with a value that matches the Quarter and complete a Building stage. Spend the necessary resources and/or money and take 1 available Investment token and place it on the Building stage you have just completed. If you have placed an Investment token on the last Building stage the game ends with you winning! Note: this action cannot be performed if there are no Investment tokens available.

Final phase

Perform these steps in the following order:

1. If there is no Investment token on the Quarter your Engineer is standing on, take 1 token from the Investment token pool and place it on that Quarter. You cannot use markers present on the city board or on the Building card. If you have no tokens available in the Investment token pool the game automatically ends with a loss.
2. Move the time marker on the round track to a spot of a lower value. If you moved the marker to the "0" spot the game automatically ends with a loss.
3. If you have 2 dice in the dice pool, gain 1$.

If you haven't lost the game after performing the above steps the round is over and you start a new round with the preparation phase.

Game End

The game ends with a loss immediately when:

1. The time marker on the round track reaches the "0" spot.
2. You have to place an Investment token on the city board and there are no available tokens in the Investment token pool.

You are victorious immediately when the final stage of a Building is completed.

Basic Mode

The setup and gameplay presented till now explained the basic mode of Micro City. To play in this mode choose from either the A or B side of the basic Building card. Also select one of the difficulty levels presented below, reducing the number of rounds needed to construct the Building.

Building card side	Difficulty level	Number of rounds
A	easy	10
A	medium	8
B	medium	15
B	hard	12

Extended Mode

If the basic mode proves to be too short for your taste you can always extend the gameplay by incorporating a few modifications. Setup and gameplay are the same as in the basic mode but when choosing the Building you always have to start with the A side up. After completing the final stage of the A side of the Building card remove all Investment tokens and put them back to the Investment token pool. Next flip the Building card to the B side.

Your goal is to complete both sides of the Building card before time runs out (according to the chart below).

Building card side	Difficulty level	Number of rounds
A+B	easy	25
A+B	medium	22
A+B	hard	18

Challenge Mode

Gameplay in this mode is similar to that of the basic mode but instead of choosing the standard Building card you choose a Building card from the challenge mode deck. These can be easily identified as their illustrations resemble the world's most famous landmarks. Your reputation provides you with the opportunity to finally stop constructing nameless structures and leave a timeless mark on the history of architecture!

Similarly to the basic gameplay mode, each challenge can be tackled on three levels of difficulty: easy, medium, hard. After selecting the challenge mode Building card, place a marker on the round track on the spot corresponding to the chosen difficulty.

Some challenges require you to complete Building stages in a given order represented on the Building card, starting with stage 1, then 2, etc. If Building stages don't have numbers on them that means they can be completed in any order.

Take note that some Building stages give you a special bonus (an additional free action) that can be performed right after completing the given stage. Carefully planning your actions and using that bonus at just the right time can bring you closer to victory!

2 Player Cooperative Variant

The goal of this variant is to construct a Building in a given timeframe together (the timeframe differs depending on the chosen game mode and difficulty level).

The rules of this variant can be used in the basic, extended and challenge modes by incorporating the changes listed below.

Setting Up the Game

1. Place 4 District cards randomly on the table to form a 2x2 city board. All cards should be placed with their A side up.
2. Each player receives their own Engineer and places it on a Quarter of their choice (it can be the same Quarter).
3. Take 8 red Investment tokens and place them in easy reach of both players. These now form the Investment token pool.
4. Both players receive their own Company cards and mark their starting resources and money: 0 coal, 0 steel, 0 wood and 2 money.
5. Both players decide on the Building card they would like to construct and place it next to the city board.
6. Place the round tracker next to the city board and place a white marker on the spot corresponding to the chosen game mode and difficulty. See the Basic Mode section for details.
7. Take 4 dice and place them next to the Investment tokens.
8. Pick a first player. That player places 6 Project cards in their hand.

You are now ready to begin the game!

Gameplay

The game plays similarly to the basic single player mode with a few changes listed below.

• Players use the 8 Investment tokens and 6 Project cards together. Each player has their own pool of 2 dice.
• Each round has a slightly modified phase order.
• Both players carry out the preparation phase together.
• The first player carries out his project phase, investment phase, final phase.
• The second player carries out his project phase, investment phase, final phase.
• When both players finish their rounds they move on to the next preparation phase.
• End game and win/loss conditions are the same as in the basic single player mode.
• During the preparation the first player rolls all 4 dice and then both players decide which dice they want to place in their dice pools (each player places exactly 2 dice).
• The first player carries out his round like in the basic mode and then passes the remaining Project cards to the second player.
• The second player carries out his round like in the basic mode and then passes the remaining Project cards to the first player.

Note 1: If at any point of the game a player was to change a die value (e.g. by paying resources or money in the preparation phase or playing a Project card) he may do so on either his own or the other player's die.

Note 2: Players may not exchange or give each other any resources or money.

In order to make the 2 player game easier, players can add an additional Project card marked with a "2" icon — during the game setup add it to the Project card deck. This card's basic action provides the only possibility for players to exchange resources between each other: exchange 1 resource with the other player, or retrieve 2 Project cards (apart from this one).

2 Player Competitive Mode

This mode differs from the others significantly as the goal of the game is gaining the most victory points. These are gained by completing Goals and fulfilling Advantage card requirements. The player with the most victory points after 20 rounds (10 per player) is considered the winner.

Goal Cards

Each Goal card has 3 Goal areas. Each area shows which resources and/or money have to be spent in order to complete the Goal. A Goal can be completed by using an advanced action of a residential Quarter (completing a Goal replaces completing a Building stage from the basic mode). A player who wishes to complete a Goal has to have his Engineer present on a residential Quarter in the investment phase. That Quarter cannot have any Investment tokens on it. After using a die with a value matching the one on the Quarter and spending the appropriate resources and/or money, the player marks the completed Goal with an Investment token from his own Investment token pool. He then gains victory points equal to the number marked on the left of the completed Goal.

There can be only one Investment token present on one Goal area. Whichever player's Investment token is present on a Goal prevents that Goal from being completed again until that marker is removed. (Unlike in the case of Building cards, Investment tokens on the Goal cards can be placed and removed repeatedly.)

Retrieving Investment tokens. Every time a game effect allows a player to remove an Investment token from an area, that player may remove his own or his opponent's token (e.g. to unlock a spot that's useful to him). The removed token is returned to its owner's Investment token pool.

If a player was to place an Investment token but has no Investment tokens in the pool, he loses 1 victory point and retrieves an Investment token from any area. He can immediately use that token to perform an action that required it. If the player decides he doesn't want to use that token immediately, that token is placed in his Investment token pool.

Advantage Cards

An Advantage card shows a condition that needs to be met for a player to gain additional victory points. At any time on his round the player that meets the conditions of the Advantage card may take that card and gain its victory points. A player can gain victory points only from one Advantage card in his round. If at any point he meets the conditions of both Advantage cards on the table he has to choose one of them.

When taking an Advantage card a player places it in front of himself and marks its victory points on the victory point track. Place a new Advantage card on the table so that there are always 2 available (if there are any left).

Victory Point Card

The goal of a 2 player competitive mode is to gain more victory points than your opponent. Victory points are marked on the victory point card using the players' markers. When gaining points the player moves his marker higher on the victory point track by the number of victory points gained. When losing points the player moves his marker lower on the points track by the number of victory points lost.

Setting Up the Game

1. Place 4 District cards randomly on the table to form a 2x2 city board. All cards should be placed with their A side up.
2. Both players pick their colors and receive 5 Investment tokens and place them close by, forming their Investment token pool.
3. Pick the first player.
4. Each player receives an Engineer of their own color. The player who goes second is the first to choose a Quarter and place his Engineer on it. The first player does the same and can pick the same Quarter.
5. Both players receive their Company cards and mark their starting resources and money using white markers:
   • first player starts with: 0 coal, 0 steel, 0 wood and 2 money.
   • second player starts with: 0 coal, 0 steel, 0 wood and 3 money.
6. Shuffle the Goal card deck, pick 3 cards and place them face-up on the table for both players to see. Put the rest of the cards away. They will not be used for the rest of the game.
7. Shuffle the Advantage card deck and place 2 cards face-up next to the Goal cards. Place the deck next to the face-up Advantage cards.
8. Place the round tracker card next to the city board and place a white marker on the number "20" spot.
9. Place the victory point card beside the city board for both players to reach. Place markers in both colors on the "0" spot.
10. Each player receives 2 dice.
11. Both players receive an identical set of 6 Project cards (marked with dice icons with values 1-6) and place them in their hands. You will also need some room for discarded cards.

You are now ready to begin the game!

Gameplay

The game plays similarly to the basic single player mode with a few changes listed below.

Starting with the first player, players carry out their rounds one at a time, marking their turns on the round tracker card. Each player performs all 4 phases of a round in the normal order (preparation phase, project phase, investment phase, final phase).

Project phase — playing a Project card. After playing a Project card players put it away onto their own discard pile in a way that the top card is always visible and values of the previously played cards are visible too.

Note: Players cannot play a Project card that is identical to the card on top of their opponent's discard pile (meaning that they cannot play the same card their opponent played in their last round).

Additionally, the advanced action of the Project card with a dice value of 2, "don't move the time marker this round," is unavailable in this mode. Treat it as only saying "retrieve 2 cards (apart from this one)."

Investment phase. A player cannot end the movement of his Engineer on a Quarter with the opponent's Engineer on it. A player can use a Quarter's action only when there are no other Investment tokens present on it (belonging to whichever player).

• Residential — Gain 2$. OR use a die with the indicated value and complete a Goal. Spend the required resources and/or money and take 1 Investment token from your pool and place it on that Goal area. Mark the gained victory points on the victory point track. Note: if you don't have any available Investment tokens in your pool you can voluntarily lose 1 victory point and retrieve 1 Investment token from any area and immediately use it to complete a Goal.

Final phase. When a player's turn is over he marks it as he would normally on their mutual round track. Each player is going to play for 10 rounds.

Game End

The game ends when the round track marker reaches "0." The player with the most victory points (their point marker is higher on the victory point track) is the winner. In the case of a tie the player with the most Advantage cards is the winner. If this still leads to a tie, the winner is the player with the higher number of resources and money.

Logistics Add-on

Cards from the Logistics add-on (marked on their A side as 5A, 6A and 7A) can be used in any game mode. During setup remove one random basic District card and replace it with one random District from the Logistics add-on. Lay them out as you would normally so that they form a 2x2 city board. Remember to place all cards with their A side face up.

The goal and gameplay remain the same as in the chosen game mode but players can now use additional actions of the logistics Quarter.

Logistics — Retrieve 2 Investment tokens. OR exchange 1$ for 2 resources.

The logistics Quarter has 2 basic actions and requires using a die of ANY value. Retrieved Investment tokens are placed in the player's Investments pool. When exchanging 1$ for 2 resources the player may choose 2 different resources of his choice.

A Game Round (Quick Reference)

Preparation phase

• Roll 2 dice and place them in your dice pool.
• May change the value of a die by +1/-1 (you can change a 6 to a 1 and vice versa) by paying 1 resource or 2$.
• May pay 1 resource or 2$ to remove 1 Investment token from any Quarter.
• May sell 1 resource for 1$ (once per round).

Project phase

• Play a Project Card and move your Engineer a number of Quarters indicated on the Project card. Perform basic action, or perform advanced action by using a die from the dice pool.
• Retrieve all Project Cards, move your Engineer 1 Quarter.

Investment phase

• Skip if Engineer standing on a Quarter with an Investment token on it. If no Investment marker present you may perform basic action, or advanced action if a die in dice pool matches the die value shown for the advanced action.
• Place Investment token if Quarter with Engineer doesn't have one.
• If there are no available Investment tokens — LOSS.
• Move time marker 1 spot.
• Gain 1$ if both dice are available in dice pool.

Icon Glossary

• ANY Resource — the player chooses which resource type this represents.
• Resource — a specific resource (coal, steel or wood).
• Exchange X for Y — trade the first amount/type of resource or money for the second.
• Investment token — a token placed to mark completed actions or Building/Goal progress.
• Move your Engineer — move the Engineer the indicated number of Quarters.
• Any die — use a die of any value.
• Any value — a value chosen freely, e.g. for gaining victory points.
• Gain "X" Points — gain the indicated number of victory points.
• Time icon — affects the time marker on the round track.
• Exchange 1 wood for 1 steel — an example of a specific resource-for-resource exchange shown on a card.
• Retrieve 1 Project card — take one Project card back from the discard pile.
• Upgrade District — flip a District card to its upgraded (B) side.