Glory to Rome: Conquer Ancient Rome with Strategy and Cunning!

Hey there, future emperor or empress! Prepare to dive into one of the most strategic and dynamic card games you've ever seen: Glory to Rome. Forget the bureaucracy and come build your empire, recruit clients, and, who knows, even erect the Forum for a glorious victory!

Game Objective

In Glory to Rome, your objective is simple, but the journey is complex and full of twists: be the player with the most Victory Points at the end of the game. You will accumulate points in various ways: through your Influence, the value of cards stored in your Vault, Merchant bonuses, and the Structures you build. But beware, there are some instant win conditions that can change everything in the blink of an eye! Can you be the first to build the Forum and have one client of each type? Or perhaps the mysterious Catacomb?

Setup

Let's set up the table for glory! Follow these steps and we'll be playing soon:

1. Each player takes a Camp and places it in front of them.
2. The "Rome Demands" card goes to the center of the table.
3. Shuffle all Order cards and deal 4 to each player, face down, plus one Jack.
4. The remaining Order cards, along with the undelt Jacks, form the Pool in the center of the table, face up.
5. For each type of Site card (the building materials), create "In the City" piles with a number of cards equal to the number of players. Arrange them so that the remaining number is visible. Unselected Site cards go into "Out of the City" piles, face down, next to the "In the City" piles.
6. The first player is determined by alphabetical order. In case of a tie, deal extra cards to break the tie. The Leader marker is placed next to the first player.

The Game Turn

Each turn, one player is the Leader and has the final say on what happens. But make no mistake, everyone will have a chance to act!

Leader's Actions

The Leader player has two main options:

• Think: The Leader can choose one of the following actions:
  • Take a Jack (if available).
  • Draw Order cards until reaching maximum hand size (usually five). You must draw up to the maximum.
  • Draw an additional Order card if already at or above maximum hand size.

  If the Leader "Thinks," the turn ends immediately after their action.

• Lead: The Leader plays an Order card from their hand on top of their Camp, declaring the Role they are playing (e.g., Architect, Laborer, etc.).

Actions After the Leader Leads

If the Leader chooses to "Lead," the other players, in clockwise order, have the following options:

• Think: Just like the Leader, they can choose one of the "Think" actions described above.
• Follow: Play an Order card of the same type of Role that the Leader played.

Executing Actions

After all players have decided to Think or Follow, actions are executed:

• The Leader performs the action of the chosen Role and an additional action for each Client they have of that same Role.
• In clockwise order, each player who "Followed" receives one action of the chosen Role. All players (Leader and Followers) receive an additional action for each Client they have of the chosen Role.
• All Order cards played as Roles are moved to the Pool.
• The Leader marker passes to the player on the left.

The Jacks

Jacks are wild cards! You can play them as any Role, except Thinker. When used, Jacks are returned to the Jacks pile. They cannot be taken or played as Material or Clients.

Petition

A cunning move! You can play 3 Order cards of the same Role as if they were a Jack. Important: you cannot play 3 Jacks as a Jack.

Hiring Clients (Patron Role)

To expand your influence, you need clients! If you play the Patron Role, take a card from the Pool and place it under the left edge of your Camp, so that only the Role name is visible. Your total clientele is limited by your current Influence. Newly hired clients cannot play roles until the next turn.

Collecting Materials (Laborer Role)

Every empire needs resources! If you play the Laborer Role, take a card from the Pool (if available) and place it under the bottom edge of your Camp, so that only the Material is visible (your Stockpile).

Building Structures

This is where the magic happens! You can work on multiple structures at once, but you don't gain their benefits until completion.

• Laying the Foundation (Architect or Craftsman Role):
  • Place an Order card from your hand in front of you as a Foundation.
  • Take a corresponding "In the City" Site card of Material and place it under the bottom part of the Foundation, so that the diagonal construction stripes are visible.
  • You cannot lay a Foundation if there is no corresponding Material Site available, or if you already have a Foundation or Structure of the same name in play (even if an opponent has an identical one).
  • For Out of the City Sites, you must perform two consecutive Architect or Craftsman Roles in the same turn.
• Adding Materials (Architect or Craftsman Role):
  • You must already have a Site and a Foundation. The building Material must match the Material shown on the Foundation.
  • Architect Role: Take the corresponding Material from your Stockpile and place it under the bottom part of the bottom card, under the Foundation, so that the Material is visible.
  • Craftsman Role: Take the corresponding Material from your hand and place it under the bottom part of the bottom card, under the Foundation, so that the Material is visible.
• Completing a Structure:
  • Requires a Foundation, a Site, and 1-3 additional Material cards, depending on the Foundation's value.
  • Take the Site card and place it under the top edge of your Camp, so that the gold coins are visible. The Materials remain with the structure.
  • Your Influence increases by the value of the completed Site. This allows you to hire more Clients and store more Materials.
  • You immediately gain the function of the completed Structure.

Demanding Material (Legionary Role)

Sometimes, you need to be a little more... assertive! If you play the Legionary Role:

1. Flip an Order card (not a Jack) from your hand and place your entire hand on the "Rome Demands" card, so that the chosen Material is visible.
2. Say "Rome demands {material name}."
3. Immediately take a corresponding colored card from the Pool and place it in your Stockpile.
4. The players to your left and right must give you a corresponding colored card, if possible. Place them in your Stockpile. If not possible, players say "Glory to Rome."
5. Take your hand back and flip the revealed Order.

If you have Legionary Clients, your additional actions allow you to reveal all Material in any combination at once. If the opponent only has a part, they must hand it over. If there are fewer cards in hand than Legionary Role cards, the extra roles are lost. Players must reveal card count if requested.

Selling Material (Merchant Role)

Turn your resources into wealth! If you play the Merchant Role, take a Material card from your Stockpile and place it face down under the right edge of your Camp (your Vault). The number of cards in the Vault is public information, as is the identity when placed, but it becomes hidden thereafter. Vault space is limited by your Influence.

End of Game and Scoring

A game of Glory to Rome can end in several ways:

• The Order card draw pile runs out.
• A player uses the last "In the City" Site card.
• The Catacomb is completed.
• A player completes the Forum and has at least one of each Client type.
• All other players agree to "surrender" to a player.

Final Scoring

When the game ends, scoring is calculated as follows:

• In case of a Forum victory or "surrender," that player wins immediately!
• For other cases, count 1 Victory Point for each point of Influence you have.
• Sum the combined value of the cards in your Vault.
• Gain Victory Points for each Merchant Bonus card awarded for each Material type to the player with the most of that type in their Vault. No cards are awarded for ties.
• Any completed Structure that grants additional Victory Points.
• The player with the most points wins. In case of a tie, the tied player with the most cards in hand wins.

Tips for Winning

To avoid getting lost in the streets of Rome, here are some tips from a veteran:

1. Balance Your Influence and Materials: Your Influence is crucial, as it limits the number of Clients you can have and the size of your Vault. Prioritize building Structures that increase your Influence to expand your options. At the same time, don't neglect collecting Materials, as they are the foundation for your constructions and Vault scoring.
2. Keep an Eye on Opponents' Roles: The "Lead" and "Follow" mechanic is the heart of the game. If an opponent is constantly playing a Role you also need, consider "Following" to optimize your actions. Additionally, observe which Roles your opponents have as Clients; this can indicate their strategies and which Roles they are likely to "Lead" or "Follow" in the future.
3. Take Advantage of Structure Functions: Structures offer powerful benefits that can change the course of the game. For example, the Forum can lead to an instant victory if you have the right Clients, while the Catacomb can end the game abruptly. Plan your constructions not only for points but also for the functions they grant, such as the Academy (which allows a Thinker after the Craftsman) or the Foundry (which gives Laborer actions upon completion).

Now that you have the complete guide, it's time to raise your empire and show everyone who truly has the Glory to Rome! Good luck and have fun!