The Castles of Burgundy Card Game –
Rules

If you are reading these rules for the first time, ignore the text along the right hand side. These rules serve as a summary to help you quickly familiarize yourself with the game.

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The Castles of Burgundy - The Card Game

The Loire Valley in the 15th century. As influential sovereigns, players grow their estates through strategic trade and commerce. Playing cards that serve as “dice” show possible actions, but players make the final decisions. Will you trade or buy livestock, build city buildings or invest in scientific progress? There are many paths to prosperity and prestige!
The winner is the player with the most victory points at the end of the game.

Clarification about the implementation on Yucata:

All points are immediately awarded during the game instead of at the end.

Game Components

114

action cards (with red backs):

castles (dark green)

mines (gray)

cloisters (violet)

knowledge (yellow)

ships (blue)

pastures (light green)

buildings (beige, 3x 8 types)

126

additional cards:

x3 types of goods

x4 different animals

bonuses (marked “1.”)

bonuses (called “All 7 types”)

displays (1-6)

rounds (A-E)

start player

1 victory point

2 victory points

workers

silver

x3 types of player cards (projects, estate and storage)

Setup

Each player gets:

1 storage, 1 estate and 1 project card
1 good + 1 animal
1 silver

Place remaining good and animal cards in 2 open piles each

Distribute workers (0-2, depending on turn order)

Place display cards in rows from 1-6

Place bonus cards (marked “1.”) above display

Place the “All 7 types” bonus cards in a pile, in decreasing order

Place victory point cards

Place round cards in in increasing order

Shuffle the action cards and deal 6 to each player (leave cards face down)

With 2/3/4 players, place 7/10/13 action cards face up in the display

Possible starting display with 3 players:

Each player receives the following cards:

one project, one estate, and one storage. Players place the cards on the table in front of them, as shown in the side bar.
one good + one animal (randomly picked), + one silver. Each player places these three cards in their storage (i.e. face up below their storage card).

The remaining good cards are shuffled and placed face up in two equal piles at the edge of the table. Do the same with the remaining animal cards.

The silver and the worker cards are also placed in two piles at the edge of the table.

The youngest player is the starting player and places the start player card face up (i.e. without question marks) besides their estate card. The next two players to the left each receive 1 worker card from the supply pile, and the last player receives 2 worker cards. Players place these cards in their storage.

The display cards are placed from 1 to 6 in rows in the middle of the table. Each round, players will place cards beside the display cards.

The 7 bonus cards (marked “1.”) are placed above the display cards, slightly fanned.

The 4 bonus cards (“All 7 types”) are placed above the display cards, in one pile (with the 4 on top, then 3, 2, 1).
Note: If there are fewer than 4 players, use only these bonus cards: 3 players: 4 + 2 + 1; 2 players: 3 + 1.

The 15 victory point cards are placed in one pile at the edge of the table.

The 5 round cards (A-E) are placed also in one pile (above A, then B, C, D, E).

The 114 action cards (with red backs) are shuffled and placed in one pile below the display. Each player receives 6 cards and puts them on the table without looking at them. This is the supply of “dice” for the first round (see below).

Depending on the number of players, place the following number of action cards face up beside the display cards:

2 pl. - 7 cards
3 pl. - 10 cards
4 pl. - 13 cards

Placing the 7, 10 or 13 action cards: The first 6 cards are placed one at a time from the top row to the bottom row. With 4 players do the same with the next 6 cards (i.e. 12 cards total). The last card is placed according to its die number.

For example: If the last card is a 6, place it beside the display-6.
With 3 players the last 4 cards are placed in this way

Game Play

5 rounds, with 6 turns in each

In turn order each player discards one of two action cards and performs – using the number of the die on it – one of six possible actions

Look only at the die!

The game is played over five rounds (A to E). Each round consists of six turns.

In clockwise order, beginning with the starting player, each player picks the top two action cards from their card pile and looks at the die only on the two cards (all other information on these two action cards is ignored!).

The starting player places one of the two cards face up on a common discard pile and using the number indicated on the card performs one of six possible actions (see below).

Then it is the next player’s turn. This player also places one of the two cards face up on the discard pile and performs an action, etc. When each player has taken a turn, a new turn begins. Each player draws the next action card, so they again have two cards in their hand. Play continues in this way until the last, sixth turn of each round, when all players have played their last action card.

It is necessary to play a die, i.e. an action card, for each action. The six different possible actions are explained on the next three pages.

Take 1 card

Die number matches a row number

Place card under your project card

Note: No more than 3 projects are allowed at one time!

Action 1: “Take a card from the display”

The die number on the discarded action card indicates from which display row (1 through 6) you may take a card. Cards taken from the display are always placed below your project card. No more than three cards can be placed under a player’s project card.

Note: If there are already 3 cards under your project card, you must discard one of the three before placing a new card there.

Place 1 project

Die number matches a project number

Place card under your estate card

At game end the three buildings on the left will earn 3 victory points, the three pastures in the middle earn 4 and the three cloisters on the right earn 6 victory points.

Action 2: “Place a project in your estate”

The die number on the discarded action card must match the die number on one of the cards from your projects. Take one project card with the matching number from your projects and move it into your estate (i.e. below your estate card).

Identical types of cards in your estate are piled one on top of the other; different types of cards are placed next to each other. The goal is to have 3 of the same type of card in your estate at the end of the game, entitling you to the corresponding number of victory points (shown at the bottom of the cards). When placing a project in your estate, you immediately gain one bonus, as explained further.

Sell goods

The die number indicates the type of good that may be sold

Take 1 silver for each good sold

Seller also receives the (face down) start player card

Action 3: “Sell goods”

The die number on the discarded action card determines which type of good (light, medium or dark brown) you may sell. Move all the good cards with the matching number from your storage to the right side of your estate card, so that the victory points can still be seen.

In addition, take one silver card from your supply for each good card sold. Finally, the player who sells goods receives the starting player card, keeping it face down (i.e. with the question marks showing).

Note: When selling goods, a player always receives the start player card (face down). This also applies if someone uses a ‘warehouse’ (see below). Important! Turn order of the current round does not change by this.

Restock workers to 2

+ 1 or 2 worker cards (die number does not matter!)

Action 4: “Restock workers to 2 cards”

Regardless of which die number is on the action card, restock your worker cards to 2 only. Thus, if you have one worker card, take one from the supply, if you have zero, take two.

Take 1 silver

+ 1 silver (die number does not matter!)

Action 5: “Take 1 silver”

Regardless of which die number is on the action card, take one silver from the supply

Convert workers/silver into victory points

Discard any number of workers/silver and gain 1 victory point per 3 cards (die number does not matter!)

Action 6: “Convert workers and/or silver into victory points”

Regardless of which die number is on the action card, convert worker and/or silver cards into victory points.

Put any number of worker and/or silver cards back into the supply, divide the total number of cards returned by 3, and take the resulting number of victory point cards. Place these to the left of your estate card, so that the victory points can still be seen.

Example: Tom returns 5 workers and 1 silver to the supply and takes a 2-victory point card from the supply.

The workers

With each worker card the die number can be changed ± 1 (and from 6 to 1, or vice versa)

After discarding an action card, the player can place a worker card back to the supply to change the number of the discarded die up or down by 1. Changing from 1 to 6 or from 6 to 1 is possible and costs one worker card. Several worker cards may be used to change a die number by more than 1.

Example: Megan can change a 2 to a 6 using two worker cards.

The silver

Once per turn a player may buy 3 action cards for 3 silver

Use one of the cards:

Either as a new project
or as another action card (using the die)

Attention! Don´t forget your regular action!

In addition to your normal action, once during your turn you can “buy” 3 new action cards from the deck by “paying” 3 silver cards to the supply. This can happen before, during or after performing your normal action.

Choose only one of the newly purchased cards to:

Either place it as a new project under your project card (remember the 3 card limit!).
Or use it as action, by discarding it and using the die on it to take one additional action.

In either case, put the remaining two newly purchased cards on the discard pile, never to be used!

Example: Ivy discards one of the two cards in her hand and places a castle in her estate. Then she pays 3 silver cards to buy the top three cards from the deck (during the middle of her castle function). She selects another castle and places it as a new project. She then performs the function of the previously placed castle and places the just bought castle into her estate. Finally, she uses the function of this newly placed castle to take another castle from the display and place it under her project card.

Additional important rules for placing projects:

Estate cards cannot be moved again

The first triple of a type generates the matching bonus card (= 1 victory point)

Each triple generates one of the current round bonuses

All 7 types of cards in the estate generates an “All 7 types” bonus card (4/3/2/1 victory points)

Fourth card of a type starts a new triple

Once you have placed cards in your estate you may not move them again.
The first player to complete a triple receives the matching bonus card from the supply (worth 1 victory point at game end). The player places it to the left side of the estate card, so the victory point remains visible.
The player receives one of the current round bonuses when completing a triple. In addition, any player completing a triple receives one of the current round bonuses of their choice.
For instance in round A you can choose to take either 3 victory points, 2 goods, 2 animals, 3 silver, or 3 workers. In round D you can either choose 2 silver, 2 workers, or 1 worker + 1 silver.
The first player who has cards of all seven colors at any point in their estate immediately receives the top most card from the “All 7 types” bonus card deck (i.e. 4, 3, 2, or 1 victory point(s) at game end). The player places it on the left side of the estate card so the victory points remain visible.
To explain and illustrate: It does not matter whether a Cloister was assigned to another type or not!

For instance, the first player in a 3-player game receives the card with the 4, the second receives the 2 and the third receives the 1.
When placing the fourth card of a type in your estate, start a new triple with it. (It could also score at game end, if completed.)

End of a round

End of round after 6 turns:

discard remaining cards from the display
place 7, 10 or 13 new cards in the display
change the round card
draw 6 new action cards to make your draw pile
new start player

At the end of six turns, after all players have played their cards, the round ends. Prepare for the next round:

All cards remaining in the display are discarded.
7, 10 or 13 new cards are placed in the display, as explained under “Game Setup”.
(If necessary, reshuffle the discarded cards to create a new draw pile.)
The current round card is placed underneath the pile, displaying a new round card.
All players take another 6 cards from the draw pile and place them in a pile in front of them, drawing the top two cards for their hand.
(If necessary reshuffle the discard pile and create a new draw pile.)
The player with the start player card flips it face up. This is the start player of the entire round. Play continues in clockwise order.
If the start player card is still face up, the card is passed to the next player in clockwise order, who becomes the start player for the entire round.

Game End

After 5 rounds the game ends

+ 4/2/1 victory points for 4/3/2 different animals

Start player card: + 1 victory point

The player with the most victory points wins

The game ends after the 5th round (E). In addition to regular victory points (for triples, bonuses, victory point cards, and sold goods) each player also receives victory points for animals:

4 different animals - 4 victory points
3 different animals - 2 victory points
2 different animals - 1 victory point

Example: Megan owns 3 sheep, 2 cattle and 1 chicken. She gets 3 victory points for this (2 for sheep + cattle + chicken, 1 for sheep + cattle; nothing for the single sheep).

The player who has the start player card (front or back side) gets 1 victory point.

The player with the most victory points is the winner. In case of a tie, the tied player with more remaining cards in their storage (i.e. workers + silver + unsold goods + unused animals) is the winner. In case of another tie, there is more than one winner.

Bonus functions

When you place a project in your estate, take the following bonus function immediately:

Mines: When you place a mine in your estate, take two silver cards from the supply and place them in your storage.

Knowledges: When you place a knowledge card in your estate, take two worker cards from the supply and place them in your storage. It does not matter how many workers you already own.

Note: The silver and the workers are not limited. Should their supplies run out, replace with an alternative.

Ships: When you place a ship in your estate, take one good card from one of the two decks and place it in your storage.

Note: If one deck runs out, halve the other so there are again 2 decks. If all the good cards run out, bad luck! You don´t get anything!

Pastures: When you place a pasture in your estate, take one animal card from one of the two decks and place it in your storage.

(Only one deck? See note for “Ships”.)

Castles: After placing a castle in your estate, immediately take a free action, as if you had discarded an action card with any die number.

For instance you could place another project (with the resulting bonus) or take a card from the display or or or ...

Cloisters: Cloisters have no immediate bonus function when placed in the estate, but they do have two advantages:

Wild: A cloister may be placed together with any other type of card (this is not otherwise allowed!), and becomes a card of that type for the rest of the game.
Note: The cloister still does not grant a bonus function.

Always place cloisters behind the other cards, hiding the 6 victory points. This also works vice versa: When you place a different type of card on one or two cloisters, the cloisters change to that type for the rest of the game.
6 victory points: At the end of the game a triple with only cloisters is worth 6 victory points.

Buildings: When you place a building in your estate, use its bonus function immediately.

Important! Any three buildings can belong to a triple (different types of buildings or those of the same type).

Carpenter´s workshop: Take any building or knowledge card from the display and place it as a project.

Church: Take any castle or mine or cloister from the display and place it as a project.

Market: Take any ship or pasture from the display and place it as a project.

Note: When placing a carpenter´s workshop, church, or market in your estate, if there is no corresponding card in the display, bad luck! You get nothing.

Watchtower: Take 1 victory point card from the supply and place it beside the left side of your estate card. Victory points should be visible.

Bank: Take 3 silver from the supply and place in your storage.

(Not enough silver in the supply? See note for “Knowledges”.)

Boarding house: Take one good or one animal from one of the 4 open decks and place it in your storage.

(See note for “Ships”.)

Warehouse: Sell one type of good from your storage.

(See Action 3: “Sell Goods”.)

City Hall: Immediately place another project in your estate (with the resulting bonus).

(Note: If you don´t have another project, bad luck! No bonus function for the City Hall.)

Solitaire Variation

Solitaire

Setup as in a 2-player game

Take 1 worker, 1 silver, 1 good and 1 animal

Prepare 5 decks for Aaron, with 3/4/5/6/7 cards

Place and sort one deck per round for Aaron

Don´t forget: Take 1 victory point for each of Aaron´s cloisters

Aaron wins bonus cards for completing triples or “All 7 types”

Play your 6 cards as usual

Important

Compare victory points after each round: If Aaron has more, he immediately wins!

One player fights against “Aaron” (i.e. “An Almost Real OppoNent”, i.e. a virtual opponent).

All basic rules remain the same, with the following exceptions:

Use only two “All 7 types” bonus cards (as in the 2 player game, i.e. the 3 and 1). Place 7 cards in the display each round (as in the 2 player game). Place one silver, one worker, one good and one animal in your storage.

Make 5 piles of cards for Aaron, the first pile with 3 cards, then next with 4 cards, then 5, 6, and 7 cards (i.e. one pile per round, each round with one additional card). The 3 cards of the first pile are flipped and sorted by type. This is the start of Aaron´s estate. Cloisters are always placed as their own type, they are never added to other types of cards. For every cloister Aaron gets, you receive 1 victory point card from the supply.
Note: If Aaron gets a fourth card of the same type, he also starts a new triple with it.

If Aaron completes a triple before you do, Aaron receives the corresponding bonus card. This is also true for the “All 7 types” bonus cards.

There are no additional functions after placing Aaron´s cards. He does not receive any workers, silver, goods or animals. He does not get additional actions or advantages by placing buildings or castles. He does not get any round bonuses.

At the beginning of each round, Aaron´s deck is sorted into his estate (possibly earning him bonuses). Afterwards, play your 6 action cards as usual, with all the advantages from the basic game.

Important: At the end of each round, compare your victory points to Aaron’s: If Aaron has more victory points than you, Aaron wins and the game ends immediately.

If you have the same or more victory points than Aaron, the game continues to the next round. If you have the same or more victory points at the end of the game, you are the winner!

Note: When you compare victory points at the end of a round, be sure to add all the victory points generated by the animals. The start player card is not used in the solitaire game.