Episode 222: Gutenberg

Printing Technology enabled the spread of knowledge, thoughts and ideas. For this
reason the invention of printing is considered one of the pivotal global events ending the middle
ages.
At the local level, talented craftsmen and efficient entrepreneurs have a great opportunity
to develop a profitable business. The demand for books has grown, the competition is still
small, and the potential for development is unlimited!
In Gutenberg, 1-4 players take on the role of printing pioneers!
Step 1: Players Plan their actions by bidding for initiative in each of the 5 actions on the board,
developing their specialties, improving their printing houses ( which is buying these really cool
interlocking gears that give you free goodies) or obtaining the support of a powerful patron.
Step 2: Players execute their plans in initiative order - beginning with taking orders &
progressing all the way through the patronage stage, where players attempt to satisfy the needs
of publicly available patrons - the first player to satisfy their needs receives FAME from the
patron.
1) Beginning with acquiring orders, players will select an order to work toward - each
order has two parts, a printing card - where the REQUIRED components for the order
are listed and a refinement card, where items are optional, but score you BIG rewards
2) Next players will select valuable inks, which are used on the REFINEMENT piece of
each order
3) Then players select from the available printing specialties cards - these adjust your
specialty tracks and allow you to refine your orders even further
4) The 4th step is to take gears and improve your printing machine - these gears give
you bonuses that can be used once per round, but pay attention as the gears rotate
every round, changing the options that you have available
5) Finally players attempt to satisfy the needs of PUBLIC patrons - the printer who first
does so removes the card from the public display and receives FAME from the patron!
Step 3:Players fulfill orders which they are capable of completing - Each order requires a certain
assortment of typefaces, inks and specialties. While inks and specialties are optional,
specific typefaces are required for each order. The more complete the order, the more lavish
rewards
Step 4: Players prepare for the next round - refilling the board and progressing their gears.

Gutenberg is played over 6 rounds, with additional patron options becoming available with every
new round. After the 6th round, players will add points on top of their contract points and patron
points for the acquired level on the specialty track, as well as 1 point for every 3 remaining
guilders.
The player with the most fame points is the winner and the most impressive printing in the
mid-15th Century! Mr. Johannes Gutenberg would be proud.