Urbis Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Goal of the Game
• Components
• Setup
• Turn Order
• End of the Game
• Scoring
• Symbol Key

Goal of the Game

Be the first to fully build your district of the city, or have the most points.

Components

• 6 double-sided district boards (side A and side B)
• 60 order cards
• 50 buildings
• 15 guard tokens
• 6 income markers
• 20 silver coins, value 1
• 15 gold coins, value 5

District boards. Each district board has a row of building spaces, and each space shows a coin with a number: this number is the cost of building on that space. Side A has 10 spaces numbered 1 to 10 and two guard posts beside the city gate. Side B has 12 spaces numbered 1 to 12 and no guard posts. Along one edge of each board is an income scale numbered 1 to 9, on which the income marker is placed. The scale edge is the one facing the player who owns the board.

Order cards. Each order card has a text box, and a number of victory points in its bottom-right corner.

Buildings. Each building has a picture and, in some cases, a game effect. Victory points are shown in the top-right corner of the building. Some buildings have an income effect, shown by a coin with a number, and some show a guard icon.

Setup

1. Form the treasury: place the coins in the centre of the table so that all players can reach them easily.
2. Place all 15 guard tokens, and the order deck face down, in the centre of the table.
3. Depending on the number of players, arrange face-down building stacks in the centre of the table, each made of 10 random buildings:
   • 2 players: 2 stacks of 10 random buildings;
   • 3 players: 3 stacks of 10 random buildings;
   • 4 players: 4 stacks of 10 random buildings;
   • 5 or 6 players: 5 stacks of 10 random buildings.
4. Deal to each player: 1 district board, 1 income marker, 3 random order cards and 5 coins.
5. Each player places their income marker on the income scale of their board at the number that matches the number of players (2 players: "2"; 3 players: "3"; and so on up to 6). A district's income cannot be less than 1 or more than 9.

In the first games, all players are recommended to use the boards on side A. Later, to vary the game and make games longer and less confrontational, try using the boards on side B.

Important! The district boards of all players together make up the city of Urbis. So each player may build buildings in any player's district. All the game effects of a building apply to the player in whose district the building was constructed.

Turn Order

The youngest participant starts the game. Play then passes to the next player clockwise.

On your turn you may perform one of five available actions:

1. Take an order card. Look at the top two cards of the order deck, keep one of them, and put the other at the bottom of the deck. The maximum number of order cards in hand is six. If you already have six cards in hand, you cannot perform this action.
2. Play an order card. Play one card from your hand. Each card gives at the end of the game the number of victory points shown in its bottom-right corner.
3. Build in any part of the city. You may build not only in your own district but in any other district, provided you have enough money for the construction. Take a building from any stack in the centre of the table and place it on any free space in the city, paying its cost to the treasury. The cost of a building equals the cost of the space on which you place it. Buildings cannot be returned or exchanged. Most buildings either add or subtract victory points at the end of the game; their number is shown in the top-right corner.
4. Hire a city guard. You may pay 5 coins to the treasury and place a guard token on any building or on one of the two guard posts at the city gates. A guard placed on a building forbids the use of any order card that is directed at that building (but not at the guard itself). Each guard placed at a city gate cancels the penalty at the end of the game (the "-5" victory points beside the city gates).
5. Take money from the treasury. You may take coins from your district. At the start of the game each district yields as many coins as there are players taking part in the game. During the game the number of coins may increase or decrease depending on the buildings constructed in the district (on the player's board). Do not forget to move the marker on the district's income scale.

Order cards come in two types:

• Additional space in the city. Place this card face up next to any district. The points for it go to the player whose district it is placed next to. This means that if you place it next to an opponent's district, you make building in their district harder, but on the other hand you give them the chance to gain additional points. Important! Points for this card are given only if a building is constructed on it.
• City Council orders. Read aloud and carry out the text of the card. After use, the card is discarded face up into the player's personal order discard pile. The number of victory points shown in the bottom-right corner is scored at the end of the game. A card cannot be used if there are no suitable conditions (for example, not enough money or no available situation in the game). For example: "You must return 10 coins to the city treasury." If you have only 5 coins, you cannot carry out this order at that moment.

All game effects shown on building tiles (except victory points) take effect immediately after the building is constructed: income increase or decrease for the district, a free guard, special effects.

Important! If during the game a building that affects the district's income level is moved to another player's district or destroyed, its effect is cancelled.

For example, Philip plays an order card that allows him to move one of his buildings into Lena's district. He chooses the Court, which reduces the income of the district by 2, and moves it to Lena's district. After this, Philip's district income increases by 2, and Lena's district income decreases by 2, because the building that reduces income is now on her board.

Some buildings show a guard icon. This means that the player in whose district the building is constructed may immediately take the indicated number of guard tokens and place them according to the usual rules. If under the effects of the game this building is moved to another player's district, that player does not receive the free guard. If the building is destroyed or moved, the guard remains with the player.

Important! If no guard tokens are available, you cannot perform this action. Guards already placed can be moved or removed only by building effects and order cards.

The amount of coins may increase or decrease during the game depending on buildings constructed in the district (on the player's board). Do not forget to move the income marker on the district's income scale.

For example, the Bank increased the district income by 2 coins, and the Hospital reduced it by the same amount, so the income is equal to the starting value.

End of the Game

• A player is declared the winner immediately, without counting victory points, if they are the first to construct buildings on every free space of their district, that is, to fully build their district (including the additional spaces from order cards, if any).
• If the order deck runs out of cards, or all the building stacks are emptied, the victory point count and the determination of the winner begin.

Scoring

Add up all the victory points on the buildings in the player's district (on the board and on the order cards with additional spaces). Note that some buildings give victory points while others take them away.

Important! Remember that an additional space gives victory points only if a building is constructed on it.

To this total, add the victory points from all order cards the player has used. Each unguarded city-gate post on the player's board (that is, without a city guard token) subtracts 5 victory points.

The player with the greatest total of victory points is declared the winner. If several players claim this title, the winner is the one with more coins left. If the number of coins is also equal, those players share the victory.

Symbol Key

• Positive victory points (trophy with a positive number). Added to the total victory points at the end of the game.
• Negative victory points (trophy with a minus number). Subtracted from the total victory points at the end of the game.
• Increase in district income (white number on a coin). The number shows the coins that certain buildings provide. When the building is constructed, move the income marker to the right by the number of coins shown in the picture.
• Decrease in district income (black number with a minus on a coin). The number shows the coins required for the upkeep of certain buildings. When the building is constructed, move the income marker to the left by the number of coins shown in the picture.
• Free guard (guard icon). You may take a new guard token for free and place it at any point of the city.
• Important! If no free guard tokens are available, you may move any guard token in the city at your discretion.