Urbanization
Urbanization Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Object of the Game
Each player tries to develop the most prosperous city over 6 game turns. The player with the most points at game's end wins. Players earn points by having a large number of citizens in a city at the end of each turn.
Citizens require housing, work, and food so players must take care of these needs or else the citizens will flee. Players can earn additional points through factory production, buildings, inventions (an optional rule), and other means.
Game Components
- 1 game board
- 4 tracking cards
- 18 factory cards
- 10 character cards - the character cards are described in detail in the player aid
- 1 game turn marker
- 1 game phase marker
- play money, in three denominations: $1, $5, $10
- 4 "45+ victory point markers", 1 per player color. They are used when a player has earned more than 45 points
- 24 price markers
- 16 tracking markers, 4 each per player color
- 40 action markers, 10 each per player color
- 32 grain markers
- 45 work order markers, 15 each in white, grey and orange
- 12 houses
- 6 skyscrapers
- 6 factories
- 5 administration buildings
- 6 covering tiles, for a 2- or 3-player game
- 18 invention cards, when playing with the "Invention" expansion.
Each player receives:
- 1 tracking card that he places in front of him.
- 1 grain marker; 1 orange work order marker; they are placed on the marked spaces of the corresponding lines.
- $8 in play money
Plus, in the color of his choice:
- 4 tracking markers, 1 marker each is placed on the marked spaces of the "Citizen", "Houses", and "Taxes" lines; the 4th marker is put on space 1 of the scoring track.
- 10 action markers that are placed in the pool of his tracking card.
Game Set-Up and Preparation for a 4-Player Game
Place the game board in the center of the playing space. It is divided into the "work order area", the "grain area", the "building area" and the "invention area" only when using the invention expansion. Set up the areas individually; use the "invention area" only when using the invention expansion.
1. Work Order Area
Stack the 18 factory cards face up according to their factory number, with the lowest number on top. Place this stack on the factory deck space.
The three topmost cards are put from right to left on the factory spaces numbered 1-3.
Sort the work order markers by color and place them on the 3 work order spaces on the game board. Each work order color has its own value (white 3, grey 2, orange 1).
2. Grain Area
Place the 28 grain markers (GM) on the various spaces as follows:
- Barns 1-4: 1 GM per player
- Field: 1 GM per player
- Return Area: 2 GM per player
This is the maximum capacity of the various spaces of the board in a 4-player game.
3. Building Area
The building area is divided into 24 triangular territories that contain either 1 or 2 building grounds.
Place the 24 price markers in the building area, 1 price marker per territory.
4. General Set-Up
Place the game turn marker on space 1 of the game turn track.
The oldest player becomes start player; he places the game phase marker in space 1 of the game phase track.
Of the 10 character cards, set aside the Mayor card, which is awarded to a player from turn 2 on. Return the Professor card to the box unless you're using the invention expansion. Place the other 8 cards face up next to the game board.
Sort the houses, skyscrapers, factories and administrative buildings and place them near the board, too.
5. General Preparation
Beginning with the start player and continuing in clockwise order, each player places a house and one of his action markers in 1 territory of the building area that still contains a price marker, then moves the price marker(s) on that territory to any other territory still containing at least 1 price marker.
Changes to set-up and preparations for a 2- and 3-player game are on page 1 of the player aid.
The Invention expansion rules are on page 1 of the player aid.
The Invention cards are explained on pages 2-3 of the player aid.
The Character cards are explained on page 4 of the player aid.
Sequence of Play
The game is played over 6 game turns. Each game turn consists of 3 segments:
- "Hire character"
- "Perform actions"
- "Perform administration"
At the end of the sixth game turn the winner is determined.
1. "Hire character"
At the beginning of every game turn each player selects a single character card in clockwise order, beginning with the start player, and places that card in front of himself on the table. Choosing a character card is free.
Special case - Mayor: The Mayor is not available during the first game turn. At the start of each subsequent game turn, the player with the fewest victory points receives the Mayor. He is the start player for this turn and receives 1 victory point. If two or more players tie for fewest victory points, the player among them with the least money receives the Mayor. If still tied, the player among them sitting closest to the former start player in clockwise direction becomes the new start player.
Note: The player who receives the Mayor may choose an additional character card.
All character cards are explained in detail in the player aid.
2. "Perform actions"
This segment consists of 4 action phases.
At the end of each action phase, the start player advances the phase marker one space (or returns it to space 1).
In each action phase each player (in clockwise order, beginning with the start player) conducts one of the possible actions or passes.
The players may use these actions:
- Buy land
- Erect buildings
- Trade grain
- Sow seeds
- Receive work orders
- Attract industry
- Produce goods
- Collect taxes
The Actions in Detail
Buy land
A player acquires one territory of the building area. The territory being bought must share an edge with a territory he already owns. The territory costs $1 for each price marker in it, payable to the bank. After paying this amount, the new owner places an action marker in the territory, then moves all price markers to any territories in the building area that already contain at least 1 price marker. Price markers may be divided among more than one territory. A player may buy only 1 territory per action phase.
Example: Anika wants to buy land. She may choose between 2 territories connected to her own territory. She chooses 1 territory and pays $1 to the bank. She then places 1 of her action markers on the new territory and moves the price marker to any other territory in the building area.
Erect buildings
If a player intends to erect a building, he has 3 options. He may buy a house, he may build a skyscraper, or he may erect an administrative building.
Buy a house - The player takes a house marker from the pool and places it on an empty building ground in a territory he owns. Afterwards, the player moves his house marker one space to the right on his tracking card. Cost: $2 / Gain: 1 victory point
Build a skyscraper - The player returns one of his houses to the pool and places a skyscraper from the pool on the building ground just vacated. Afterwards, he moves his house marker one space to the right on his tracking card. Cost: $3 / Gain: 2 victory points
Erect an administrative building - The player takes an administrative building from the pool and places it on one of his owned territories. This territory does not need to have an empty building ground. Cost: $3 / Gain: 2 victory points
A player pays the cost to the bank and marks victory points on the victory track.
If there are no houses, skyscrapers, or administrative buildings left in the pool, a player may not erect a building of that type.
In each action phase a player may erect as many buildings of one type as he wants and can afford. Note: Thus, a player may not build a house and upgrade it to a skyscraper in the same action phase. The skyscraper can be built only during a subsequent action phase.
Trade grain
Buy grain - If a player intends to purchase grain, the barns and the grain field each list the price per grain marker. A player may purchase only 1 grain marker from each barn per action; he may purchase more than 1 grain marker from the field. The player pays the total cost to the bank, then places the grain markers in the food line of his tracking card. If a barn or the field is empty, no grain may be purchased from that barn/field. Grain markers in the return area may not be purchased.
Example: Anika wants to buy 5 grain in one action. She takes one marker each from barns 1 and 2 (for $1 each), one marker each from barns 3 and 4 (for $2 each) and one marker from the field ($3). She pays $9 to the bank.
Sell grain - If a player intends to sell grain markers, the barns and the grain field determine the price. The player may not sell more than the maximum capacity of the barns and the grain field (1 grain marker per player). When selling, the player fills the barns from right to left, then the field. The player receives the money for grain sold from the bank. If all barns and the field are filled to capacity, it is not possible to sell any more grain.
Example: Anika intends to sell 4 grain markers. Selling for the lowest possible price, Annika puts 2 grain markers in barn 1 and 1 marker each in barns 2 and 3. She receives $5 from the bank.
In each action phase a player may buy or sell as many grain markers as he wants and can afford.
Sow seeds
The player places 1 grain marker from his tracking card on an empty building ground in one of his territories. Each empty building ground may hold only 1 grain marker.
A player may sow as many seeds in one action phase as he has grain markers in the food line and empty grounds.
Receive work orders
A player places one of his action markers in an empty work order space on one of the 3 factory cards. He takes the number of markers stated on the card from the correspondingly colored factory area of the board and places them in the work order line of his tracking card. On each factory card, work orders are filled from left to right.
If a player places an action marker on the last empty work order space of a card, he receives $1 from the bank.
A player may receive work orders only once in an action phase.
Example: Anika places her action marker in the leftmost box. The illustration in that box tells her to take 2 orange work order markers. She takes them from the game board and places them in the work order line of her tracking card.
Attract industry
If all work orders on a factory card are filled, and the player has a free action marker, he may attract industry by returning all action markers on this factory card to their owners, then placing this card in front of him. Move the top card from the factory deck to the space just vacated.
To attract industry, you have to choose between two options:
Build a new factory - The player takes a factory marker from the pool and places it on one of his empty building grounds in the building area. If a player does not have an empty building ground or no factory tokens remain in the pool, he cannot conduct this action. Gain: 2 victory points
Example: Anika places one of her action marker on the industry space of the bakery. She takes this card and places the next card from the factory deck on the track. She then builds a factory on one of her empty building grounds and gains immediately 2 victory points.
Upgrade a factory - If the player already has a factory, he may upgrade it if the factory number (in the upper left) on the newly acquired factory card is higher than the number of the factory to be upgraded. He places the new card on top of the upgraded card. From now on the new card is active and the old one inactive. Gain: 2 victory points
Example: Anika wants to upgrade her Bakery. As the Windmill's factory number is higher then the one on the Bakery, all work order spaces on the Windmill are full, and she has an action marker, she takes the Windmill, returns all action markers, then places it on top of her "old" factory. She then moves her marker up 2 victory points.
Produce goods
The production space of the factory card tells a player how many goods in which color may be produced.
The player picks the required work order markers from any spaces of the work order line of his tracking card and places them on the production space of one of his factory cards. Afterwards, he receives money from the bank according to the value and number of the markers.
Each factory that produces immediately earns the player 1 victory point per good produced.
A player may produce goods at as many of his factories as he wants per action phase. A factory produces goods only once per game turn.
Example: Anika produces 2 orange goods with the Windmill. She places 2 orange work order markers from her tracking card on the production field of the Windmill. She immediately gains 2 victory points and $2.
Work order values: white = $3, grey = $2, orange = $1.
Collect taxes
The player moves the tax marker in the tax line of his tracking card 1 space to the left, then receives $1 per citizen from the bank.
However, taxes may be collected only if the tax marker is on a space farther to the right than the citizen marker.
A player may collect taxes once per action phase.
Example: Anika wants to collect taxes. She moves her tracking marker in the tax line one space left and gains $1 for her citizen.
When all players have finished their 4 actions, they prepare for the next turn.
3. "Perform administration"
This segment is divided into the following administration phases which are conducted in the order below. Most, if not all, can be conducted simultaneously if all players agree.
1. Harvest
Each player with 1 or more grain markers in the building area gets back that marker(s) plus a second grain marker for each marker returned from the building area. These markers are all placed in the food line of the player's tracking card.
A player may have a maximum of 8 grain markers.
Note: The additional grain markers are taken from the return area first. If there are no markers left, grain is taken from the field, then from the fourth barn, etc.
2. Factories
Remove the lowest numbered face-up factory card from the game and replace it with the top card from the factory deck.
Any action markers on a removed factory card are returned to their owners.
All markers on production spaces of factory cards are returned to the respective areas on the game board.
3. Citizens
Determine the number of citizens in each player's city. Compare the number of houses, grain markers and work order markers, then move the citizen marker to match the lowest numbered position of these three categories.
Each player now receives 2 victory points per citizen.
Example: As the lowest numbered position among her house, grain and work order lines is 1, Anika moves her citizen marker to the 1 space in the citizen line.
4. Feeding
Remove 1 grain marker per citizen from a player's food line, returning these to the return area of the game board.
Now each player receives 1 victory point for every 3 grain markers still left on the tracking card.
5. Barn Refill
If more than 2 grain markers per player are in the return area, distribute any surplus markers as follows: first to the field (1 per player), then to the fourth barn (1 per player), etc. The field and the barns may hold a maximum of 1 marker per player.
6. Advance Game Turn Marker
Advance the game turn marker one space on the turn track, then start a new turn, if needed.
Final Scoring
At the end of the sixth turn, final scoring is conducted.
In addition to the points recorded during the game, the player with the largest sum of factory values (that is, the sum of all factory numbers on both active and inactive factories) gains 2 victory points. In case of a tie, the player with the newest factory receives the points.
The player with the most points wins.
In case of a tie, the tied player who owns the newest factory card wins.
Changes for 2 or 3 Players
All other rules are unchanged. In 2- and 3-player games the number of factory cards and building territories is adjusted:
Factories - In 2- or 3-player games use only the factory cards with a II (when playing with 2) or II and III (when playing with 3) on their reverse side are used; the other cards go back into the box.
Building Area - Some of the territories of the building area of the game board are not used and are covered by the covering tiles. A player may not act on areas with a covering tile, and these areas do not receive a price marker at the start of the game.
Expansion "Inventions"
Changes during Set-Up
Sort and place the 18 Invention cards at the matching "docking spaces" at the top of the game board. A card's number and color has to match the number and color of a docking space. Each of the 9 docking spaces holds 2 invention cards.
In addition, add the "Professor" character card to the game.
Changes during Game Play
2. "Perform actions"
The players may conduct a ninth action.
Acquire invention - The player takes one of his action markers and moves it from left to right over the docking spaces. The first space of each movement is free; each additional space costs $1, payable to the bank. Then the player chooses 1 invention card present at the docking space where he stopped and places it face up in front of him. He immediately receives 1 victory point for the card and can use its special ability for the rest of the game.
Note: A new action marker always enters at the leftmost space.
In each action phase a player may move his action marker as many spaces to the right as he likes and can pay for. He may add 1 new action marker to the invention track per action phase and move it. If a player has multiple action markers on the invention track, he chooses which single marker he moves. He has to move one of his markers at least one spot (or add a new one). This means that a player cannot leave an action marker in place to acquire the second card in that space. Action markers are not removed in the administration segment of a turn; however, a player may remove them from the invention track voluntarily at any time.
Changes during Final Scoring
Some invention cards earn a player victory points if he also owns certain factories; these factories can be either active or inactive.
The Invention Cards
- 1 - Telegraph: All of your white factories produce at least 2 goods when you choose the "produce goods" action. Receive 1 victory point in Final Scoring if you own the Hotel.
- 2 - Telephone: Receive 1 white work order per game turn during the "factories" phase of preparations for the next turn. Receive 2 victory points in Final Scoring if you own the Law Firm.
- 3 - Basic Computer Language: Earn $4 (instead of $3) for white goods produced during the "produce goods" action. Receive 3 victory points in Final Scoring if you own the Software Company.
- 4 - Internet: Receive 2 points (instead of 1) for each white good produced during the "produce goods" action. Receive 4 victory points in Final Scoring if you own the Stock Market.
- 1 - Steam Engine: You may exchange 2 orange for 2 grey work orders during the "factories" administration phase. Receive 1 victory point in Final Scoring if you own the Saw Mill.
- 2 - Kerosene Lamp: All of your grey factories produce at least 2 goods when you choose the "produce goods" action. Receive 2 victory points in Final Scoring if you own the Oil Refinery.
- 3 - Bessemer Converter: Receive 1 grey work order during the "factories" administration phase. Receive 3 victory points in Final Scoring if you own the Steelworks.
- 4 - Combustion Engine: Earn $3 (instead of $2) for grey goods produced during the "produce goods" action. Receive 4 victory points in Final Scoring if you own the Car Factory.
- 5 - Microchip: Receive 2 points (instead of 1) for each grey good produced during the "produce goods" action. Receive 5 victory points in Final Scoring if you own the Electric Plant.
- 1 - Spinning Jenny: All of your orange factories produce at least 2 goods when you choose the "produce goods" action. Receive 1 victory point in Final Scoring if you own the Weaving Mill.
- 2 - Porcelain: Receive 1 orange work order during the "factories" administration phase. Receive 2 victory points in Final Scoring if you own the Pottery.
- 3 - Sewing Machine: Earn $2 (instead of $1) for orange goods produced during the "produce goods" action. Receive 3 victory points in Final Scoring if you own the Textile Factory.
- 4 - Dynamite: Receive 2 points (instead of 1) for each orange good produced during the "produce goods" action. Receive 4 victory points in Final Scoring if you own the Coalmine.
- 1 - Seed Drill: Receive 1 grain during the "harvest" administration phase.
- 2 - Iron Plow: You may sow up to 2 seeds per building ground when you choose the "sow seeds" action.
The Character Cards
- Architect: Pay $1 less for each building you buy or erect during 1 action phase. Play this card when you take the "Erect buildings" action, then discard it.
- Mayor: This card indicates this turn's start player. A player who receives the Mayor immediately scores 1 victory point.
- Real Estate Broker: Exchange all the price markers in any 2 territories, then immediately purchase 1 of these territories. The normal building rules apply. Play this card when you take the "Buy land" action, then discard it.
- Mill Worker: Take 2 grain markers for free from the field. If the field has no grain, the Mill Worker doesn't receive any. Play this card when you take the "Trade grain" action, then discard it.
- Farmer: The player may sow 1 or 2 seeds on the Farmer card. Play this card when you take the "Sow seeds" action, then discard it at the end of the "harvest" administration phase. The farmer may be used in combination with sowing in the building area.
- Professor: Take all available invention cards at a docking space to which you move an action marker this turn. Play this card when you take the "Acquire Invention" action, then discard it.
- Foreman: Receive twice as many work orders when placing an action marker on a work order space. The additional work orders are of the indicated color. Play this card when you take the "Receive work orders" action, then discard it.
- Tax Collector: Collect taxes twice in 1 action phase. Move the tax marker left 1 space each time. The standard taxation rules apply. Play this card when you take the "Collect taxes" action, then discard it.
- Industry Boss: Attract industry and acquire any one of the three available factories, even if not all the work order spaces are filled. Play this card when you take the "Attract industry" action, then discard it.
- Union Leader: Use any color of work orders to produce any color of goods at 1 factory. Receive money according to the color of the work orders used. Play this card when you take the "Produce goods" action, then discard it.