Objective of the Game

Welcome, fellow nobles, to the turbulent lands of West Francia, circa 900 AD! In Paladins of the West Kingdom, our aim is simple yet grand: to be the player who has amassed the most Victory Points (VP) by the end of the game. Our city is under constant threat from outsiders like Saracens, Vikings, and even Byzantines, and it's up to us to rise to the challenge!

You'll earn points by expanding your influence through building Outposts and Fortifications, spreading faith by Commissioning Monks, and bravely confronting Outsiders. Each round, you'll enlist the aid of a powerful Paladin and gather essential Workers to carry out your tasks. As your influence grows, so too will your Faith, Strength, and Influence attributes, which not only contribute to your final score but also unlock more powerful actions. The game concludes after a total of seven Rounds, so make every action count!

Preparation (Setup)

Let's get our kingdom ready! Follow these steps to set up your game of Paladins of the West Kingdom:

1. First, connect the 2 parts of the Main Board to form the central play area.
2. Shuffle the Townsfolk Cards to create a face-down Draw Pile on the left side of the Main Board. Then, draw and reveal 5 Townsfolk Cards face-up above the top-left area.
3. Shuffle the Wall Cards into a face-down Draw Pile above the central area of the Main Board.
4. Place 5-8 Silver (depending on player count) above the Main Board, creating the "Tax supply."
5. Place the Debt Cards into a Draw Pile, "Unpaid" side face-up, above the top-right area of the Main Board.
6. Shuffle the Suspicion Cards into a face-down Draw Pile to the right of the Debt Card Draw Pile.
7. Shuffle the Outsider Cards into a face-down Draw Pile on the right side of the Main Board. Draw and reveal 6 Outsider Cards face-up below the bottom-right area.
8. Shuffle the King’s Order Cards and randomly place 3 face-down on the left end of the Main Board. Shuffle the King’s Favour Cards and randomly place 5 face-down in the spaces to the right of the King’s Order Cards. Return any unused cards to the box unseen.
9. Shuffle the Tavern Cards into a face-down Draw Pile below the bottom-left of the Main Board.
10. Place all remaining Silver, Provisions, and Workers (Labourers, Scouts, Merchants, Fighters, Clerics, and Criminals) into a general supply accessible to all players.
11. Each player takes 1 Player Board and the following components:
    • 8 Workshops
    • 7 Jars (arranged in ascending value from left to right)
    • 3 Attribute Markers (1 of each color, stacked on the zero space of your attribute tracks)
    • 12 Paladin Cards (each Player Board has a matching set, identifiable by background images)
    • 3 Silver and 1 Provision from the supply
    • 7 Monks
    • 7 Outposts
12. Each player shuffles their Paladin Cards into a face-down Draw Pile next to their Player Board.
13. Randomly determine the Start Player and give them the Start Player Marker.
14. In reverse turn order (starting from the player to the right of the Start Player and moving counter-clockwise), each player Recruits 1 visible Townsfolk Card from above the Main Board into their crew, free of cost. These are kept face-up next to your Player Board. After everyone has recruited, slide the remaining Townsfolk Cards to the right, fill empty spaces, and reveal new Townsfolk Cards from the Draw Pile. Remember, some Townsfolk offer immediate rewards!

The Game Turn

Paladins of the West Kingdom is played over 7 rounds, each with a consistent structure. Within each round, players will take actions until everyone passes.

Round Structure

1. Pass the Start Player Marker: In every round after the first, the Start Player Marker passes clockwise to the next player.
2. Reveal King’s Orders and Favours: Reveal the appropriate King’s Order Cards and King’s Favour Cards based on the current round number.
   • King’s Orders offer bonus Victory Points at game's end if you meet their conditions (e.g., 5 Walls). The first scores 4 VP, the second 6 VP, and the third 8 VP.
   • King’s Favours open up new, temporary action spaces for the round. Each can only be used once per round.
3. Reveal Tavern Cards: Reveal a number of face-up Tavern Cards equal to the number of players plus one.
4. Choose Your Paladin: Each player draws 3 Paladin Cards from their personal Draw Pile.
   • Choose 1 Paladin to use for the current round and place it face-down on the left side of your Player Board.
   • Place 1 Paladin face-down on top of your Paladin Draw Pile (you'll see this one next round!).
   • Place the last Paladin face-down at the bottom of your Paladin Draw Pile.

   Choosing your Paladin is a crucial decision, as each provides 2 Workers, temporary Attribute boosts, and a special ability for the round!

5. Reveal Paladins & Collect Workers: Starting with the first player and moving clockwise, each player reveals their chosen Paladin and collects the 2 Workers printed on it from the supply. Then, they select 1 available Tavern Card and collect the 4 Workers printed on it. Rotate or flip the chosen Tavern Card to show it's unavailable. (There will always be one unclaimed Tavern Card each round.)
6. Take Actions or Pass: Starting with the first player and moving clockwise, each player takes a single action or passes. This continues until all players have passed.
7. Refresh the Main Board: Once all players have passed, perform these refresh steps:
   • Discard the right-most Townsfolk Card (if any), slide the rest to the right, and reveal new ones to fill empty spaces.
   • Discard the left-most Outsider Card (if any), slide the rest to the left, and reveal new ones to fill empty spaces.
   • Remove all Tavern Cards from this round to a face-up discard pile.
   • Return all Workers from King’s Favour Cards to the supply (from Round 3 onwards).

Taking Actions

When it's your turn, you'll place 1 or more Workers from your personal supply onto an action space on your Player Board or a revealed King’s Favour Card on the Main Board.

• Worker Placement Rules:
  • Any Workers can be placed on transparent spaces.
  • Workers of the correct color must be placed on colored spaces.
  • Criminals (purple) act as wilds and can be placed on any space.
• Important Rule: You can only perform each of the Commission, Fortify, Garrison, Absolve, and Convert actions 7 times. There's no limit to how many times you can Attack.

Player Board Actions (Left Side - Engine Building & Resource Gathering)

• Develop: Requires 2 Workers (any type) and costs 4 Silver. Move a Workshop from your Player Board to a worker space on an action on the right side of your Player Board. This reduces the worker cost for that action in the future. You immediately gain the Worker indicated under the moved Workshop.
• Recruit: Requires 1 or 2 Workers and may cost Silver (or a Debt for the two left-most Townsfolk).
  • 1 Worker (any type, left space): Discard a Townsfolk Card from above the Main Board for its immediate reward (top-right icons).
  • 2 Workers (1 must be a Fighter): Recruit a Townsfolk Card into your crew for its ongoing ability and immediate rewards (bottom icons). Keep it face-up.

  Important Rule: If you place 1 Worker, you cannot add a second later. You must decide to place 1 or 2 Workers as a single action.

• Pray: Requires 1 Cleric (black) and costs 2 Silver. Remove all Workers from one action space on your Player Board, returning them to the supply. This lets you use that action again this round.
• Conspire: Requires 1 Worker (any type). Immediately gain 1 Criminal (purple) and 1 Suspicion Card.
• Hunt & Trade: Both require 1 or 2 Workers.
  • 1 Worker (any type, left space): Gain 1 Provision (Hunt) or 1 Silver (Trade).
  • 2 Workers (right Worker must be a Scout for Hunt, Merchant for Trade): Gain 3 Provisions (Hunt) or 3 Silver (Trade).

  Important Rule: If you place 1 Worker, you cannot add a second later. You must decide to place 1 or 2 Workers as a single action.

Player Board Actions (Right Side - Scoring & Attribute Boosting)

These actions require a specific Attribute (indicated on the left of the banner) and reward a different Attribute (indicated on the right).

• Commission: Requires 3 Workers (1 Scout, 1 any, 1 Cleric) and increasing amounts of Provisions. You must Commission your left-most available Monk. Your Faith Attribute determines which region on the Main Board you can place your Monk. Place it on an available square space for immediate rewards and an Influence boost.
• Fortify: Requires 3 Workers (1 Merchant, 1 any, 1 Scout) and increasing amounts of Provisions. You must place Walls by filling the left-most empty card space above your Player Board. Your Influence Attribute determines if you can build the next Wall. Draw a Wall Card for immediate rewards, including a Strength boost.
• Garrison: Requires 3 Workers (1 Merchant, 1 any, 1 Fighter) and increasing amounts of Provisions. You must Garrison your left-most available Outpost. Your Strength Attribute determines which region on the Main Board you can place your Outpost. Place it on an available square space for immediate rewards and a Faith boost.
• Absolve: Requires 3 Workers (1 Cleric, 1 any, 1 Merchant) and increasing amounts of Silver. You must use your left-most (lowest valued) Jar. Your Influence Attribute determines if you can use the next Jar. Move your Jar to an available space on your Player Board for immediate rewards, a Faith boost, and remove 1 Suspicion Card.
• Attack: Requires 3 Workers (1 Scout, 1 any, 1 Fighter). May cost Silver if your Strength Attribute is not high enough to target a specific Outsider. Your Strength Attribute determines which Outsiders you can Attack. Gain immediate rewards (always including an Influence boost) and keep the Outsider Card face-down.
• Convert: Requires 3 Workers (1 Fighter, 1 any, 1 Cleric) and increasing amounts of Silver. Your Faith Attribute determines which Outsiders you can Convert. Gain immediate rewards (always including a Strength boost) and an end-game scoring bonus. Keep the Outsider Card face-up below your Player Board.

Tax and Suspicion

Whenever you gain a Criminal, you immediately draw 1 Suspicion Card face-up above your Player Board. These cards require you to take Silver from the Tax supply (0, 1, or 2). If the Tax supply runs out, an Inquisition occurs!

Debts and the Inquisition

Debts are gained "Unpaid" side face-up and cost you 3 VP at game's end if not paid. Paid Debts (flipped) earn 1 VP. Destroyed Debts return to the Draw Pile.

An Inquisition triggers when the last Silver is taken from the Tax supply. The player(s) with the most Suspicion immediately gain 1 Debt and discard half their Suspicion (rounded down). Then, the Tax supply is refilled with Silver from the main supply.

Passing

When you have no more Workers or choose not to take further actions, you must pass. Clear all Workers from your Player Board (return to supply). You may carry up to 3 remaining Workers into the next round; any excess are returned to the supply. Once you pass, you cannot take more actions this round, but can still be affected by Inquisitions or Townsfolk abilities.

End of Game and Scoring

The game ends immediately at the end of Round 7. Players then tally their Victory Points from the following areas:

• Completed King’s Orders: Score bonus VPs for meeting the conditions.
• Attribute Tracks: Your final position on the Strength, Influence, and Faith tracks.
• Debts: -3 VP for each unpaid Debt, +1 VP for each paid Debt.
• Silver / Provisions: 1 VP for every set of 3 remaining Silver and Provisions combined.
• Commissions: VPs if you've completed 5 or more.
• Fortifies: VPs if you've completed 5 or more, plus VPs printed on specific Walls.
• Develops: VPs if you've completed 6 or more.
• Garrisons: VPs if you've completed 5 or more.
• Absolves: VPs if you've completed 5 or more.
• Converts: VPs from the end-game scoring bonuses on your converted Outsider Cards.
• Townsfolk Abilities: Some Townsfolk provide end-game VPs (e.g., Adventurer, Armourer, Assassin, Champion, Mercenary, Protector, Thief, Traitor).

The player with the highest total score wins! In case of a tie, the tied player with the most VPs from King’s Orders wins. If still tied, the player with the least Suspicion wins. If still tied, all tied players share the victory.

Tips for Winning

1. Paladin and Tavern Synergy is Key: At the start of each round, carefully consider your Paladin choice. Not only do they provide essential Workers and attribute boosts, but their special ability can define your strategy for the round. Pair this with the Tavern Card that best complements your Paladin and your overall goals to maximize your worker pool and immediate benefits.
2. Balance Engine Building with Scoring: The actions on the left side of your Player Board (like Develop, Recruit, Hunt, Trade) are crucial for building your engine and gathering resources. Don't neglect them! Developing actions can significantly reduce future worker costs, making