The Anarchy
The Anarchy Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Aim of the Game
The aim of The Anarchy is to be the player with the most Victory Points (VP) at the game's end. Points are gained primarily by increasing Attributes, avoiding Discontent, and by successfully focusing on the 5 Path Cards gained throughout the game.
Over 5 Rounds players will use their Workers and Resources to develop and defend their Domain, and perhaps even lay siege to a few Enemy Castles.
Components
- 1 Scenario Deck (64 Scenario Cards)
- 25 Path Cards
- 4 Player Aids
- 36 Attack Cards
- 6 Final Escalade Cards
- 96 Domain Cards (24 per player)
- 12 Muster Tokens
- 25 Silver
- 30 Materials
- 30 Food
- 4 Tents
- 1 First Player Marker
- 120 Workers (30 Yellow Serfs, 20 Black Craftsmen, 25 Grey Patrons, 25 Red Soldiers, 20 Blue Knights)
- 4 Castle Mounts
- 1 Game Pad (double-sided)
- 1 Campaign Book (for Solo)
- 4 Moat Dice
- 4 Gate Dice
- 16 Wall Dice
- 16 Tower Dice
- 5 Small Plunder Tiles
- 5 Large Plunder Tiles
- 1 Main Board & 4 Player Boards
Player Setup
Have each player select a colour. Give them the following components:
- 2 Sheets from the Game Pad. Place 1 faceup as the Left Sheet, and the other facedown as the Right Sheet.
- 1 Player Board and 1 Castle Mount. Place these above the 2 Sheets as shown.
- 1 Gate Die, 1 Moat Die, 4 Tower Dice, and 4 Wall Dice. Place these nearby the Castle Mount.
- 1 Player Aid, and all 24 Domain Cards in their player colour. Shuffle the Domain Cards into a facedown Draw Pile.
- 1 Tent in their player colour. This will be placed on the left end of the Main Board.
If playing with more than 1 player, randomly determine a start player, and give them the First Player Marker.
Main Board Setup
To set up the Main Board, carry out the following:
- Place the Main Board in the centre of the playing area.
- Shuffle the 25 Path Cards into a facedown Draw Pile near the Main Board.
- Shuffle the 6 Final Escalade Cards into a facedown Draw Pile on the designated space of the Main Board.
- Shuffle the 36 Attack Cards into a facedown Draw Pile on the space to the right of the Final Escalade Cards. Note that the Attack Card backs do vary - this is intentional.
- Separate the Plunder Tiles by their type (Small have 2 Resource, Large have 3). Shuffle each set and place Large Plunder Tiles on the 2 left-most spaces along the top of the Main Board. Place Small Plunder Tiles on the other 3 spaces. Each space should have just 1 Plunder Tile. Return the remaining 5 Plunder Tiles to the box.
- Place each player's Tent on the left end of the Main Board.
- Place all Muster Tokens, Workers, and Resources (Silver, Materials, and Food) nearby to form the Main Supply. All these components are considered to be unlimited.
- Lastly, carry out any further Setup steps outlined in the chosen Scenario, such as placing the 5 Enemy Castle Cards.
Don't forget to choose the Scenario! See the next section for more information.
Solo Setup
If playing Solo, use a Tent of another colour for your Rival if required. Place this in the same space as your Tent.
Scenario Setup
When setting up The Anarchy, players must select which Scenario they will play. The game comes with 2 game play modes, as well as a full Solo Campaign. If playing multiplayer, or a one-off solo game, choose from 1 of the 6 Scenarios below. If playing through the Solo Campaign, refer to the chosen chapter in the Campaign Book.
All Scenarios will show a row of 5 numbered cards. These cards must be taken from the Scenario Deck, and placed faceup on the Main Board in order. Each Scenario Card has a small number on its right edge, making it easier to find within the Scenario Deck.
Some Scenarios will also have other steps, such as returning Tents to the box, gaining additional Resources, or adding more Scenario Cards alongside the Main Board. This is especially common throughout the Solo Campaign.
For the first game, we recommend the Easy Classic Mode. For those experienced with the prequel, Hadrian's Wall, they may wish to start with the Standard Classic Mode. And for those wanting a slightly simpler first game, they might try the Easy Siege Mode, as this removes all rules for attacking Enemy Castles. See the Siege Mode section for Siege Mode rules changes.
- Classic Mode - Easy: Main Board Cards 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
- Classic Mode - Standard: Main Board Cards 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.
- Classic Mode - Hard: Main Board Cards 11, 12, 13, 14, 15.
- Siege Mode - Easy: Main Board Cards 16, 17, 18, 19, 20. Other Changes: Return all Tents and Plunder Tiles to the box.
- Siege Mode - Standard: Main Board Cards 21, 22, 23, 24, 25. Other Changes: Return all Tents and Plunder Tiles to the box.
- Siege Mode - Hard: Main Board Cards 26, 27, 28, 29, 30. Other Changes: Return all Tents and Plunder Tiles to the box.
If playing solo, remove the Emissary Card from the Path Card Draw Pile.
Gameplay Overview
The Anarchy is played over 5 Rounds. At the beginning of each Round, players gain new Attack Cards, and a new Path Card. After this they will gain Workers and Resources from their chosen Path Card and Production Tracks. Then the Action Phase takes place, where players simultaneously take actions by discarding Workers and Resources to fill in various boxes on their Sheets. Generally speaking, players will continue taking actions until they run out of Workers and Resources.
Once all players have stopped taking actions, play moves into the Castle Defence Phase. Here players will need to resolve each Attack Card above their own Player Board to see how well they defended their Castle. This will result in them gaining some combination of Bravery, Loyalty, and perhaps even a little Discontent.
Finally, there are a few quick clean up steps before heading in to the next Round.
Round Start - Deal Required Attack Cards
At the start of each Round, ensure that both the Final Escalade Card Draw Pile, and Attack Card Draw Pile have been reshuffled. Deal each player 1 Final Escalade Card, placing it faceup in the left-most space above their Player Board. All 6 Final Escalade Cards are identical, except for which 2 sides of the Castle they will focus on.
From the top of the Attack Card Draw Pile, deal a number of Attack Cards to each player based on the current Round. In the first Round, this will just be 1 Attack Card. In Round 2, there will be 2 Attack Cards, and so on. By Round 5 there will be a total of 6 Cards across the top of each Player Board - 1 Final Escalade Card, and 5 Attack Cards.
Also note that 2 of the spaces along the tops of Player Boards instruct the Attack Cards to be placed facedown (the brown bar shows a closed eye instead of an open eye). Players cannot look at the front side of facedown Attack Cards, except by using a Spies action (found on the Right Sheet). However, the backs of Attack Cards still provide some useful information for players.
Attack Card Etiquette
Because the backs of Attack Cards show some useful information, the distribution of these could allow for players to manipulate the draw in their favour. Therefore, it is best to keep to these rules:
- Shuffle the Attack Cards without paying attention to which card ends up on top.
- First deal Attack Cards to the player holding the First Player Marker, and then to other players in clockwise order.
- When dealing to each player, be sure to always place the Attack Cards in order from left to right across their Player Board (remember to keep the indicated spaces facedown).
Round Start - Draft New Path Cards
After all players have received their new Attack Cards, reveal a number of Path Cards from the top of the Draw Pile, equal to the number of players in the game. See the note below for how this changes for solo. In turn order, each player selects 1 Path Card, keeping it alongside their Player Board for now.
For Scenarios where players do not have Tents on the Main Board, turns are taken in clockwise order, starting with the player holding the First Player Marker.
For Scenarios where players do have Tents, the relative positions of these Tents can alter turn order. The players whose Tents are furthest to the right will have first choice of the Path Cards. If there are multiple Tents on the same space, all players on that space follow the normal turn order rules (clockwise from the First Player Marker). Once all those players have chosen a Path Card, look to the next right-most space, and resolve any Tents there, and so on. If a player never moves their Tent the entire game, they will likely be the last player to select a Path Card each Round.
In this example, Green holds the First Player Marker at the beginning of Round 4. As Blue and Red are the furthest along the Main Board, they will get first choice of the Path Cards. Red is sitting directly to the left of Green, so Red will choose first, followed by Blue. Next up Green will get to choose from 1 of the remaining 2 Path Cards. Finally, Yellow is the furthest behind, so they take the last Path Card on offer.
Solo Rules
If playing Solo, use a Tent of another colour for your Rival. If your Tent is at the same space as your Rival, reveal 2 Path Cards and select 1 to keep (this will always be the case in Round 1). The other Path Card is discarded. If your Tent is behind your Rival, only reveal 1 Path Card, which you must take. In either case, after doing so, advance the Rival Tent to the next space. If you are playing a Scenario without Tents, always draw 2 Path Cards and select 1 to keep.
Production
During this Phase, players simultaneously gain all Workers and Resources shown on their new Path Card, as well as from their Production Tracks. All Production Tracks are found together in the grey section of the Left Sheet.
This player would gain the following:
- 5 Serfs
- 2 Craftsmen
- 5 Materials
- 4 Patrons
- 4 Silver
- 2 Food
- 2 Soldiers
- 1 Knight
Players should take these Workers and Resources from the Main Supply, and place them on their Player Boards.
After gaining all their Workers and Resources for the Round, players must tuck their new Path Card beneath their Player Board in the left-most empty space. Below is an example of how this might look in Round 3.
Actions - General Concepts
As a general rule, most actions will require players to discard a combination of Workers and Resources from their Player Board, back to the Main Supply. After doing so they will fill in the associated box on their Sheets. The term "box" or "boxes" refers to the white spaces on the Sheets. These may be squares, circles or other shapes. Some boxes are empty, while others have icons printed inside them. In most cases, any time players fill in a box with 1 or more icons in it, they gain whatever items they just covered.
Tracks
A lot of areas on the Sheets are Tracks. This includes the Attribute Tracks along the bottom of the Left Sheet, Production Tracks, Leadership Rows on the Right Sheet, and so on. All these Tracks must be filled in from left-to-right.
The Governance Leadership Row is one example of a Track. The first box filled in here will gain a player 1 Silver. The second box has no immediate reward, but the third will gain them 1 Loyalty.
Buildings
There are a number of Buildings on the Right Sheet. In order to use a Building, players must first construct it. This will always require a certain number of filled boxes on the associated Leadership Row, and some cost of Workers and Resources. After constructing a Building, there will be a single box to the right of the cost that must be filled in. This will often gain players some Influence or other immediate reward.
Once constructed, players may then use the Building. These function a lot like Tracks. There will be a cost on the left side, and boxes to fill on the right. Each time the cost is paid, players must fill in the left-most empty box. There are a few more minor rules specific to each Building, but these will be explained in detail later.
The Small Stables is an example of a Building. Once constructed and completely filled it provides players with the Black Horse for the rest of the game.
Buildings often have a Small, Medium, and Large size, referred to as "Levels". Players cannot build larger Levels until they have first constructed and completely filled the smaller Levels. Simply building them in order is not enough - all boxes must be filled before moving on to the next Level.
Domain Cards: A number of actions will require players to reveal a number of Domain Cards from the top of their Domain Card Draw Pile. Once resolved, these should be placed into a Discard Pile. Should their Draw Pile ever run out, shuffle all Discarded Domain Cards to form a new Draw Pile.
Fortifications (Gate, Towers, Walls, and Moat)
While they each interact with a different section of the Castle Mount, all 4 of these Tracks follow very similar rules. After paying the cost on the left, players must fill in the next box along the associated Track, resolving any icons covered. This is often adding a new Die on the Castle Mount, or increasing the value of an existing Die. In addition to this, players can also gain Might, Patrons, and Materials.
There are 2 sections of these Tracks that cannot be filled until the required Crane has been constructed. Once a player has the Small Crane (black), they can access the middle section. Once they have the Large Crane (white), they can access the right section.
Gate: When filling the first box on the Gate Track, place the Gate Die at the bottom space of the Castle Mount, set to a value of 1. For each future box filled on the Gate Track, increase the Gate Die by 1.
Towers: When filling boxes on the Tower Track, either place a new Tower Die with a value of 1, or increase an existing Tower Die from 1, to 2.
Walls: When filling boxes on the Wall Track, either place a new Wall Die with a value of 1, or increase an existing Wall Die by 1.
There is an important rule for Walls: The difference in value between each adjacent Wall can never be higher than 1. Spaces without a Wall Die are considered to be 0.
In this example, the next Wall box filled could either be used to add the last Wall Die to the bottom space, or to increase the top Wall Die to 2 (since both adjacent Wall Dice would still be within 1). The left and right Wall Dice cannot be increased currently, as that would cause them to be 2 higher than the bottom space.
Moat: Not every box along the Moat Track provides an immediate reward. When filling the second box, place the Moat Die at the top-right space of the Castle Mount, set to a value of 1. For each future box filled with the Moat Icon, increase the Moat Die by 1.
Quarry & Forest, Farms, and Training Grounds
Each of these Tracks require Serfs to be discarded for each box to be filled. These Tracks provide immediate Resources, Soldiers, and Loyalty, as well as additional Production of either Materials, Food, or Soldiers.
Prepared Tactics
These must first be researched from the Tactics area on the Right Sheet (see the Tactics section below). Once researched, players may discard Materials to prepare their Tactics. When doing so, draw an outlined circle around the next available box (the dotted white circles). Prepared Tactics may be used during the Castle Defence Phase. When using prepared Tactics, fill in the box to show that it is no longer available.
While each row comes with the first box outlined, it cannot be used until the associated Tactic has been researched.
This player has researched Rocks and Logs. They've spent 2 Rocks already, and have 3 more prepared for use. They haven't created any further Logs, but they can spend the first 1 if they need to.
The amount of Tactics boxes is not intended to be limited. If players fill up an entire row, they can continue preparing additional Tactics by tracking them elsewhere.
Production Tracks
Each of these Tracks increase Production of a specific Resource or Worker. Any time a box is filled showing 1 of the 8 icons shown on the left of these Tracks, fill in the next empty box along the associated Track.
Note: If a Production icon is gained but that Production Track has already been filled to its limit, that icon is ignored.
Attribute Tracks
Most actions in the game work towards players increasing their Attributes. At the end of the game, each filled Attribute box is worth 1VP. Anytime players gain either Bravery, Loyalty, Influence or Might, they must fill in the left-most unfilled box of that Track. This can also result in players gaining more Workers from the Main Supply or additional Attributes in other areas. Any Attributes gained above 24 are wasted.
Enemy Castles Defeated
To the right of the Attributes Tracks is a space for marking how many Enemy Castles a player has defeated. It is not crucial that players fill this in (it can be easy to forget), but the Conqueror Path Card does reference it for scoring.
Free Trade Action
Also shown to the right of the Attributes Tracks is a reminder that players can always discard any 2 Resources to gain any 1 Resource. Note that this is only for Resources, not Workers.
The Wealth Wheel
This area of the Left Sheet is the main place for players to use their Silver. The Wealth Wheel is made up of 4 separate Quarters. The cost to fill a box on the Wealth Wheel is always 1 Silver, as shown in the middle of the Wheel. Players can only fill boxes connected to the middle or connected to a previously filled box by a thin white line.
Mercenaries, Guildsmen, and Allies are focused on gaining Workers, and increasing Production of Patrons, Craftsmen, and Knights.
Siegecraft is focused on researching and constructing Cranes and Siege Weapons for attacking Enemy Castles and strengthening infrastructure. Once players have researched a Crane or Siege Weapon (paying Silver), they must still discard the required Craftsmen and Materials to construct the item. Construction does not require any additional Silver, and does not need to be done immediately after researching. Some Siege Weapons also require the Small or Large Crane to be constructed.
Players do not have to research all the Siege Weapons in order. As long as they can trace a white line back to a previously filled box, they can fill any chosen box.
The player in this example has already filled a few boxes in the Allies Quarter. They have also filled 4 boxes under Siegecraft. They haven't constructed the Small Crane yet, which means they won't be able to construct the Battering Ram. However, they are still allowed to continue researching beyond that point. They may decide to come back to research and construct the Ballista at a later time, or they may choose to simply ignore it entirely.
Did you know? Craftsmen were normally freemen, i.e. they were not bound to the land of a lord and had the freedom to own property independently. They generally specialized in specific trades or skills, focusing on areas such as blacksmithing, carpentry or stonemasonry. They often belonged to guilds, which were associations of artisans and merchants organized to regulate their trade, set standards for quality, and protect their interests.
Leadership Rows
Each of these 4 independent Leadership Rows function in the same way, giving access to different Buildings and other areas of the Right Sheet.
Players can fill in a box on a chosen Leadership Row, by either discarding 1 Patron from their Player Board to the Main Supply, or by filling the Keep. In either case, players must fill in these Tracks from left-to-right, gaining any Workers, Resources, Attributes, or other benefits they fill in along the way.
Notice how some banners are coloured on the Leadership Rows, while others are brown. The coloured banners are there to remind players that a new Building or other feature is now available in that particular area.
Many actions on the Right Sheet will require players to have a certain number of boxes filled (or more) on the indicated Leadership Row. This is referred to as the "Measure" of that Leadership Row.
Keep
Constructing each Level of the Keep requires a certain Measure of Governance, 1 Craftsman, and 1 Materials. The larger Levels also require the Small or Large Crane.
Once constructed, Patrons may be discarded to fill boxes in the Keep. The first box always rewards 1 Knight, and the second rewards any 1 Resource. The last box in each Level of the Keep allows other Leadership Rows to be filled, and rewards more Influence. Note that the Small Keep's last box provides either 1 Warcraft, 1 Worship, or 1 Entertainment. It also provides 1 Influence.
Rule reminder: Each Level of a Building must be constructed and completely filled before constructing the next Level.
Mint
Constructing each Level of the Mint requires a certain Measure of Governance, 1 Craftsman, and 1 Materials. The largest Level also requires the Small Crane.
Once constructed, Serfs may be discarded to fill boxes in the Mint. The first box always has no reward, but the second rewards 1 Silver Production, 1 Silver, and 1 Influence.
Spies
Spies do not need to be constructed. However, they still need to be filled from left to right. There are 3 Levels of Spies, each requiring a certain Measure of Governance.
Silver may be discarded to fill boxes on the Spies Track. The first box always has no reward, but the second rewards 1 Influence and 1 or 2 Knowledge. When gaining Knowledge, players must circle an outline around the Knowledge icon of that box. Players do not have to use their Knowledge before filling boxes further along the Spies Track.
At any point during the Actions Phase, players may use Knowledge to reveal a facedown Attack Card. When using Knowledge, players must first fill in the outlined circle completely. The chosen Attack Card is then flipped and left faceup for the Round. If this was their own Attack Card, there is no further benefit beyond now knowing all the details of the incoming attack. If this was another player's Attack Card, they also fill in 1 of the smaller boxes to the right of the Spies Track, and gain 1 Bravery. Players may only assist others in this way up to 3 times per game.
The player in this example has filled 4 boxes along their Spies Track. They have already used their first Knowledge to assist another player, and have 2 more Knowledge available.
Tactics
Tactics do not need to be constructed. They do however, still need to be filled from left to right. There are 5 Levels of Tactics, each requiring a certain Measure of Warcraft.
Patrons or Knights may be discarded to fill boxes on the Tactics Track. Each box filled allows players to research 1 of the 5 Tactics on the Left Sheet. This will immediately gain them 1 Soldier as shown. The final box on the Tactics Track also rewards 1 Influence. Note that researching Bolts also requires having a constructed Ballista.
Ramparts
Ramparts do not need to be constructed. They do however, still need to be filled from left to right. There are 6 Levels of Ramparts, each requiring a certain Measure of Warcraft.
Craftsmen may be discarded to fill boxes on the Ramparts Track. While some boxes reward Soldiers, Active Soldier Production, or Influence, the main focus of this Track is the Muster Tokens. When filling a box with a Muster Token icon, players take 1 Muster Token from the Main Supply, placing it faceup on its active side near their Castle Mount.
Each Muster Token will allow players to move 1 defending Worker during each Castle Defence Phase.
Stables
Constructing each Level of the Stables requires a certain Measure of Warcraft, 1 Craftsman, and 1 Materials.
Once constructed, Serfs or Soldiers may be discarded to fill boxes in the Stables. Once all 3 boxes are filled in the Small Stables, a player has access to their Black Horse. Likewise, having all 3 filled boxes in the Large Stables provides the White Horse. These Horses are required when attacking certain Enemy Castles on the Main Board.
Chapel
Constructing each Level of the Chapel requires a certain Measure of Worship, 1 Craftsman, and 1 Materials. The larger Levels also require the Small or Large Crane. Constructing the Small Chapel also grants access to Knight's Training.
Once constructed, players may discard Resources to fill the 3 square boxes of the Chapel. These Resources may be spent in any order. Once all 3 Resources have been spent, players also fill the wider box below, gaining 1 Patron, 1 Patrons Production, and 1 Influence.
Rule reminder: Each Level of a Building must be constructed and completely filled before constructing the next Level.
Knight's Training
Players cannot use Knight's Training until the Small Chapel has been constructed (it does not need to be filled). There are 6 Levels of Knight's Training, each requiring a certain Measure of Worship, and they must be filled in order (from top to bottom).
Patrons may be discarded to fill boxes in Knight's Training. Each filled box immediately rewards 1 Knight. Players must then reveal the indicated 2, 3 or 4 Domain Cards from the top of their Domain Card Draw Pile.
For this action, players are looking at the first row of their Domain Cards. There are 4 Knight's Training icons, and players are hoping to reveal unique types. As indicated at the bottom of Knight's Training, this can reward Soldiers, Knight Production, and Might. If all revealed Domain Cards show the same icon, they gain no extra benefit.
St. Valentine's Festival
St. Valentine's Festival does not need to be constructed. It does however, still need to be filled in ascending order. There are 6 Levels of St. Valentine's Festival, each requiring a certain Measure of Worship.
Patrons may be discarded to fill boxes in St. Valentine's Festival. Each filled box indicates that players must reveal 2 Domain Cards from the top of their Domain Card Draw Pile.
For this action, players are looking at the second row of their Domain Cards. There are 6 different numbers. Players are aiming to get matching pairs of female and male villagers to fall in love.
The first Domain Card revealed provides a number for the female, and the second provides a number for the male. Players must fill the indicated box under St. Valentine's Festival. If that box has already been filled, they may spin 1 space to the left or right around the Maypole. What this means, is that they may increase or decrease the revealed number by 1. This does not chain into adjacent boxes. If both adjacent boxes are already filled, they do not get to fill a different box. Spaces 1 and 6 are considered adjacent.
In this example, a player has revealed a female 4 and male 5. As their female 4 box has already been filled, they can change it to a 3 or 5. They will likely make it a 5, as it will immediately make a pair with their male 5.
When players create a pair, they must fill in the left-most box along the bottom of St. Valentine's Festival, gaining the indicated Serf and Loyalty, and sometimes Serf Production.
Did you know? The Patron Workers represent the Nobles and Clergy of that time. In Medieval England, they were the ruling classes, each exerting influence in their respective spheres. Nobles owned land granted to them by the king and had political and judicial authority over their domain. In turn, they were expected to provide military service to the crown in times of conflict, by supplying knights and soldiers to fight in wars or defending areas of the country. They often led their own troops into battle and played crucial roles in shaping military strategy. The Clergy provided spiritual guidance and were the primary educators and scholars. They played a central role in providing charitable services, and could wield significant political influence.
Michaelmas
Michaelmas does not need to be constructed. It does however, still need to be filled in ascending order. There are 6 Levels of Michaelmas, each requiring a certain Measure of Entertainment.
Serfs may be discarded to fill boxes in Michaelmas. Each filled box indicates that players must reveal 2 Domain Cards from the top of their Domain Card Draw Pile.
For this action, players are looking at the third row of their Domain Cards. There are 8 different numbers. Players are aiming to fill these numbers in such a way to complete specific sums. After revealing their 2 Domain Cards, players must place them into an available # box under Michaelmas. The revealed numbers may be placed into the same box, or different boxes. Once players complete a sum, they fill in the box on the right, gaining the indicated Resources, Influence, or Joy.
There are also 2 boxes at the top that can accept any sum. These still require 2 numbers, and only provide 1 Resource.
In this example, a player has revealed a 7 and 4 for Michaelmas. The 7 cannot be used immediately to complete a sum, so they might place it in the 12 sum row, waiting for a 5 to come later. The 4 can be paired with the 2 for a sum of 6. This will allow them to fill in the box to the right, gaining any 2 Resources of their choice.
Did you know? In medieval England, Michaelmas marked the transition to a new financial year after the harvest. The bailiff or reeve of the manor would make out the accounts for the year.
Did you know? The Serf was a vital component of the feudal system in medieval England, serving as the backbone of agricultural production and providing labour for the nobility. They were bound to the land they worked on and owed various obligations to their lord. In exchange, serfs were provided with protection and security. The lord was responsible for defending the estate and its population from external threats, such as raids or invasions.
Tournaments
Tournaments do not need to be constructed. They do however, still need to be filled in ascending order. There are 6 Levels of Tournaments, each requiring a certain Measure of Entertainment.
Food and Silver may be discarded to fill boxes in Tournaments. Each filled box immediately rewards 1 Knight, and also Bravery and Influence on the later Levels. Players must then reveal 2 Domain Cards from the top of their Domain Card Draw Pile. Depending on the outcome, players may end up repeating this draw up to 2 more times (a max of 3 draws).
For this action, players are looking at the fourth row of their Domain Cards. There are 2 different icons (Shield and Lance) that appear in different positions. Players are aiming to knock their opponent off their horse, while not being knocked down themselves.
The first Domain Card revealed provides the player with the positions of their Shield and Lance, while the second Domain Card provides the positions of their opponent's. A hit is successful if the opposing jouster's Shield is in a different position from the incoming Lance.
- If the player or the opponent manages to hit without themselves being hit, they win the Tournament.
- If both players hit, or both players miss, it is a tie. In this case, draw 2 new Domain Cards and assess again.
- If after 3 draws, the final result is a tie (3 consecutive ties), the player wins the Tournament.
Example outcomes: Opponent victory - their Lance hit the player's left side. Player victory - the player's Lance hit the opponent's right side. Tie - both jousters hit on the right side. Tie - both jousters Shielded the incoming Lance.
If the player loses, they gain no further benefit. If they win, they also get to fill the box to the right of the trophy icon, gaining the indicated Influence, Soldiers, Might or Joy.
Brewhouse
The Brewhouse does not need to be constructed. Players place ingredients into the Brewhouse as they fill in various boxes along the Entertainment Leadership Row.
Any time players fill in a box showing the Brewhouse icon, they must reveal 2 Domain Cards from the top of their Domain Card Draw Pile.
For this action, players are looking at the fifth row of their Domain Cards. There are 4 different ingredients. Players are aiming to fill ingredients in such a way as to complete rows and columns in the Brewhouse. Any time they fill a row or column, they must circle an outline around the Beer icon of that row or column.
Beer can be used during the Castle Defence Phase to give Soldiers and Craftsmen a little extra strength if needed. When using Beer, players must fill in the outlined circle completely.
When filling ingredients, players may add them wherever that ingredient is still visible. Players can only ever gain up to 4 of each type. If they were to gain more, those ingredients are wasted.
In this example, a player already has 1 Beer available. With their latest Domain Card reveal they will be able to complete their first column by placing the Barm into the second row. The Hops could be placed into the second or third row as well.
Did you know? In medieval England, brewers knew that yeast was necessary for fermentation, but didn't quite understand where it came from. The barm, or yeast froth, was scraped off the top of the fermenting beer, saved and used to make the next batch of brew.
Lammas
Lammas does not need to be constructed. It does however, still need to be filled in ascending order. There are 6 Levels of Lammas running along the bottom of the Right Sheet, each requiring a certain Measure of Entertainment.
Serfs may be discarded to fill boxes in Lammas. Each filled box indicates that players must reveal 2 Domain Cards from the top of their Domain Card Draw Pile.
For this action, players are looking at the sixth row of their Domain Cards. There are 4 different Flag colours. After revealing their 2 Domain Cards, players must fill in Flags of those colours. Players can only ever fill 3 of each colour. If they were to gain more, those Flags are wasted. Any time players colour in both Flags on either side of a hanging white box, they also fill in that box and gain the indicated Loyalty or Joy.
In this example, a player just revealed a Yellow and Purple Flag. They could fill in the Yellow Flag on the middle string to gain both the Loyalty and Joy from the adjacent boxes. They could then fill in a Purple Flag on 1 of the other 2 strings.
Did you know? Lammas day or 'Loaf-mass' originates from the Anglo-Saxons and Celts. In Medieval England, it was kept as a harvest festival, where loaves of bread were made from the new grain consecrated by the church.
Attacking Enemy Castles
Aside from the actions already explained across the Left and Right Sheets, players may also take an action to attack the current Round's Enemy Castle. Note that this action is only possible if the chosen Scenario is using Tents on the Main Board. Players cannot attack multiple Enemy Castles in the same Round.
In order to attack an Enemy Castle, players must discard Workers to produce strength equal to or greater than the Enemy Castle's defences. They must also discard the indicated Food, and have any required Horses or Siege Weapons. If they can meet all these demands, they move their Tent to the Enemy Castle's space, and gain the indicated rewards above. This includes any Bravery and Might from that space, and Resources from the Plunder Tile. These rewards are on offer for all players each Round (players do not discard Plunder Tiles).
A Castle's defence is the sum of its printed value (the silver Shield on the Scenario Card), and any values on facedown Scenario Cards to the right of a player's Tent. Note that the value of the Scenario Card where a player's Tent sits does not count - only those to the right.
To attack this Enemy Castle, Yellow would need at least 8 strength. Green would need at least 7 strength. Blue and Red are directly behind the Enemy Castle, and therefore only need at least 5 strength. These players would also need to discard 2 Food, and have their Black Horse and Battering Ram ready for use. Note that Horses and Siege Weapons are not spent, just required. Attacking this Enemy Castle would reward 4 Bravery, 1 Might, and 2 Silver.
As noted in the top-left of the Main Board, Soldiers provide 1 strength and Knights provide 2 strength. These Workers are discarded to the Main Supply when used to produce the required strength to attack an Enemy Castle.
Overwhelm: Players may spend additional Strength when making their attack to gain a single Overwhelm reward. These rewards are shown on the Main Board to the right of the last Enemy Castle. Players can only resolve 1 of these, and only once. For example, they cannot spend 4 Strength to gain 2 Food.
Castle Defence - Overview
Once all players have stopped taking actions, the game moves into the Castle Defence Phase. There is a reminder of all the steps for this Phase on the Left Sheet. The steps are:
- Pay Food equal to the Round number. For each Food that players cannot pay, they must gain 1 Discontent.
- Players must then deploy any remaining Craftsmen, Soldiers, and Knights around the sides of their Castle Mount. There is also a reminder here that each Craftsman and Soldier may use 1 Beer at any point during this Phase.
- Any remaining Workers and Resources at this point must now be discarded to the Main Supply.
- Players reveal any facedown Attack Cards, then resolve each of them from right to left.
- For each Strong Attack (Attack Cards featuring a Skull icon) that players successfully defend against, they immediately gain 1 Bravery.
- After all Attack Cards have been resolved, players gain Loyalty equal to the Round's Determination, minus their undefended Attacks (to a minimum of 0).
- They then gain Discontent equal to the Round's Determination, minus any Loyalty they just gained.
- All players then discard any surviving Craftsmen, Soldier, and Knights, gaining 1 Serf per 3 strength discarded. Craftsmen and Soldiers each provide 1 strength, while Knights provide 2.
Players can also use any active Muster Tokens they might have at any point during this Phase.
Each of these steps will be explained in detail on the following pages. Players can carry out these steps simultaneously. If this is the first game for some players, it is recommended to resolve each player's Castle defence in turn order (at least for the first Round), just to be sure everyone understands all the rules.
Siege Mode
In this mode there are no Enemy Castles to attack. Instead, players must resolve the current Marching Army Card at the beginning of the Castle Defence Phase. Players must pay Food repelling the Marching Army in addition to the usual Food costs. This Food is shown on the red ribbon of the Card. Players gain 1 Discontent for each Food they cannot pay. After resolving all enemy attacks, players gain Bravery based on how many Attack Cards they successfully defended. See the Round's Marching Army Card to determine how much Bravery is gained.
Castle Defence - Preparation
To prepare for the Castle Defence, players must first pay (discard) Food equal to the Round number. There is also a reminder of this cost along the top of Player Boards. Players may wish to place Food on these spaces as a reminder not to use all their Food. For each Food that players cannot pay, they must gain 1 Discontent.
Players must then deploy any remaining Craftsmen, Soldiers, and Knights around the sides of their Castle Mount. There are 4 sides to the Castle. As will be explained later, Attack Cards often target specific sides of the Castle. Players will be using a combination of Fortifications, Tactics, and Workers to defend their Castle each Round.
Craftsmen and Soldiers each provide 1 strength. Knights provide 2 strength.
In this example, a player has deployed 1 Craftsman on the right side to provide 1 strength, and 1 Soldier with 1 Knight on the bottom side to provide 3 strength.
There is no limit to how many Craftsmen, Soldiers, and Knights may be deployed to each side. Once Workers have been deployed, they cannot be moved. The only way to do so is with Muster Tokens.
After players have deployed their Craftsmen, Soldiers, and Knights, all remaining Workers (Serfs and Patrons), and Resources must be discarded back to the Main Supply.
Castle Defence - Reveal Attack Cards
Only after players have fully resolved their Preparation should they reveal any Attack Cards above their Player Boards that are still facedown. Now is when they will see if they deployed their Workers to the correct sides!
Notice how the backs of Attack Cards provide information on the type of Attack, and what defences can be used against it. For example, we know the Ballista will attack from opposite sides, and that Towers, Workers, and Bolts can be used against it. But until the Attack Card is revealed, we do not know which 2 sides will be attacked, or if it is a Strong Attack.
Castle Defence - Resolve Attack Cards
Players must resolve each Attack Card above their Player Board in order, from right to left. In this way, the Final Escalade Card is always the final attack to be resolved. When resolving each Attack Card, players need to first assess the strength and direction of the incoming attack. This is indicated by the letters A-E in flames on each Attack Card. These letters are referencing those same letters shown across the bottom of the current Round's Scenario Card.
The Scenario Card shown here is for Round 3 of the Easy Classic Mode. It tells us that B and C are 2, A and D are 3, and E is 4.
For this Ballista Attack Card, that means that the left and right sides of the Castle are each being attacked with a strength of 2. Also shown on the Attack Card are the elements that can be used to defend the attack, which in this case is Towers, Bolts, and Workers.
Assigning Damage: In order to successfully defend an Attack Card, players must be able to withstand the attack's strength in full. All Attack Cards indicate what elements can be used. This might include:
- Fortifications (Gate, Towers, Walls, Moat). These will be coloured when applicable. Each Level of a Fortification provides 1 defence to its side of the Castle (Walls defend just 1 side, while Towers defend both adjacent sides). Fortifications always absorb as much as possible where they can. They will be ready to go again for the next Attack Card if needed. In other words, they do not break down when attacked.
- Tactics. These are shown in the middle of the castle illustration when applicable. Each prepared Tactics used provides 1 defence. Using Tactics is always optional. Players may choose not to use their prepared Tactics in order to save them for a later Attack Card, or because using them would still not allow them to defend the attack in full. When using prepared Tactics, fill in the outlined box on the Left Sheet to show that it is no longer available.
- Workers. These are shown at the bottom of the Attack Card when applicable. Craftsmen and Soldiers provide 1 defence, while Knights provide 2. Workers must always be discarded when needed, even if the Attack Card being resolved cannot be defended in full. In other words, they can't step aside, and let the attack come through, surviving to defend a later attack. Discard Workers back to the Main Supply when used for defence.
If a player successfully defends an Attack Card, they must discard it to the top of the Attack Card Draw Pile on the Main Board, or to the Final Escalade Card Draw Pile if it was an Final Escalade Card. If the Attack Card was a Strong Attack (it has a Skull icon in the top-right corner), the player immediately gains 1 Bravery.
If a player does not defend an Attack Card in full, it is not discarded yet. Players may wish to turn it facedown to show that they have finished resolving it. Remember that this may still result in some Workers being discarded if they were on the side of the Castle being attacked.
Regardless of whether they were successful or not, players must look left to the next Attack Card, resolving it in the same manner. Players continue resolving each Attack Card until they have resolved all of them. They will be aiming to have no Attack Cards sitting above their Player Board, but there will likely be times when some still remain.
Castle Defence - Workers, Beer, and Muster Tokens
Knights: If a Worker uses all their strength in a defence, they are discarded the Main Supply. However, Knights each have 2 strength. If only 1 of their strength was needed for the defence, they survive to help defend against the next Attack Card where they are needed. To show that their strength has been reduced to 1, lay them down.
Beer: When resolving an Attack Card, players may give Beer to their Craftsmen and Soldiers (never to Knights). When using Beer, players must fill in the outlined circle in the Brewhouse. This provides a Craftsman or Soldier with 1 additional strength (essentially making them as strong as a Knight). As with Knights, if they survive the attack with 1 strength remaining, lay them down to indicate that they still have 1 strength. Each Craftsman and Soldier may never consume more than 1 Beer.
Muster Tokens: Before resolving each Attack Card, players may turn 1 or more active Muster Tokens to their inactive side. Doing so allows them to move any 1 Worker from its current side, to any other side of the Castle. This may include Workers that have been laid down.
Players can have up to 3 Muster Tokens. These are refreshed at the end of each Round - meaning that players can use each Muster Token once per Round.
Castle Defence - Attack Card Types
Ladders: Attacks 1 of the 4 sides. Defend with Walls, Rocks, and Workers. Note that Final Escalade Cards are much like regular Ladder Attacks, except that they attack any 2 different walls at the same strength.
Arrows: Attacks 3 of the 4 sides, with the middle of those 3 sides being attacked at an equal or greater strength than the other 2. Defend with Walls, and Workers.
Ballista: Attacks 2 opposite sides. Defend with Towers, Bolts, and Workers. Note that Towers are situated on the corners of the Castle, and therefore can be used to defend against either of the 2 sides that they adjoin to.
Battering Ram: Always attacks the bottom side. Defend with the Gate, Hot Oil, and Workers.
Siege Tower: Attacks 1 of the 4 sides. Defend with the Moat, Logs, and Workers.
Catapult and Trebuchet: Attacks the entire Castle (not specific sides). Defend with Covers. Note that this is the only Attack Card that Fortifications and Workers cannot be used for.
Player Aid: The back of the Player Aid shows players the potential strength of each Attack Card type. For example, Ladders will always be A for a normal attack, and E for a Strong Attack.
Strong Attacks: As mentioned previously, any time players successfully defend against a Strong Attack, they gain 1 Bravery. In most cases, Strong Attacks will be 1 strength higher than a normal attack.
Castle Defence - The Aftermath
Once all players have resolved all their Attack Cards, it's time to assess how well they did.
First, players gain Loyalty equal to the current Round's Determination, minus 1 per Attack Card still above their Player Board (to a minimum of 0).
Determination is indicated by the Gold Cross along the top of Player Boards. As seen above, the Determination for Rounds 2 and 3 is 2, but it increases to 3 for Round 4.
After gaining any Loyalty, players then gain Discontent equal to the current Round's Determination, minus any Loyalty they just gained. Because of this, the Loyalty and Discontent gained will always equal the Round's Determination.
Round 3 Example:
- No Attack Cards remaining (fully defended) = 2 Loyalty, 0 Discontent.
- 1 Attack Card remaining = 1 Loyalty, 1 Discontent.
- 2 or more Attack Cards remaining = 0 Loyalty, 2 Discontent.
Swords to Ploughshares: After this, players retire (discard) any surviving Workers to the Main Supply. These are only Workers that were deployed to the Castle this Round, not any gained from filling boxes on the Attribute Tracks. Players gain 1 Serf for every 3 strength discarded this way (Craftsmen and Soldiers = 1 strength, Knights = 2 strength). Note: If a Knight was laying down from taking 1 damage, they only count as 1 strength.
Finally, players should discard any Attack Cards still above their Player Boards.
Gaining Workers: It is possible to gain Workers during the Castle Defence Phase. This can be from filling boxes on the Attribute Tracks, or when gaining Serfs during the Aftermath. Any Workers gained this way are placed on a Player's Board for the next Round. Workers should still be gained even in the last Round, as they count as a tie-breaker for final scoring.
Castle Defence - Full Example
In this example, we can see how a player is looking as they head into the Castle Defence Phase of Round 5.
Preparation & Reveal Attack Cards: To begin these steps they had to discard a total of 5 Food. Unfortunately they could only afford 4 of these, so had to gain 1 Discontent. They deployed Workers around their Castle Mount, then revealed the 2 facedown Attack Cards.
Resolve Attack Cards:
- The first Attack Card is Arrows. This is targeting their left, right, and bottom sides for 3 strength each. Their right Wall can absorb all 3 strength, but both their left and bottom Walls are short by 1. They discard the Craftsman for the 3rd strength on the left side, and give 1 Beer to their Soldier. The Soldier survives, but must be laid down. They discard the Arrows Attack Card.
- Next up is the Battering Ram. This is attacking the bottom side with 4 strength. Their Gate provides 1 defence, and they can spend 1 Hot Oil from their prepared Tactics for another defence. Finally, they discard 1 Knight for the last 2 defence. They fill in their prepared Hot Oil, and discard the Battering Ram Attack Card.
- Now they have a Siege Tower attacking the left side of their Castle. Fortunately this only has a strength of 4, which their Moat can defend against in full. They discard the Siege Tower Attack Card.
- While they were distracted on the left side, another Siege Tower approached from the right. This is a Strong Attack, which they weren't prepared for. Their Moat provides 4 defence, but they are lacking 1 more. Fortunately they can use their active Muster Token to move the previously laid down Soldier to the right side of their Castle, providing the 1 defence needed. They discard the Soldier, and also the Siege Tower Attack Card. They gain 1 Bravery for the Strong Attack.
- The next Attack Card is a mighty Trebuchet, bringing down a massive 4 strength attack. The only defence against this is Covers. But this player knew it was coming. They fill in all 4 prepared Tactics, fully defending the attack. They discard the Trebuchet Attack Card, and gain 1 Bravery for the Strong Attack.
- Last up is the Final Escalade Card. This is targeting the top and bottom of their Castle for 4 strength each. Both Walls provide 2 defence on their respective side. With their last remaining Knight, they can make up the last 2 defence needed on the bottom side. But there is still 2 strength undefended at the top. But all is not lost - they have 2 prepared Rocks Tactics which they can use in order to fully defend the attack. They fill in the 2 prepared Rocks, and discard the Final Escalade Card.
The player has fully defended their Castle against every attack. It cost them all 4 Workers, 1 Beer, and all their prepared Tactics, but they did it! Since the Determination is 4 for this Round, they gain 4 Loyalty and gain no further Discontent.
Did you know? Soldiers made up the bulk of medieval armies. They were mainly drawn from the lower classes and were trained in infantry tactics. They fought on foot using a variety of weapons and formations, and they played a crucial role in sieges, battles, and skirmishes. In addition to soldiers serving in the regular armed forces, mercenaries were also common in medieval England. They were professional soldiers who fought for pay rather than out of loyalty to a lord or monarch. They were often hired by kings, nobles, or cities to supplement their own forces or to provide specialized skills.
Discontent and Joy
Players can gain both Discontent and Joy from various sources. These need to be recorded along the bottom of the Left Sheet.
- When gaining Discontent, players should either fill in a box that has an X through it (Joy), or outline the circle of a new box. Players gain Discontent from not paying the required Food during the Preparation step of the Castle Defence Phase, from failing to defend all Attack Cards, and from not attacking the Enemy Castle each Round.
- When gaining Joy, players should either fill in a box that has been outlined (Discontent), or draw an X in a new box. Players gain Joy from Lammas, Michaelmas, and Tournaments.
At the end of the game, players will lose Victory Points for any Discontent they still have. This only counts outlined boxes - filled in boxes are ignored. Joy does not score at the game's end, but is a requirement in some Solo Campaign Scenarios.
This player has gained a total of 5 Discontent and 2 Joy, for a final Discontent of 3. This will cause them to lose 4VP at the game's end.
Did you know? In Medieval England, knights held an influential position in society, embodying the ideals of chivalry, martial prowess, and service to their lord. They were trained in the art of warfare from a young age, learning horsemanship, swordsmanship, how to read and write, and martial tactics. Knights played a central role in battles, often leading the charges.
Knights also participated in tournaments, which were mock battles or contests of skill held for entertainment and practice. Tournaments provided knights with the opportunity to display their martial prowess, gain renown, and hone their combat skills in a controlled environment.
End of Round
Once all players have finished their Castle Defence, follow these final steps to wrap up the Round:
- Turn over the Current Round's Scenario Card and Plunder Tile. If any Tents were on the Scenario Card, simply lift them up and place them back down where they were.
- Each player gains 1 Discontent per facedown Scenario Card to the right of their Tent. This does not include the Scenario Card that their Tent is sitting on. This causes players that are not attacking the Enemy Castles to gain an increasing amount of Discontent each Round.
- Any players with inactive Muster Tokens turn them back to their active side.
- Pass the First Player Marker to the next player in clockwise order.
- If this was Round 5, move into final scoring. Otherwise, continue on to the next Round.
In this example, it is the end of Round 3. The Scenario Card and Plunder Tile have just been turned facedown. Yellow gains 2 Discontent, and Green gains 1. Red and Blue do not gain any Discontent since they attacked the Enemy Castle this Round.
End of Game
The game ends after Round 5. Players should use the Left Sheet to calculate their final scores. The player with the highest score is declared the winner!
In the case of a tie, the tied player with the least Discontent is the winner. If still tied, the tied player with the most left over Workers is the winner. If still tied, all tied players share the victory.
Scoring Example: This player has scored 23VP from their Bravery, 16VP from their Loyalty, 5VP from their Influence, 11VP from their Might, and 12VP from their Path Cards. They had to lose 6VP from their 4 Discontent, leaving them with a total score of 61VP.
If playing solo, see how you stood up against these scores. If you did well enough, maybe it's time to start the Solo Campaign!
- 0-59VP = Vassal
- 60-74VP = Knight
- 75-84VP = Baron
- 85-99VP = Earl
- 100+VP = Lord High Steward
Path Cards
Each Path Card has a unique scoring goal. Based on how well players achieve these goals, they will score 0-3VP for each Path Card.
- Scores completed Chapel Levels. Completed = Constructed with all boxes filled.
- Scores Final Discontent.
- Scores completed Keep Levels. Completed = Constructed with all boxes filled.
- Scores completed Leadership Rows. Completed = All boxes filled. Leadership Rows are the Governance, Warcraft, Worship, and Entertainment Tracks.
- Scores Final Influence.
- Scores collected Muster Tokens.
- Scores Tournaments won. There are a maximum of 6 Tournaments, and only 4 wins required to maximize scoring for this Path Card.
- Scores Final Might.
- Scores defeated Enemy Castles. There are a total of 5 Enemy Castles, and only 4 attacks are required to maximize scoring for this Path Card.
- Scores constructed Walls. Players can count the pips on the Walls of their Castle to find their final number.
- Scores assisting others with Spies. Players can do this up to 3 times during a game.
- Scores sets of constructed Towers and Gates. They need to do both in order to maximize their scoring for this Path Card. For example, to score 2VP they would need at least 6 pips on their Tower Dice, and 4 pips on their Gate Die.
- Scores constructed Moat. Players can count the pips on their Moat Die to find their final number.
- Scores completed Quarry & Forest, Farms, and Training Grounds Tracks. Completed = All boxes filled in a Track.
- Scores completed Knight's Training. Completed = Each box filled. Players can do this up to 6 times during a game.
- Scores filled Lammas Flags. These are the coloured Flags that have been filled in, not the hanging white boxes.
- Scores completed sums in Michaelmas. Completed = Each sum box filled, including those that require any sum.
- Scores final Loyalty.
- Scores St. Valentine's Festival pairs. This is for the filled boxes along the bottom of St. Valentine's Festival. There is a maximum of 6 pairs, and only 4 required to maximize scoring for this Path Card.
- Scores completed Guildsmen, Mercenaries, and Allies Quarters in the Wealth Wheel. Completed = all boxes in a Quarter filled.
- Scores Spies gained. It does not matter if the Knowledge of Spies has been used or not.
- Scores completed Mint Levels. Completed = Constructed with all boxes filled.
- Scores researched Tactics. There are a maximum of 5 Tactics that can be researched, and only 4 are required to maximize scoring for this Path Card.
- Scores final Bravery.
- Scores constructed Siege Weapons. These not only need to be researched on the Wealth Wheel, but also constructed. Cranes are not considered to be Siege Weapons.
Icon Reference
The following icons appear throughout the Player Boards, Sheets, and Cards:
- Serf, Craftsman, Patron, Soldier, Knight (the 5 Worker types)
- Serf Production, Craftsmen Production, Patrons Production, Soldiers Production, Knights Production, Materials Production, Silver Production, Food Production (Production Track icons)
- Governance, Warcraft, Worship, Entertainment (the 4 Leadership Rows)
- Bravery, Loyalty, Influence, Might (the 4 Attributes)
- Muster Token, Other Players, Knowledge, Tower, Tactics, Tournament Victory, Wall, Moat, Beer, Brewhouse (action and defence icons)
- Materials, Silver, Food, Defence, Gate, Any 1 Resource, Small Crane, Large Crane, Domain Card Draw, Strong Attack, Black Horse, White Horse, Joy, Discontent