Game Objective

The objective of Nippon: Zaibatsu is to manage your conglomerate (zaibatsu) during the Industrial Revolution in Japan, by building factories, modernizing production, fulfilling contracts, and developing technology. Victory is achieved by having the most influence in the regions and the greatest zaibatsu development at the end of the game. Players compete to prove their zaibatsu is the most deserving of prosperity, overcoming the challenges of economic modernization.

Setup

To set up the game, follow these steps:

• Board and Components: Use the main board, 24 standard factory tiles, 9 demand tiles, 16 starting tokens (including 1 Old Factory), 2 round markers, 32 commodity cubes, 48 workers (8 per color), 40 money tokens (15 of 1000, 15 of 3000, 10 of 5000), 6 specialized workers, 80 resource cubes (32 coal, 24 silk, 24 iron), 24 upgraded departments, 40 influence tokens, 9 actions, 9 common objectives, and 9 individual objectives.
• Initial Setup:
  1. Place 1 standard factory tile on each city space on the main board. Randomly orient the demand tiles.
  2. For games with 4 players, place all 48 workers in the bag. For 3 players, remove 1 set of 6 different workers and place the other 42 in the bag. For 2 players, remove 2 sets of 6 different workers and place the other 36 in the bag.
  3. Distribute workers in the hiring row according to the number of players (see manual for details).
  4. Place the 6 starting factories near the main board, randomly. For games with late factory modules, add 3/4/5 late factories according to the number of players.
  5. Each player chooses their color, takes all components of that color, and 3 tracking markers (R&D, Mining, Finance).
  6. Each player assembles their zaibatsu (player board) with the dedicated spaces, tracks, influence tokens, and score discs.
  7. Randomly determine the first player. Each player chooses a pair of starting tokens (3/4/5 pairs for 2/3/4 players) and applies the effects as described in the manual.

Game Flow

The game is divided into 3 periods, each with several rounds. Each round consists of player turns. At the end of each period, influence scoring in the regions occurs. At the end of the game, points are calculated based on influence and zaibatsu development.

• Player Turn: On your turn, you must choose between taking an action or performing a consolidation. Actions include research, mining, building factories, shipping, production, trains, local markets, investments, and contracts.
• Consolidation: If you do not take an action, you must perform a consolidation. This involves gaining department bonuses, paying wages, and returning workers to the bag.
• End of Round: At the end of the round, influence scoring takes place. If the round marker reaches the end of the period, the game enters the final phase.
• End of Game: After 3 periods, final consolidation and final scoring occur. The player with the highest total score wins.

Actions and How to Play

Actions are the main mechanics of the game. Each action has specific costs and effects. Below are the main actions:

• Research (R&D):
  • 1 activation: Spend 1/3/6 to advance 1/2/3 spaces on the R&D track.
  • Example: Spend 1 to advance 1 space.
• Mining:
  • 1 activation: Spend 1/3/6 to advance 1/2/3 spaces on the Mining track.
  • Example: Spend 3 to advance 2 spaces.
• Build Factory:
  • 1 activation: Spend 6 to build a factory. The cost can be reduced with 1/3/6 to temporarily increase the R&D level.
  • Immediate effects: Advance on R&D, gain department bonuses, etc.
• Ship:
  • 1-3 activations: Spend 3 or 5+1 to ship to a destination. Gain a specialized worker and an upgraded department.
• Production:
  • 1 activation: Spend 2/3/4 to produce commodities in a factory. Each machine increases production.
• Build Train:
  • 1-3 activations: Spend 3 or 5+1 to build a train in a region. Gain influence bonuses.
• Local Markets:
  • 1-3 activations: Spend commodities to place influence tokens in markets. Gain region bonuses or 2 points.
• Investment and Contracts:
  • 1-3 activations: Spend commodities to advance on the Finance track or fulfill contracts. Each contract grants department bonuses.

End of Game and Scoring

The game ends after 3 periods. Scoring is calculated as follows:

• Personal Objective Scoring:
  • For each favor token on personal objectives, gain 5/8/10 points (depending on level).
  • For factories and contracts, gain points based on the number of tokens.
• Resources, Commodities, and Money:
  • Gain 1 point for every 3 resources, 1 for every 5 commodities, and 1 for every 5000 money.
• Final Scoring:
  • The player with the highest total score wins. In case of a tie, the player who made the last move wins.

Tips for Winning

Here are some tactical tips based on the manual:

• Use silk for R&D: Silk can be spent to temporarily increase the R&D level, making it easier to build factories.
• Build trains for influence: Trains grant 2 influence points per region, even without influence tokens.
• Fulfill contracts for resources: Contracts allow you to gain resources and department bonuses, essential for development.

Refer to the manual for details on sections not covered here.