The Glade Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Contents
• Basic Game Setup
• Game Structure
• Forest Tiles
• Sets of Tiles
• Action 1: Place 1-4 Tiles
  • Tile placement rules
  • Unconnected groups
  • Illegal placement examples
  • Creating a set of 1 or 2 tiles
  • Creating a set of 3 tiles
    • Examples of play
  • Running out of toadstools
  • Creating a set of 4 tiles
• Action 2: Claim a Toadstool
  • 2a Placing the tile on your board
  • 2b Placing the tile on another player's board
• Enclosures and Extra Actions
• Game End and Scoring
• Matching Game
  • How to play
• Solo Game Rules
  • Setup
  • How to play
  • End of game scoring

Introduction

Create sets of 3 tiles to place a toadstool into the glade. Complete a set of 4 tiles to add a toadstool into your store. Use toadstools in your store for extra actions.

When one player has removed all of their toadstool counters from their side of the glade, or when a player is unable to refill their rack of tiles from the bag, the points are totalled and the player with the most points wins the game.

After playing the basic game, progress to the matching game, where you also match your forest tiles to the creatures, leaves, or forest fruits on your forest board.

Contents

• 1 Glade board
• 4 Double sided forest boards
• 48 Toadstool counters, 12 in each of the 4 player colours, with a single toadstool on 1 side and double toadstool on the reverse.
• 128 Forest tiles
• 4 Tile racks
• 1 Toadstool start player marker
• 48 Match counters
• 1 Cloth bag
• 1 Score pad
• 2 Rule books: English and German

Basic Game Setup

These rules are for 2-4 players. For the additional solo game rules see the Solo Game Rules section.

We recommend playing the basic game of The Glade first. Once you are familiar with the basic game try the matching game.

1. Place the forest tiles in the cloth bag and mix them up.
2. Place the glade board in the middle of the playing surface with the side showing the toadstools around the edges.

Each player receives the following:

3. 12 toadstool counters in their chosen player colour. Place these on the 12 toadstool spaces at your edge of the glade board (single toadstool side up).

4. 1 tile rack.

5. 8 forest tiles drawn from the bag. Place these face-up onto your tile rack so that the other players cannot see them.

6. 1 forest board at random. Place this next to the glade board with the side without the icons face-up.

7. Choose a start player at random. This player takes the start player marker.

8. Place the match counters back in the game box: they are only used in the matching game.

9. The area to the left side of each player's board is known as their store.

You are now ready to play.

Game Structure

Beginning with the start player and continuing in clockwise order, each player takes a turn.

On your turn, you perform one of two possible actions:

• Place 1-4 tiles
• Claim a toadstool

After performing your action, if you have one or more toadstools in your store and empty enclosures on your forest board, you may perform extra actions. Enclosures and extra actions are explained below.

At the end of your turn, draw new tiles from the bag to refill your tray back up to 8 tiles.

The end of the game is triggered when either:

• One player has removed all 12 of their toadstools from their side of the glade board or
• There are not enough forest tiles in the bag for a player to refill to 8 tiles.

Play continues until all players have had the same number of turns. Then, proceed to final scoring.

Forest Tiles

The game includes 2 sets of 64 forest tiles - a spring set and a summer set. Each tile has 3 characteristics, represented by the following icons:

• A creature - the large icon, which can be in any of the 4 colours: Hedgehog, Mouse, Squirrel, Toad.
• A fruit of the forest - the bottom right icon, which can be in any of the 4 colours: Acorn, Blackberry, Hazelnut, Mushroom.
• A leaf - the small bottom left icon. Each type of leaf is always the same colour and indicates the colour of the creature and fruit icons on the tile: Beech = light green, Horse chestnut = dark green, Maple = light brown, Oak = dark brown.

The 2 sets of tiles are identical except for a fourth characteristic - the season - represented by the background colour and small season icon at the top right of the tile: pale green background and grass = spring; pale yellow background and flower = summer.

This characteristic is only relevant when you are playing the game with The Glade in Winter expansion. (See the box bottom side 1 for further details.)

Sets of Tiles

A set of forest tiles is 1-4 tiles that have at least 1 shared characteristic and other characteristics that are either all the same or all different. For example:

• 3 tiles make a set with 1 shared characteristic: the fruits are all the same (blackberries), while the creatures and leaves are different.
• 3 tiles are not a set if the creatures are all the same (hedgehogs) and the leaves are different, but the fruits are not all shared, nor are they all different: there are 2 hazelnuts and 1 acorn.
• 4 tiles are a set with 1 shared characteristic: the creatures are the same (squirrel) and the leaves and fruits are different.
• 3 tiles make a set with 2 shared characteristics: the creature (toad) and leaf are the same, while the fruits are different.

As the game includes 2 of each tile, it is possible to have a set of 2 tiles that are identical (except for the background colour). Although this is still a set, it is not possible to add a third or fourth tile to this set as there are no other tiles with the same 3 characteristics.

Note: Even though most of the examples above show sets of 3 or 4 tiles, sets can also be just 2 tiles. Even 1 tile on its own is still classed as a set.

Action 1: Place 1-4 Tiles

To perform this action, place 1-4 tiles from your tile rack onto your forest board to create 1 or more sets of tiles. If you create a set of 3 or 4 tiles, you will claim a toadstool counter.

Tile placement rules

• Each time you place tiles, all the tiles you place must be placed in a line horizontally or vertically on your forest board, either all connecting together, or connecting through existing tiles.
• The tiles placed must form a set with themselves and any other tiles they are orthogonally adjacent to.

Tip: It is generally best to play as many tiles as you can. Usually, you will be able to create a set of at least 3 tiles. However, sometimes you may only be able (or want) to play fewer tiles.

• The first time you place tiles onto your forest board, one of those tiles must be placed on the centre square with the thicker border.

Example: On her first turn, Toni plays a set of 3 hedgehog tiles, 1 of which must be placed on the centre square. This is a valid set because the leaves and the fruits are all different.

• On subsequent turns, it is usually best to place tiles that connect to existing tiles on your board, but you are not required to do so; you may place the tiles on any legal space on your board, they do not need to be placed adjacent to any existing tiles.

Example: On her second turn, Toni plays a set of 3 light green tiles. This is a set with 1 shared characteristic (the colour/leaf). The creatures and the fruits are all different. The light green mouse forms a set of 2 tiles with an existing tile on her board (a set with acorns).

On her third turn, Toni plays 2 tiles to create a set of 3 tiles with 2 shared characteristics: leaf and mushroom (the creatures are all different).

Unconnected groups

As mentioned earlier, you are allowed to place a set of 1-4 tiles anywhere on your board, as long as everything they connect to creates a legal set. Tiles do not need to be placed orthogonally adjacent to existing tiles.

This could be done for example in order to create an enclosure (see Enclosures and Extra Actions) or in order to create a new set of tiles that cannot connect to the existing tiles on the board.

However, each unconnected group of sets is worth -1 point at the end of the game. A group of tiles is 1 or more connecting sets of tiles, which could be a 'group' of just a single tile. Note that you may be able to connect an unconnected group of tiles to a connected group before the end of the game to avoid the -1 point.

Example: Emma plays a set of 3 dark brown hedgehogs, aiming to create an enclosure on a future turn. However, this set is not connected through other tiles to the centre square.

Illegal placement examples

The light green squirrel (top left) cannot be placed as it does not form a legal set with the 3 dark brown tiles beneath it. The dark green mouse (bottom right) cannot be placed next to the light green toad because it does not form a set (none of the 3 characteristics match).

Creating a set of 1 or 2 tiles

If, after placing your tiles, you create a set of only 1 or 2 tiles (i.e. you do not create a set of 3 or 4 tiles), the action ends.

Note: This is only possible if you play 1 or 2 tiles; if you play 3 or 4 tiles, you will create a set of 3 or 4 tiles.

Creating a set of 3 tiles

If, after placing your tiles, you have created 1 or more sets of 3 tiles, perform the following steps for each set of 3 tiles you have just created.

1. Identify the missing fourth tile that will complete the 4-tile set (see box below).
2. Remove the leftmost toadstool counter from your side of the glade board and place it into the middle of the glade board, on the space identified by the 3 characteristics of the missing fourth tile. It is recommended that all players assist in identifying the relevant space to avoid misplacements.

Box: All forest tiles can potentially form part of many different sets of 4 tiles. When you create a set of 3 tiles, there is always just 1 specific missing tile that is required in order to turn that set of 3 tiles into a set of 4 tiles.

If your set of 3 tiles has 1 shared characteristic, place the toadstool counter with the single toadstool side face-up. If the set has 2 shared characteristics, place the toadstool counter with the double toadstool side face-up.

If there is already a toadstool counter on the location, give that counter to the player whose counter it is (which could be you) as a reward for creating their set earlier. The owner places that toadstool counter in their store, same side up. Then, place your new toadstool counter on the space.

Note: Each toadstool counter removed from your side of the glade board is worth 1 point at the end of the game.

Examples of play

On her first turn, Toni, playing yellow, plays a set of 3 tiles with 1 shared characteristic - hedgehogs. The leaves and the fruit are all different. The missing fourth tile is therefore the dark green hedgehog with a hazelnut. Toni takes the leftmost toadstool counter from her side of the glade board and places it on the space corresponding to the missing fourth tile (dark green hedgehog with a hazelnut). Because the set has only 1 shared characteristic, Toni places the toadstool counter showing the single toadstool side.

On her second turn, Toni plays a set of 3 light green tiles. The creatures and the fruits are all different. Again, Toni takes the leftmost toadstool counter from her side of the glade board and places it on the space corresponding to the missing fourth tile (light green hedgehog with a mushroom). Because the set has only 1 shared characteristic, Toni places the toadstool counter showing the single toadstool side.

On her third turn, Toni plays 2 tiles, adding these to the dark brown hedgehog tile with a mushroom, in order to complete a set of 3 tiles with 2 of the same characteristics: leaf and mushroom. The creatures are all different. Toni takes the leftmost toadstool counter from her side of the glade board and places it on the space corresponding to the missing fourth tile (dark brown mouse with a mushroom). Since there are 2 shared characteristics in the set, Toni places the toadstool counter showing the double toadstool.

In the meantime Emma, playing blue, has played various forest tiles (not illustrated) and placed some blue toadstool counters onto the glade board.

On Toni's fourth turn she plays a set of 3 squirrels. Doing so also creates 2 other sets: a set of 2 squirrels with blackberries, and a set of 3 acorns (with different creatures and leaves). Note: Toni has also created an enclosure through this placement (see Enclosures and Extra Actions).

The first set (dark green squirrels), is missing a dark green squirrel with a mushroom. This set has 2 shared characteristics, so Toni plays a double toadstool counter onto the glade board.

The second set (3 acorns), is missing a dark brown toad with an acorn. This set has only 1 shared characteristic, so Toni plays a single toadstool counter onto the glade board.

However, Emma has already played a (blue) double toadstool counter onto the same space on the glade board (because she also has a set that is missing the dark brown toad with an acorn). In this case, Toni gives the blue toadstool counter back to Emma, who places it the same side up in her store. Toni then places her single yellow toadstool counter on that space.

Running out of toadstools

If you ever need to take a toadstool counter from your side of the glade board and there are none left, gain compensation as follows:

1. If you would have gained a single-side-up toadstool, flip any 1 of your toadstool counters anywhere in the game from its single side to its double side.
2. If you would have gained a double-side up toadstool, flip any 2 of your toadstool counters anywhere in the game from their single side to their double side.

This ensures that in final scoring, you will gain the same number of points as you would have scored if there was a toadstool counter to take.

Note: This is the only situation where a toadstool counter is flipped from its single to its double side apart from when the side of the toadstool counter is initially determined.

Remember: When a player has removed all of their toadstool counters from their side of the glade board, the end of the game is triggered.

Creating a set of 4 tiles

When placing a set of tiles onto your forest board, it is possible that 1 or more of those tiles creates a set of 4.

Example: A set of 2 tiles with 1 shared characteristic (mushroom) is placed. The tile with the mouse creates a set of 4 tiles with 2 shared characteristics (mushroom and leaf).

Example: 3 new tiles are placed, creating a set of 4 tiles with a single shared characteristic (leaf).

First, count the number of tiles you have added to the set of 4 you just created. In the first example above, although you placed 2 tiles, only 1 of those tiles was added to the set of 4. In the second example above, you placed 3 tiles, all of which were added to the set of 4.

If you added 1 tile:

Take the toadstool counter marking the characteristics of the tile you just placed from the centre of the glade board, if available (this could be any player's toadstool) and place it in your store. Do not change the side of the toadstool counter as this was fixed when the initial set of 3 tiles was created. (Note: if your set has 2 shared characteristics you will already have benefited from placing a double toadstool counter when you created the original set of 3 tiles.)

If there is no corresponding toadstool counter in the centre, take the leftmost toadstool counter from your side of the glade board instead and place the toadstool counter single-side up in your store. (Note: this is an exception to the usual rule where you select the double toadstool side if the set has 2 shared characteristics, as again, you will already have benefited from placing a double toadstool when you created the original set of 3 tiles.)

If you added 2-3 tiles:

Take the leftmost toadstool from your side of the glade board and place it in your store. Place the toadstool counter single-side up if the set of 4 has 1 shared characteristic, or double-side up if the set has 2 shared characteristics.

Example: This set of 4 tiles has 1 shared characteristic (creature). Place the toadstool counter showing a single toadstool into your store.

Example: This set of 4 tiles has 2 shared characteristics (creature and leaf). Place the toadstool counter showing a double toadstool into your store.

Example: On Toni's fifth turn she places a set of 2 tiles with 1 shared characteristic (fruit). The dark brown mouse with a mushroom completes a set of 4 tiles. She checks the centre of the glade board to see if there is a toadstool counter on the dark brown mouse with a mushroom space. There is, so she takes that counter from the centre of the glade board and places it in her store the same side face-up.

Action 2: Claim a Toadstool

A toadstool counter in the centre of the glade board identifies the characteristics of a 'missing' fourth tile that is required in order to make a set of 3 forest tiles into a set of 4 tiles. The colour of the toadstool counter indicates on which player's forest board the set of 3 forest tiles is located.

If you have a tile on your rack which matches the characteristics of a space on the glade board with a toadstool counter (of any player) on it, you may perform this action to claim that toadstool counter.

Tip: Claiming toadstool counters is worth points, and incrementally more points if those counters belong to other players, so keep a lookout for opportunities to perform this action.

To perform this action, follow these steps:

1. Place the forest tile from your tile rack in front of you, next to your tile rack.
2. Take the toadstool counter from the centre of the glade board and place it in your store, ensuring that it stays the same way up as it was. a. If the toadstool counter belonged to you, place the forest tile on your board. b. If the toadstool counter belonged to an opponent, place the forest tile on their board, completing their set of 4 tiles if possible. If not, place it on your board.

2a Placing the tile on your board

If you can legally place the tile on your board to complete the set of 4, you must do so.

If it is not possible to place the tile to complete the set of 4 (if adjacent tiles prevent it, or the tile would be placed off the board), you may place the tile on any square of your board where it is legal, even if that is on its own as a set of 1.

Note: It can happen that you are unable to find the set of 3 tiles that caused the toadstool counter to be placed on the glade board. All players should help to try to find the originating set. If they cannot, then the toadstool counter on the glade board has been placed incorrectly. In this case, place the new tile on any legal square of your board.

2b Placing the tile on another player's board

If you can legally place the tile on the board of the other player to complete the set of 4, you must do so. If there is a choice of 2 squares, you choose which one.

If it is not possible to play the forest tile on your opponent's board to complete the set of 4 tiles, you must play the forest tile onto any square of your own board that is a legal placement, either on its own, or legally connected to other tiles.

It could happen (rarely) that the placing of the fourth forest tile also creates a new set of 3 tiles on an opponent's forest board. If this happens, the owner of the board takes and places a toadstool counter on the glade board as per the normal rules for creating a set of 3 tiles.

It could even happen (very rarely) that the placing of the fourth forest tile also creates a second set of 4 tiles on an opponent's board. This happens if they had 2 sets of 3 intersecting at the point where the same missing tile will complete both sets. If this happens, ignore the second set (your opponent has already benefited by placing a toadstool counter onto the glade board after creating the set of 3 forest tiles and you have already benefited by obtaining a toadstool counter from the centre of the glade board).

Note: You can only complete a set of 4 tiles on an opponent's board if there is a corresponding toadstool counter on the glade board. It can happen that a toadstool counter identifying a missing fourth tile was already claimed when a different set of 3 tiles was completed. In these circumstances, as the toadstool counter is no longer present on the glade board, you cannot add a fourth tile to the set of 3 on the opponent's board.

Tip: You do not need to examine your opponents' forest boards to know when you can create a set of 4 tiles on their board, just look at the glade board. If one of their toadstool counters is on the centre of the glade board, this indicates which tile is needed to complete their set.

Enclosures and Extra Actions

An enclosure is a square on a player's forest board that is surrounded by a forest tile on each of the 4 orthogonally adjacent squares. The squares diagonally adjacent to the enclosure do not need to contain a tile. Squares on the edge of a forest board cannot become enclosures, as they do not have 4 orthogonally adjacent squares.

After you perform the first action on your turn, you may place a toadstool counter (or a match counter if you are playing the matching game) from your store into an empty enclosure to perform an extra action. This can be done with an enclosure created on this turn, or on a previous turn.

Place the toadstool counter into the enclosure, keeping it the same side up as it was (single or double). You can place a counter of your own colour, or another player's colour. Only 1 counter can be played into each enclosure. Then, you must perform another action, carried out as normal. If you have more than one empty enclosure and sufficient forest and toadstool counters, you can gain more than one extra action on the same turn.

If, when performing your extra action, you create another enclosure, you may then use that to perform another extra action, and so on.

Note: Do not replenish your tile rack to 8 tiles between actions. This only happens at the end of your turn.

Note: Once a counter is on a square of your forest board, nothing else can be placed there.

A toadstool counter (or a match counter if playing the matching game) in an enclosure is worth 1 additional point at the end of the game.

Example: On Toni's fourth turn, she played a set of 3 squirrels and in doing so created an enclosure. Either this turn, or a later turn, Toni may place a toadstool counter in the enclosure to perform an extra action. Here, Toni plays the double yellow toadstool into the enclosure. Toni now performs an extra action.

Game End and Scoring

The end of the game is triggered when a player has removed all of the toadstool counters from their side of the glade board, or is unable to draw sufficient forest tiles from the bag to replenish back to 8 forest tiles.

In both circumstances, play continues until the player to the right of the start player finishes their turn so that all players have the same number of turns.

Note: If the player to the right of the start player triggers the end of the game, the game finishes at the end of that player's turn.

Once the game is over, use the score pad provided to count each player's score, as follows:

• 1 point for each of your toadstool counters in the centre of the glade board. (They score no points if they are still on your side of the glade board.)
• 1 point for each of your toadstool counters that other players have claimed (which will be in their stores and enclosures).
• 2 points for each toadstool counter in your store (both yours and other players).
• 3 points for each toadstool counter in your enclosures (both yours and other players).
• 1 point for each of your double toadstool counters wherever they are. Check all 12 of your counters.
• 1-4 points for each of your match counters (matching game only).
• 1 point for each match counter in your enclosures (matching game only).
• -1 point for each group of 1 or more tiles that does not connect back to the centre square by orthogonally connected forest tiles.

The player with the most points is the winner.

In the event of a tie, the tied player with the fewest remaining toadstools on their side of the glade board is the winner. If equal, the game is tied.

Matching Game

To play the matching game, follow the basic game setup but with the following changes: Each player takes a forest board at random and places it showing the side with the 12 creature, leaf and fruit icons. Place the match counters within easy reach near the glade board.

How to play

The matching game is played in the same way as the basic game with one additional rule: if you place a forest tile onto a square of your forest board so an icon on the tile matches the icon on that square, claim the corresponding match counter. If you claim a leaf counter, take the highest value available. Place match counters in your store.

The ring of 8 creature and fruit icons is unique to each forest board, so there is no rush for you to try to claim corresponding match counters. These counters are worth 1 point each.

However, the 4 leaf icons in the corners are the same on each board, so there is competition to claim these as soon as possible. The first player to claim a leaf counter of a specific type takes the 4-point match counter, the next player the 3-point match counter, etc.

At the end of the game, each match counter is worth 1 point except for the leaf match counters, which are worth the points printed on them.

Example: Liz has played 2 forest tiles, a light green squirrel with a hazelnut and a dark brown mouse with a hazelnut. The mouse tile is placed on a matching dark brown mouse icon. Liz claims the dark brown mouse match counter and places it in her store.

If, when performing the 'Claim a toadstool' action, you place a forest tile onto a square on an opponent's board and that square has a matching icon, then you gain the match counter, not the board's owner.

As with toadstool counters, match counters can be played into enclosures, and are worth 1 additional point at the end of the game if so played.

Note (BGG errata for this page, not printed in the PDF): claim a match counter only if the tile placed matches the square icon AND connects back to the centre square at placement time; for a leaf counter take the highest value available; place match counters in your store.

Solo Game Rules

The aim in the solo game is to play your 12 toadstool counters in the fewest number of turns, scoring as many points as you can.

Choose a forest board. Decide if you are playing the basic game or the matching game.

Setup

Follow the basic game setup but with the following changes:

Use just 1 forest board, plus the glade board. Place your toadstool counters on your side of the glade board as usual.

Draw 12 forest tiles from the bag and place them face up in front of you. If you draw 2 identical tiles, place 1 back in the bag and redraw.

Using one of the non-player colours, place 12 toadstool counters with the single toadstool side face-up onto the spaces of the glade board corresponding to the 12 forest tiles drawn.

After placing the toadstool counters, return the 12 forest tiles to the bag and mix them up.

Draw 8 tiles and place them on your rack (or simply on the playing surface, as no other player will be watching).

Draw an additional tile and, without looking at it, place it face-down to the right of your forest board.

How to play

At the end of each of your turns, when you draw tiles to refill your rack, draw an extra tile and place it unseen next to the other face-down tiles you have previously drawn. These tiles track the number of turns you have played.

When placing a toadstool counter onto a space of the glade board (by creating a set of 3 tiles), if there is already a toadstool counter of the 'other' player there, simply remove that counter, place it back in the box, and place your toadstool counter on the space as usual.

Toadstool counters belonging to the 'other' player may be claimed as usual when performing the 'Claim a toadstool' action. The rules are the same: since you are unable to place the forest tile on the other player's board (since they do not have one), place the forest tile onto any legal square of your own board (if placed adjacent to another tile, it must form a legal set with that tile).

Continue playing until the end of the turn in which you have removed your twelfth toadstool counter from your side of the glade board. Do not refill your rack or take a face-down tile on this last turn.

End of game scoring

Your primary goal is to end the game in the fewest number of turns (tracked by the number of face-down forest tiles next to your rack). Your secondary goal is to score the most points (calculated as usual). For example, completing the game in 10 turns with 25 points is better than completing it in 11 turns with 34 points.

Good luck!