Belfort: Her Majesty's Civil Service — Rules Manual

BELFORT
HER MAJESTY'S
CIVIL SERVICE

METHODS AND PRACTICES OF THE
OFFICIAL VARIATIONS COUNCIL

A COMPILATION OF ELEMENTS TO
SIMPLIFY AND/OR COMPLICATE
YOUR EXPERIENCE

PROPERTY OF THE BELFORT
RULES LAWYERS' GUILD

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
OVERVIEW
LESS RED TAPE VARIANT
HERITAGE PROPERTIES
THE QUEEN OF BELFORT
PARKS & REX
KEY TO BELFORT
APPENDIX: GUILDS

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To whom it may concern,
Recent accidental explosions near Documents
Cavern 7F have opened up access to a previously
forgotten chamber now designated, obviously,
Documents Cavern 7Fa. To the delight of my
office, this new chamber holds a cornucopia of
old regulations, laws, bylaws, tri-laws, and
guidelines. We have been working hard to restore
and update the findings, and herein you’ll find
the fruits of our labor. All told, we have
managed to fully restore 5 Optional Statutes, a
more diverse Masters Program, and a number of
old Guild charters.

Aubrecht M. Capwell
Head of File Folding
Belfort Variations Office

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Welcome to Her Majesty’s Civil Service.
This is a collection of mini-expansion modules
for Belfort. Feel free to mix and match any
combination of them to add new twists and turns
to your plays of Belfort.
Less Red Tape is not exactly an expansion; it’s
more of a new structure of play for Belfort that is
quicker with less upkeep.
There are also a number of new Guilds that you
can mix into your selection for more variety.
On various cards and tiles,
you will encounter banners
like these. Do not include
components in your game if
they have a banner for a
module you’re not using.
Heritage Properties, The Queen of
Belfort, Parks & Rex, and The Key to
Belfort each add new gameplay elements and
interesting opportunities and challenges.
So What’s This All About?
LESS RED TAPE ONLY
KEY TO BELFORT ONLY
EXPANSION EXPANSION ONLY
QUEEN OF BELFORT ONLY
PARKS & REX ONLY

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Set up the game according to the usual instructions for Belfort. There are only three very simple changes to the main setup:
There is so much red tape to cut through when you’re building a city... This new variant rule set is quicker and less complicated than the original rules, but still delivers a full Belfort experience. Timing is still key to success, just in different phases!
If there are ever 3 or more identical cards in Property Row (during Setup or during the game), discard the entire row and replace with 5 new cards.
•
1. Leave the Turn Order Crests out of the game and randomly pick a starting player; turn order always passes clockwise in this variant.
2. Leave the Calendar marker out of the game. Instead, each player places one of their own Property markers beside the first calendar space.
3. Do not make a Draw Pool of Property cards. Instead, deal out a row of 5 face up cards to form the Property Row.
4. Lay out 2 more assistants than there are players in the game. In reverse turn order, each player chooses one Assistant to begin the game with. Leave the remaining Assistants there as a display.
Less Red Tape Variant
Changes to Basic Setup
~EXPANSION EXPANSION ONLY ~

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On your turn, you will perform one Main Action and any number of Free Actions:
Gain the resources immediately.
The Resource Areas work similar to the original game except that you don’t have to place all of your workers if you don’t want to.
Same as in the original game; pay the fee, place the Elf or Dwarf, and that’s it.
Building is the same as the original game except that you may only build a Wall, a Guild, or one of the 5 Properties in Property Row.
When you build a Property, take it and fill the gap in Property Row with a fresh card from the deck.
• There are no majority bonuses in the Resource Areas in this variant.
•• 1. Place a worker on a Guild and activate it. Same as in the original game (including placement fee), but gain the Guild’s benefit immediately.
2. Place a worker in the Recruitment Center.
3. Place as many of your workers as you want in the various Resource Areas to gather resources, then Build anything you want to and can afford.
Gameplay Changes
Main Actions

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2-Player rule for less red tape variant
a) Take back all of your workers into your supply,
from wherever they are.
This is how you get your workers back. If you have
no workers left, you must choose this main action.
Perform the following in order:
b) Move your property marker one space forward
on the Calendar.
c) Collect income (including the gold from any
gnomed Banks you own) and then pay taxes.
d) Swap your current Assistant with one from the
display, and place a gold coin from the supply on
the other.
Gain 1 Elf per Elf and 1 Dwarf per Dwarf that you take
back from the Recruitment Center.
•
If you move onto a scoring round, then calculate
majorities for districts and workers as in the normal
game, but only you score points.
At game start, assign one Non-Player as color A and
another as color B. During gameplay each time you
move to a new spot on the Calendar, immediately build
a Non-Player property from Property Row (for no cost),
then refresh Property Row. If you are the first to reach
that Calendar spot, use color A. If you are the second
to reach that Calendar spot, use color B.
•
4. Collect workers, recruit workers,
progress, score, and collect income.
~EXPANSION EXPANSION ONLY ~

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• Hire one Gnome and place it immediately.
Maximum once per turn; you must have an empty Gnome Lock to put it on.
• Place workers on your Properties.
As many or as few as you want (pay fees as normal). Activate the Property powers immediately.
• Visit the Trading Post.
One sell and one buy per turn as usual (unless you have something granting you extra visits, such as a gnomed Market).
Free Actions
The game ends when all players have completed their third and final scoring (remembering to also collect income and then pay taxes).
• Once you have completed your final scoring, your turn is skipped for the rest of the game.
• If your score ever goes above 50, keep moving on the score track. Remember that your score is 50 points higher, and your tax rate is 9 coins more than what is displayed on the board.
End Game

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Library
When you place a worker here, draw 2 cards, add
them to the Property Row, then remove any 2
cards so the Property Row will contain 5 cards.
Blacksmith
For each gnomed Blacksmith you own, you may
buy 1 metal for 1 gold, but only when you are
Building as your main action.
GOON ASSISTANT
The Goon may not be placed on the Locksmiths’ Guild or
the Guild of Parks & Rex.
Librarians’ Guild and Spies’ Guild
Do not use these guilds with this variant.
When you place a Gnome on a library, draw a new
card and place it face-up in a top shelf row above
the Property Row. Only players with a gnomed
Library may build properties from the top shelf
row. After you build a card from the top shelf row,
replace it with a new one from the deck.
Effect on Specific Properties & Guilds
GARGOYLE ASSISTANT
Do not use the Gargoyle with this variant.
GIANT ASSISTANT
The first time you place workers in the collection area while you have the Giant assistant, place the Giant token(s) there as well.
~EXPANSION EXPANSION ONLY ~

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NON-HUMAN RESOURCES GUILD
Return the 3 workers to the supply when you take the
Retrieve Workers action.
ARCHIVES EXPANSION
Treat the plank as if blank, and the red board as if it had
2 coins on it. Bonus Scoring: Earn 1 point for every
Property card in the top shelf row.
CLIPBOARD MAKERS’ GUILD
Draw the card off the top of the deck and keep it face
down in front of you. You may build that card as if it
were in the property row.
GORGON ASSISTANT
Immediately upon taking this assistant, place the
Gorgon token. The first time each opponent builds in the
Gorgon's district, they must pay the fee. The first time
you build in the Gorgon's district, collect the reward.
You can temporarily place property markers onto the
Gorgon tile to help remember that you've done this.
When returning the Gorgon tile to the supply, give these
property markers back to their owners. The next time
someone takes the Gorgon assistant, everyone is subject
to her abilities again.
~EXPANSION EXPANSION ONLY ~

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This can be played with the base game rules or the Less Red Tape rules. For 2-4 players only.
Pick an unused player color to represent the Heritage properties. Reveal 1 Property card and place a Heritage Property marker on the matching spot in any one district to start. (Remove that Property card from the game.) Continuing clockwise, perform this process for all five districts.
Heritage properties are considered to be an independent player when calculating majorities during the Scoring phase; the Heritage properties could therefore come in 1st, 2nd, or 3rd in a given district, but you do not need to keep track of the Heritage property’s points.
When playing a 3 player game with Heritage properties, score 3rd place as if it were a 4 player game.
• Heritage properties may be moved to a different district via the Wizard’s Guild.
• “By decree of the Belfort Historical Preservation Society, citing bylaw 24A, section 118.3, pre-existing structures may not be demolished. Failure to heed these laws will result in immediate revocation of a Master Builder’s surveying wand.”
Heritage Properties
Changes to Setup
Effect on Gameplay

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Remove the "Swap Turn Order Crests" card from the game.
The Queen has had enough of her husband’s lollygagging and wants to ensure that the city is completely armed and operational by the time the Yetis appear. A savvy Master Architect who builds quickly and efficiently can earn her favour!
The Queen of Belfort (“the Queen”)
Components
• 1 QUEEN PAWN
• 10 QUEEN CARDS
• 1 QUEEN’S CHAMBER TILE
Additional Setup
Place the Queen in any random board district. Shuffle the Queen cards, and keep the deck face down near the Calendar board.
Place the Queen’s Chamber tile in the middle of the board, covering the Keep roof.
~LESS RED TAPE ONLY ~

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Move the Queen past any districts that contain either Ms. Parks or Mr. Rex; none of the three may ever occupy the same district as another.
After all players have moved one space on the calendar track, move the Queen 1 space clockwise, and replace the current Queen card with another one. Do this again after all players have moved 2 spaces, etc.
Discard the active Queen card (if this is the first round of the game, there will not be one). Reveal a new Queen card from the deck to be the active Queen card. Move the Queen 1 district clockwise.
During each Calendar phase
You may place a worker on the plank in the Queen's Chamber during the Placement phase.
This will give you control over the Queen’s movement during the Action phase (see below).
During the Placement phase
~LESS RED TAPE ONLY ~
~PARKS & REX ONLY ~

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Note: Moving the Queen using the Queen's Chamber
does not cause the current Queen card to change.
Each time you build in the Queen’s current district
(whether Property, Wall, or Guild), you receive the
benefit listed on the active Queen card.
Note: Placing a Property marker on the second half of a
Gatehouse does not count as “building”.
If you have a worker on the Queen's Chamber,
activate and reclaim it at any point on your turn to
relocate the Queen to any other district (except one
containing Ms. Parks or Mr. Rex).
During the Action phase
Move the Queen immediately upon placing in the Queen's
Chamber (which is a Main Action). This movement does
not cause the current Queen card to change.
~LESS RED TAPE ONLY ~

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Parks & Rex
The Queen has decreed that the inhabitants of Belfort need some more recreation areas to make the fairest of cities even fairer! She has sent out her intrepid crew of bylaw officials, Ms. Parks (a Dryad) and Mr. Rex (a Lizardfolk), to ensure that the city gets built to her standards, but with an eye to maintain places for everyone to relax and enjoy the city in all of its beauty!
Components
You must play with the Guild of Parks & Rex as one of your Guilds. Place Ms. Parks in one random district and Mr. Rex in another. If you’re also playing with the Queen, ensure that all 3 are in different districts.
Additional Setup
1 MS. PARKS TILE
1 MR. REX TILE
1 GUILD OF PARKS & REX TILE

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Parks & Rex change the point values of the districts they are in when scoring occurs.
Effect on Gameplay
If you place a worker on the Guild of Parks & Rex during the Placement phase, you may move either Ms. Parks or Mr. Rex during your turn of the Action phase.
Remember, no two of Ms. Parks, Mr. Rex, and the Queen can ever be in the same district.
Moving Parks & Rex
The district with Ms. Parks scores 8/3/0 for 1st/2nd/3rd place, and the district with Mr. Rex scores 6/5/4 for 1st/2nd/3rd place, instead of the normal values.
As usual, you do not score 3rd place in a 2-3 player game.
During the Scoring Phase
In the Less Red Tape variant, move either Ms. Parks or Mr. Rex to another district immediately upon placing on the Guild of Parks and Rex.
~LESS RED TAPE ONLY ~

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The Key to Belfort
One of the more powerful guilds in Belfort is the Locksmiths’ Guild; they hold the keys to many untold riches. When you are a patron of the Locksmiths’ Guild, you will gain access to abilities beyond those of a typical Master Builder. Enjoy having the key to the city while it lasts, for the loyalty of the Locksmiths’ Guild can change with a simple visit to their hall!

Components
Place the Key to Belfort in the general supply.
Make sure the Locksmiths’ Guild is included in the 5 Guilds you use for this game.
Shuffle the Key cards and deal one to each player, placing the rest off to the side in a face down draw pile.

Additional Setup
• THE KEY TO BELFORT
• 14 KEY CARDS
• 1 LOCKSMITHS’ GUILD TILE
This comes with the base game, not the expansion.

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Use the Locksmiths’ Guild to get your hands on the Key to Belfort and more Key cards. While you hold the Key, all of your Key cards are active, providing you with game-changing benefits.

Effect on Gameplay

When you place one of your workers on the Locksmiths’ Guild, draw another Key card from the deck into your hand, and take the Key to Belfort into your playing area.

When an opponent takes the Key to Belfort from you, take your Key cards back into your hand, they are no longer active.

While you hold the Key to Belfort, your Key cards are considered active; display them next to the Key tile. You may take advantage of their benefits until someone takes the Key from you.

During the Placement Phase

Remove the "Draw an extra property card" Key Card from the game.

~LESS RED TAPE ONLY ~

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These six new Guilds can be included in your selection of Guilds when setting up your game. Check the banners on the guilds to make sure you don’t include any that can’t be used in your game.
Appendix: Guilds
BASIC GUILDS
Cost:
Action: Choose another Guild that currently has a worker in it, and activate it as if you had a worker in it.
PRINTERS’ GUILD
Cost:
Action: Move either Ms. Parks or Mr. Rex from their current district into a different one. The new district may not contain the other character or the Queen.
GUILD OF PARKS & REX
If playing with the Expansion Expansion, a Goon may not be used to activate this guild.
Cost:
Action: Immediately on placement retrieve any 3 of your workers from their current positions (except the one in the Summoners’ Guild), back to your player board.
SUMMONERS’ GUILD
~PARKS & REX ONLY ~
~LESS RED TAPE ONLY ~

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INTERACTIVE GUILDS
RESOURCE GUILDS
Cost:
Action: Immediately on placement for every
Elf on your own Property card planks gain 2
Wood and for every Dwarf on your own
Property card planks, gain 2 Stone.
EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH GUILD
Cost:
Action: Check all five districts. For each
district if there is a player other than yourself
with a clear majority of Property markers (no
ties), steal 1 Gold from that player.
LANDLORDS’ GUILD
Cost:
Action: Immediately on placement draw 1
Key card and take the Key to Belfort from
whoever has it. While you hold the Key to
Belfort, only your Key cards are active.
If playing with the Expansion Expansion, a
Goon may not be used to activate this guild.
LOCKSMITHS’ GUILD
~KEY TO BELFORT ONLY ~

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Jay and Sen would like to thank Eric Lalande, Eric Raué, and Kevin & Jennifer Wilson, the Game Artisans of Canada, the Lim family and the Cormier family for help playtesting this new expansion, and thanks as well to Josh Einstein-Curtis, Austin Fusilier, Shawn George, Scott Halvorson, Dan Hull, Jon Paul, and Jacob Scott for help proofreading the rulebook, and to all of the Kickstarter backers who helped make this expansion a reality.
Copyright and Trademark 2019
Tasty Minstrel Games, L.L.C.
www.playtmg.com
Game Design
Jay Cormier
& Sen-Foong Lim
Graphic Design
and rules editing
Joshua Cappel
Game Development
Seth Jaffee

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