A Gest of Robin Hood Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• 1.0 Introduction
  • 1.1 General Course of Play
  • 1.2 Components
  • 1.3 Game Board and Map
    • 1.3.1 Parishes
    • 1.3.2 Forests
    • 1.3.3 Nottingham
    • 1.3.4 Adjacency and Rivers
    • 1.3.5 Roads
  • 1.4 Player Roles, Mats, and Screens
  • 1.5 Forces
    • 1.5.1 Hidden/Revealed
    • 1.5.2 Robin Hood
    • 1.5.3 Availability and Removal
    • 1.5.4 Prison
  • 1.6 Submissive and Revolting Parishes
  • 1.7 Shillings
  • 1.8 Royal Favour
  • 1.9 Carriages
• 2.0 Setup and Sequence of Play
  • 2.1 Map Setup and Deck Construction
  • 2.2 Start
  • 2.3 Event Cards and Initiative Track
  • 2.4 Fortune Event Cards
  • 2.5 Royal Inspection
• 3.0 Plots
  • 3.1 Plots in General
    • 3.1.1 Pawns
    • 3.1.2 Free Actions
  • 3.2 Robin Hood Plots
    • 3.2.1 Recruit
    • 3.2.2 Sneak
    • 3.2.3 Rob
  • 3.3 Sheriff Plots
    • 3.3.1 Hire
    • 3.3.2 Patrol
    • 3.3.3 Capture
• 4.0 Deeds
  • 4.1 Deeds in General
  • 4.2 Robin Hood Deeds
    • 4.2.1 Turncoat
    • 4.2.2 Donate
    • 4.2.3 Swashbuckle
    • 4.2.4 Inspire
  • 4.3 Sheriff Deeds
    • 4.3.1 Ride
    • 4.3.2 Confiscate
    • 4.3.3 Disperse
• 5.0 Events and Travellers
  • 5.1 Events
    • 5.1.1 Regular Events
    • 5.1.2 Fortune Events
    • 5.1.3 Royal Inspections
  • 5.2 Travellers
    • 5.2.1 Victims Pile
• 6.0 Royal Inspection
  • 6.1 Unrest Phase
  • 6.2 Mischief Phase
  • 6.3 Governance Phase
  • 6.4 Redeployment Phase
  • 6.5 Reset Phase
• 7.0 Victory
• Key Terms Index

1.0 Introduction

1.1 General Course of Play

In A Gest of Robin Hood, one card at a time is played from the shared Event Deck. Both players will get an opportunity to act on each card, either executing the Event, choosing from a player-specific menu of Plots and Deeds, or passing to gain Shillings and possibly priority on the next card. Once both players have acted a new card is drawn and play continues. Play is interrupted periodically by Fortune Events, which are resolved with different effects, and Royal Inspections, which provide opportunities for scoring (and possibly instant victory), collecting Shillings, and redeployment. The third Royal Inspection marks the return of King Richard, at which point the game ends and the winner is determined.

1.2 Components

A complete set of A Gest of Robin Hood includes the following (a spare of each wooden piece is also included):

• A 17” x 22” mounted game board (1.3)
• Two decks of tarot-sized cards, 44 in total (Events and Travellers; 5.0)
• 18 silver wedges (the Sheriff's Henchmen; 1.5)
• 11 green octagonal cylinders, with a symbol on one end (Robin Hood and the Merry Men; 1.5)
• Five green discs, with a symbol on one side (the Merry Men's Camps; 1.5)
• Three round cylinders (red, silver, and green) with a symbol on one end (Royal Favour and Eligibility cylinders; 1.8, 2.3)
• Three white pawns and two red pawns (3.1.1)
• Two custom Rob dice (3.2.3)
• A sheet of markers
• Two player mats (1.4)
• Two fold-out player screens (1.4)
• A Learn to Play booklet
• A background Playbook
• This Rulebook

1.3 Game Board and Map

The game board shows a map of 12th-century Nottinghamshire, divided into three kinds of spaces: rural Parishes, uninhabited Forests, and the urban bastion of Nottingham city. A numbered track down the left side of the board is used to mark the current level of Justice or Order, a Prison box at top right is used to hold captured Merry Men, a Used Carriages box holds used Carriages, and an Initiative track at the bottom right marks which actions each player takes during their turn.

1.3.1 Parishes

Each irregular shaped Parish space is marked by the historical name of a major market town, and has a holding box for a marker to indicate whether the peasant population of the Parish is currently Submissive or Revolting (1.6). It is easy for the Sheriff to reveal Hidden Merry Men in Parishes (3.3.2), but harder to capture them if the Parish is Revolting (3.3.3). Each Parish can contain at most one Camp and any number of Henchmen, Merry Men, and Carriages.

1.3.2 Forests

The two irregular green-shaded Forest spaces adjacent to Nottingham are not populated by peasants and are therefore never Submissive or Revolting (1.6). It is harder for the Sheriff to reveal Hidden Merry Men in Forests (3.3.2), but easy to capture them once they are revealed (3.3.3). Each Forest can contain at most one Camp and any number of Henchmen, Merry Men, and Carriages. (One Event, #15 Will Scarlet, can allow a second Camp to be placed in a Forest.)

1.3.3 Nottingham

The circular Nottingham space is loyal to the Sheriff and therefore always treated as Submissive (1.6). It is always easier for the Sheriff to reveal and capture Merry Men in Nottingham (3.3.2, 3.3.3). Carriages that reach Nottingham are immediately resolved and then removed to the Used Carriages box (1.9). Nottingham can otherwise contain any number of Henchmen and Merry Men, but it may never contain a Camp.

1.3.4 Adjacency and Rivers

Gray land borders between spaces of any type indicate that they are adjacent to one another, while blue river borders only provide adjacency where a bridge is marked. Nottingham is adjacent to Mansfield, Shire Wood, and Southwell Forest, but not to Remston or Bingham. One new bridge marker may be placed during play with the shaded effect of the Boats and Bridges (#12) event, adding adjacency across the marked river border.

Important—Ollerton Hill: The Ollerton Hill space, located at the intersection between the two Forests and the Parishes of Blyth and Tuxford, is inaccessible unless the unshaded effect of the Major Oak (#20) event is played, which places a Camp there and causes Shire Wood/Tuxford and Southwell Forest/Blyth to be treated as adjacent to one another for the Robin Hood player only. The Camp on Ollerton Hill is considered to be in a Forest, earning Robin Hood an additional Shilling during the Mischief Phase of the Royal Inspection Round (6.2). No other pieces may ever enter or be placed into the Ollerton Hill space, even after the event is played.

1.3.5 Roads

Paved roads indicate paths that Carriages must travel on to reach Nottingham. Carriages may only be moved to the adjacent space that lies closer to Nottingham along the road, or into Nottingham once in either of the adjacent Forest spaces. For example, a Carriage in Mansfield has to first move into the Forest, and only once it is in the Forest will it move into Nottingham. It cannot be moved directly into Nottingham from Mansfield, despite the two spaces otherwise being adjacent.

1.4 Player Roles, Mats, and Screens

A Gest of Robin Hood is played by two players, one controlling the noble Robin Hood and his brave Merry Men (green), the other controlling the greedy Sheriff and his cruel Henchmen (silver). Each player has a mat with a box to place their Available Forces (1.5), a summary of their Plots and Deeds, and setup and strategy tips on the back. A folding screen is also provided for each player, which can be used to conceal secret actions (such as selecting Carriages or placing Robin Hood) and displays some additional rules summaries and reminders.

1.5 Forces

Wooden pieces represent each player's forces, including Merry Men, Camps, and Henchmen.

• Green octagonal cylinders are Merry Men, marked with a feather symbol on one end to indicate whether they are currently Hidden or Revealed (1.5.1). One special Merry Man piece is marked instead with an 'RH' symbol – this is Robin Hood himself (1.5.2). The Robin Hood piece will be indistinguishable from other Merry Men while its symbol end is down, concealing its location.
• Green discs are Camps, allowing for enhanced recruitment of Merry Men. They are marked with a deer symbol on one side as a reminder that they will contribute to income during the Royal Inspection Round if they are located in a Forest (including Ollerton Hill; 6.2). There can usually be at most one Camp in each Parish and Forest, and there can never be a Camp in Nottingham.
• Silver wedges are Henchmen.

Merry Men have a Hidden side and a Revealed side; Robin Hood likewise has a Hidden side and a Revealed side. Camps show a Parish side and a Forest side (both Revealed).

1.5.1 Hidden/Revealed

Merry Men (including Robin Hood) may be either Hidden (symbol end down) or Revealed (symbol end up). Certain Plots and Deeds will flip them from one state to the other. Always set up and place new Merry Men as Hidden (including if replacing another piece). Camps are always Revealed, but may usually only be removed once no Merry Men remain in the same space.

1.5.2 Robin Hood

One Merry Man piece is marked with a 'RH' symbol instead of a feather symbol and represents Robin Hood himself. While Hidden, Robin Hood is indistinguishable from any other Merry Man and behaves identically to one. The Robin Hood player may always ask the Sheriff to look away when they are moving or placing Robin Hood while Hidden. Robin Hood may be Revealed by various game effects, and once Revealed may always take part in Rob attempts (unlike other Merry Men; 3.2.3). If Robin Hood is Captured the Sheriff gains an additional shift towards Order (3.3.3).

1.5.3 Availability and Removal

Each player has an Available Forces box on their player mat showing their inventory of available pieces. These force pools limit the number of pieces that a Faction may have in play. Keep a Faction's forces in its Available Forces box while they are not on the map (or in Prison). Pieces may be placed from or replaced with those in the Available Forces boxes. A piece to be replaced by another piece that is not Available is simply removed. When removing pieces from the map, put them in their Available Forces boxes unless otherwise indicated.

Important—Captured Merry Men: Merry Men removed by the Sheriff's Capture Plot (3.3.3) and some Events (5.0) are placed in the Prison box instead of being returned to their Available Forces box.

1.5.4 Prison

The Prison box is used to hold Merry Men (including Robin Hood) that have been removed from the map by the Sheriff's Capture Plot (3.3.3), or sent there by some Event effects (5.0). Merry Men may only be removed from the Prison box during the Mischief phase of the Royal Inspection Round (6.2), by some Event effects (5.0), or by using the Swashbuckle Deed (4.2.3) to remove the special Robin Hood piece.

1.6 Submissive and Revolting Parishes

The peasant population of each Parish is (almost) always either Submissive or Revolting, as indicated by a double-sided Submissive/Revolting marker in each Parish's square holding box. The status of a Parish as Submissive or Revolting affects various Plots, Deeds, and Events, and the overall number of Submissive Parishes determines whether there is a shift towards Justice or Order during the Royal Inspection (6.1). Parishes may be set to Revolting by the Donate (4.2.2), Inspire (4.2.4), Confiscate (4.3.2), and Disperse (4.3.3) Deeds, set to Submissive by the Hire Plot (3.3.1) and during the Royal Inspection (6.3), or set to either state by Event effects (5.0).

It is possible for a Submissive marker to be permanently removed by the unshaded effect of the Weapons of the Weak (#25) event, after which that Parish is treated as neither Submissive nor Revolting for most purposes (the only exceptions being Rob and Capture Plots, for which it is still treated as Submissive). The printed holding box in each Parish contains the word 'Passive' as a reminder of the effects of this event.

1.7 Shillings

Round coin markers, featuring the face of Prince John on one side and a royal seal on the other, are used to track each player's supply of Shillings. There are two types of Shilling, silver coins worth one Shilling each and gold coins worth three Shillings each (players may 'make change' as desired at any time). These will be spent to execute certain Plots, Deeds, and Events, and are gained through various game effects. The number of Shillings each player currently has is public information that should not be hidden from the other player. Shillings not currently in either player's supply form a shared pool that they may draw from when instructed, but this pool is not intended as a limitation on available Shillings—in the unlikely event that you run out of Shillings, substitute some other component such as coin tokens from another game, spare cardboard chits, or even real 12th-century coins that you happen to have lying around at home.

1.8 Royal Favour

The red Royal Favour cylinder, marked with a lion symbol, is used to track the status of Justice and Order in Nottinghamshire. This cylinder moves along a track that runs from 7 Justice to 7 Order, with no zero value, meaning that either Justice or Order will always be ahead. When instructed to shift any number of steps towards Justice or Order, shift the cylinder that number of steps in the direction indicated (there is no further effect if the cylinder would be shifted beyond either end of the track). Whether Nottinghamshire embraces Justice or Order will ultimately determine who wins the game, and the values from 5 onwards at either end of this track are shaded darker to indicate that an automatic victory is possible within this range (7.0).

1.9 Carriages

Circular Carriage markers are placed in Parishes by the Confiscate Deed (4.3.2), and then progress towards Nottingham when each Event card is drawn (2.3). If they reach Nottingham they will contribute a variable amount of Shillings to the Sheriff's coffers and also shift Royal Favour one or two steps towards Order, but they may first be Robbed by Merry Men (3.2.3). When placed from Available Forces, Carriages should always start face-down to hide their specific type. There are three Carriages types (and two copies of each type), each with different effects:

• Tallage Carriages are worth 5 Shillings to the Sheriff if they reach Nottingham, and then shift Royal Favour one step towards Order. If a Tallage Carriage is successfully Robbed, it is worth 5 Shillings to Robin Hood.

  Design Note: Tallage was a form of arbitrary taxation on land imposed by Norman and Plantagenet kings in England and France. In England it was very unpopular and was abolished in the 14th century.

• Tribute Carriages are worth 2 Shillings to the Sheriff if they reach Nottingham, and then shift Royal Favour two steps towards Order. If a Tribute Carriage is successfully Robbed, it is worth 2 Shillings to Robin Hood, then shift one step towards Justice.

• Trap Carriages are worth 2 Shillings to the Sheriff if they reach Nottingham, and then shift Royal Favour one step towards Order. They also have an additional Defense Value of 2 when Robbed, and automatically Capture all participating Merry Men if the Rob fails. If a Trap Carriage is successfully Robbed, it is worth 2 Shillings to Robin Hood.

If a Carriage is revealed by a Rob Plot (3.2.3) but the Rob attempt is unsuccessful, the Carriage remains revealed and may continue to move towards Nottingham in future turns (2.3; it remains vulnerable to future Rob Plots). When a Carriage is removed, either by a successful Rob or once it reaches Nottingham, it is placed in the 'Used Carriages' box until the next Royal Inspection Round Redeployment Phase (6.4).

2.0 Setup and Sequence of Play

2.1 Map Setup and Deck Construction

Place the following pieces on the map (you can also find a full setup diagram on the back page of this rulebook):

• Nottingham: 2 Henchmen
• Blyth: 1 Henchman, Submissive
• Mansfield: 1 Henchman, Submissive
• Bingham: 1 Henchman, Submissive
• Retford: Submissive
• Tuxford: Submissive
• Newark: Submissive
• Remston: Revolting
• Shire Wood: 1 Camp

Then, the Robin Hood player must place the Robin Hood piece and three additional Merry Men in any of the two Forest spaces or Remston, distributed as they wish and keeping the location of the Robin Hood piece secret.

Note: Robin Hood and all Merry Men are placed Hidden during setup.

Player screens are provided to conceal any secret actions taken by either player, and player mats contain a summary of each Plot and Deed as well as a box for Available Forces. Place the remaining wooden pieces on each respective player's mat, the Carriages on the Sheriff's mat, and give the Sheriff player nine Shillings and the Robin Hood player five Shillings. Finally, place the red Royal Favour cylinder on the silver '1' space on the Royal Favour track, the green eligible cylinder on the 'First Eligible' space of the Initiative track, and the silver eligibility cylinder on the 'Second Eligible' space.

Separate out the two Royal Inspection (#30-31) cards, the King Richard's Return (#32) card, and the five Fortune Events (#1, #3, #8, #14, #16), then shuffle together the remaining 24 Event cards. Deal out three piles of four regular Events, shuffle a random Fortune Event into each pile, then deal two more regular Events onto the top of each pile. Place King Richard's Return on the bottom of one pile and a Royal Inspection on the bottom of the other two, then form the piles into one stack, with the King Richard's Return pile at the bottom. This full pile of 24 cards is the Event deck.

(Deck construction diagram: three piles are each built from bottom to top as Two Regular Events + Four Regular Events shuffled with one Fortune Event + a Royal Inspection card — except the pile at the very bottom of the stack, which ends in King Richard's Return instead of a Royal Inspection.)

Place the Bishop of Hereford (#T11) and Guy of Gisborne (#T12) Traveller cards to one side, then shuffle the remaining Traveller cards to form the Travellers deck. The two removed cards may later enter the Travellers deck by one effect of the Events of the same name.

2.2 Start

Draw and reveal the top card of the Event deck, placing it face up next to the deck to form a played Events pile. Each turn both players will get a chance to act in eligibility order, after which the order for the next turn is set and a new card is drawn. Regular play is interrupted when a Fortune Event or Royal Inspection card is drawn. When King Richard's Return is drawn a final Unrest Phase is conducted and then the game ends. A full set of six regular Events and one Fortune Event, ending in a Royal Inspection Round, is called a 'Ballad'.

Note: Robin Hood will always be First Eligible at the start of each Ballad.

2.3 Event Cards and Initiative Track

The moment that an Event card is drawn, the Sheriff player must move either one or two Carriages one space each, as indicated by a small Carriage symbol with a numeral '1' or '2' at the top left corner of the card. Each moving Carriage may, at the Sheriff's discretion, bring one Henchman along with it. Any Carriages (and accompanying Henchmen) moved must move along Roads (1.3.5), and any Carriage that reaches Nottingham is removed to give the Sheriff a variable reward (1.9).

Note: The Sheriff must move as many Carriages as possible, up to the number indicated on the Event card. Each Carriage may only move at most one space.

Both players then get an opportunity to act on each Event card, in initiative order. The First Eligible player's choice of actions limits the options available to the Second Eligible player, and the choice made by each player determines the order of eligibility for the next card. There are three primary options available, as shown on the Initiative track printed on the board:

• Single Plot: Perform one Plot (3.0) in a single map space.
• Event: Execute either the unshaded or shaded effect on the current Event card (5.0).
• Plots & Deeds: Perform one Plot (3.0) in up to three spaces, paying for each space selected, and then (if desired) perform one Deed (4.0).

The First Eligible player chooses one of these options, places their eligibility cylinder in the indicated box on the Initiative track, and then performs the listed action(s). The Second Eligible player then chooses from either of the remaining options, places their eligibility cylinder in the indicated box on the Initiative track, and then performs the listed action(s).

Alternatively, either player may place their eligibility cylinder in any available box on the Initiative track and pass instead of performing the listed action(s), in which case they take 1 Shilling if Robin Hood, or between 1 and 3 Shillings (as indicated on the track boxes) if the Sheriff.

After both players have acted or passed, place the leftmost cylinder in the First Eligible box and the other cylinder in the Second Eligible box, then draw the next card and continue play.

Design Note: This two-player sequence of play, using an initiative track with three spaces, was directly "robbed" from The British Way, a multipack of four two-player COIN games by designer Stephen Rangazas.

2.4 Fortune Event Cards

Once per Ballad a Fortune Event will be drawn, indicated by a 'wheel of fortune' symbol under the Event's illustration. When a Fortune Event is drawn, execute the text written on it without changing the initiative order, then draw the next card and continue play. No Carriages are moved on most Fortune Events, as indicated by the '0' numeral in the small Carriage symbol (the Day of Market Fortune Event is an exception, two Carriages should be moved when this card is drawn).

2.5 Royal Inspection

When a Royal Inspection card is drawn (or King Richard's Return at the end of the final Ballad), move one Carriage (indicated by the Carriage symbol on the card) and then conduct a Royal Inspection Round (6.0).

3.0 Plots

3.1 Plots in General

A player executing a Plot chooses one of the three Plots listed on their player mat and selects up to three map spaces to be targeted by that Plot. Each map space may be selected only once when executing a Plot. A Single Plot (2.3) may target only one map space. Plots usually cost Shillings, which must be paid for each space before the Plot is executed there.

3.1.1 Pawns

Spaces selected for Plots and other actions may be marked with the white and red pawns if convenient as a memory aid. Remove any pawns at the end of each player's turn.

3.1.2 Free Actions

Certain Events grant free Plots or Deeds: they cost no Shillings, but other requirements or procedures still apply unless otherwise modified by an Event text.

Note: Refer to the player mats during play and to the following rules sections only as questions arise.

3.2 Robin Hood Plots

The Robin Hood player chooses from Recruit, Sneak, and Rob Plots.

3.2.1 Recruit

Recruit allows Robin Hood to place Merry Men and set up Camps. Select up to three spaces that are not Submissive.

PROCEDURE: Pay 1 Shilling per space to either place one Merry Man, or to replace one Merry Man (not Robin Hood) with an Available Camp and shift Royal Favour one step towards Justice. If there is already a Camp in a selected space, instead either place up to two Merry Men in that space or flip all Merry Men there to Hidden.

3.2.2 Sneak

Sneak allows Robin Hood to move Merry Men to adjacent spaces and potentially flip them to Hidden. Select up to three origin spaces with Merry Men.

PROCEDURE: Pay 1 Shilling per origin space, then move any number of Merry Men from origin spaces to any adjacent spaces. If any Merry Men enter a Submissive space and the number of Merry Men entering the space plus Henchmen there is greater than three, Reveal those Merry Men. Set all other Merry Men that moved to Hidden. Each Merry Man piece may only move once during a Sneak Plot.

Note: Any Merry Man piece that remains in an origin space without moving will retain its original orientation – a piece cannot "Sneak in place" just to flip Hidden without moving to an adjacent space. Sneaking Merry Men that will become Hidden should be set to Hidden before placing them in destination spaces, so that the Sheriff does not know which of them is Robin Hood. (Alternatively, the Sheriff can look away while the Robin Hood player completes their Sneak moves.)

3.2.3 Rob

Rob allows Robin Hood to attempt to steal from unwary Travellers, the Sheriff's Carriages, or even directly from the Treasury in Nottingham. Select up to three spaces with Hidden Merry Men and/or the special Robin Hood piece.

PROCEDURE: In each space, select a target: either a random Traveller, a Carriage in that space, or the Sheriff's Treasury if in Nottingham. Then, Reveal at least one Hidden Merry Man there, unless Robin Hood is already Revealed, and may Reveal any additional Hidden Merry Men as desired. If a Traveller was targeted, draw the top card of the Traveller deck and select one of the two options on the card. If a Carriage was targeted, flip it to its revealed side if it is not already revealed. Then, roll to see if the Rob attempt was successful:

• In Submissive (and Passive) Parishes and Nottingham roll the white die.
• In Revolting Parishes and Forests roll the green die.

If the total number of Merry Men who were Revealed for this Rob attempt, modified by the result of the die roll, is greater than the number of Henchmen in the space plus the Defense Value of the target, then the Rob attempt is a success, otherwise it is a failure. Merry Men that were already Revealed prior to the Rob attempted are not counted, but you may always count the special Robin Hood piece towards a Rob attempt in its space, even if it was already Revealed. The Defense Value of Travellers is indicated on each Traveller card (5.2), the Defense Value of Carriages is 2 for a Trap Carriage and 0 for both other Carriage types (1.9), and the Defense Value of the Sheriff's Treasury is 0.

If the Rob attempt is a success, either execute the selected text on the targeted Traveller card (5.2), take the reward indicated by the targeted Carriage type (1.9), or take 2 Shillings from the Sheriff and shift Royal Favour once towards Justice if the Sheriff's Treasury was targeted. If the Rob attempt is a failure, either execute the selected text on the targeted Traveller card (5.2), immediately Capture all involved Merry Men (possibly including Robin Hood) if a Trap Carriage was targeted (1.9), or do nothing if a different Carriage type or the Treasury was targeted.

Note: The Rob Plot does not cost any Shillings. The special Robin Hood piece may always contribute towards a Rob attempt even if it is already Revealed, but you must choose whether to use it for the Rob attempt before drawing a Traveller card or revealing a Carriage. If Robin Hood is sent to the Prison as the result of a failed Rob attempt, shift one step towards Order.

3.3 Sheriff Plots

The Sheriff player chooses from Hire, Patrol, and Capture Plots.

3.3.1 Hire

Hire places Henchmen and/or sets Revolting Parishes to Submissive. Select up to three spaces that are either Submissive Parishes, Revolting Parishes with more Henchmen than Merry Men, or Nottingham.

PROCEDURE: Pay 2 Shillings per selected space to place four Henchmen in Nottingham, two Henchmen in Submissive Parishes, and to set selected Revolting Parishes to Submissive (without placing any Henchmen there).

Design Note: Hiring to set Revolting Parishes to Submissive should be considered to involve the recruitment of local militia to restore order, and can only be performed if there are more Henchmen than Merry Men there.

3.3.2 Patrol

Patrol allows the Sheriff to move Henchmen to adjacent spaces and Reveal Merry Men. Select up to three destination spaces.

PROCEDURE: Pay 2 Shillings per destination space, then move in any number of Henchmen from adjacent spaces and Reveal one Merry Man per Henchman now there, or Reveal one Merry Man per two Henchmen in Forests. Each Henchman piece may only move once during a Patrol Plot.

Note: The Sheriff chooses which pieces are Revealed, and may Reveal pieces in a selected space even if no new Henchman were moved in (but must still pay for that space).

3.3.3 Capture

Capture allows the Sheriff to use Henchmen to remove Revealed Merry Men to Prison, and to remove Camps to Available Forces. Select up to three spaces with Henchmen and Revealed Merry Men or Camps.

PROCEDURE: Remove one Revealed enemy piece per Henchman there, or per two Henchmen in Revolting Parishes. All removed Merry Men (including Robin Hood) are sent to Prison (1.5.4). Robin Hood may only be removed after all other Revealed Merry Men in the same space are removed, and Camps may only be removed (to Available Forces) once no Merry Men (even Hidden) remain in the same space. Shift Royal Favour one step towards Order for each Camp removed to Available Forces and if Robin Hood is removed to Prison.

Design Note: It is harder to locate Merry Men in dense Forests using Patrol, but relatively easy to Capture them once they are located. On the other hand, it is easier to locate Merry Men even in Revolting Parishes, but harder to Capture them if the local populace is also putting up a fight.

4.0 Deeds

4.1 Deeds in General

When a player selects the Plots & Deeds (2.3) option during their turn, they may additionally perform a Deed after they have completed their chosen Plot in all selected spaces. Some Deeds have additional Shilling costs that must be paid before executing the Deed. Each map space may only be targeted once by the same Deed during one turn (but one space could be targeted by both a Plot and a Deed in the same turn).

4.2 Robin Hood Deeds

The Robin Hood player may choose from the heroic Turncoat, Donate, Swashbuckle, and Inspire Deeds. All Deeds may accompany any Plot.

4.2.1 Turncoat

Turncoat allows Robin Hood to bribe discontented Henchmen to join the Merry Men.

PROCEDURE: Pay 1 Shilling to replace a Henchman with a Merry Man in one Revolting Parish where there is already a Merry Man.

4.2.2 Donate

Donate allows Robin Hood to incite Revolt by distributing stolen goods in Submissive Parishes.

PROCEDURE: Pay 2 Shillings per Parish in up to two Submissive Parishes with at least one Merry Man and at least as many Merry Men as Henchmen. Set each selected Parish to Revolting.

4.2.3 Swashbuckle

Swashbuckle allows the special Robin Hood piece to move quickly and become Hidden, or to escape from Prison.

PROCEDURE: Set Robin Hood and up to one other Merry Man in the same space to Hidden, then move them both to any adjacent spaces (they may move to different spaces). Alternatively, if Robin Hood is in Prison, place him Revealed in Nottingham or any adjacent space.

Note: Swashbuckle may be used to enter heavily guarded Submissive spaces that it would not usually be possible to Sneak into while remaining Hidden, and can also be used to disguise the location of the special Robin Hood piece, or to rescue it from Prison.

4.2.4 Inspire

Inspire allows the special Robin Hood piece to set a Parish to Revolting or shift Royal Favour one step towards Justice.

PROCEDURE: Reveal Robin Hood in a Submissive Parish to set it to Revolting, or Reveal him in a Revolting Parish to shift Royal Favour one step towards Justice.

Note: Robin Hood must be Hidden in a Parish to use Inspire.

4.3 Sheriff Deeds

The Sheriff player may choose from the villainous Ride, Confiscate, and Disperse Deeds. All Deeds may accompany any Plot.

4.3.1 Ride

Ride allows the Sheriff to quickly deploy Henchmen across the Parishes of Nottinghamshire.

PROCEDURE: Move up to 4 Henchmen from Nottingham to any one Parish.

Note: The Parish chosen for Ride does not need to be adjacent to Nottingham.

4.3.2 Confiscate

Confiscate allows the Sheriff to steal precious goods from Submissive Parishes, placing Carriages.

PROCEDURE: Place an Available Carriage in each of up to two Submissive Parishes with any Henchmen, then set each Parish where a Carriage was placed to Revolting. The Sheriff player may choose which type of Carriage to place in each Parish, and should place them face-down to keep this choice secret from the Robin Hood player.

4.3.3 Disperse

Disperse allows the Sheriff to drive Merry Men out of a Parish, even if Hidden, and potentially remove their Camp there.

PROCEDURE: Pay 3 Shillings to remove up to two pieces from one Parish with any Henchmen. Merry Men may be removed even if Hidden, Camps may only be removed once no Merry Men remain, and all removed pieces go to Available Forces. If a Camp is removed, shift Royal Favour one step towards Order. Finally, set the Parish to Revolting.

Note: Merry Men removed by the Disperse Deed go to Available Forces, not Prison (they have been temporarily chased off rather than captured).

Design Note: Disperse represents the indiscriminate punishment of suspected associates of the Merry Men, driving anyone that they are harbouring away into temporary exile. Its negative consequences can be avoided if it is used to target already Revolting Parishes.

5.0 Events and Travellers

Two decks of cards are used in A Gest of Robin Hood – a green-backed deck of Event cards and a brown-backed deck of Traveller cards.

5.1 Events

Three types of Event card are used to build the event deck during setup (2.1): regular Events, Fortune Events, and Royal Inspection cards. All three types of Event bear a title, italicized flavor text, Event text, and a number of Carriage moves from 0 to 2 in the top left corner. Flavor text adds thematic interest and has no effect on play.

5.1.1 Regular Events

All regular Events have two options that players may choose from when executing the Event, one unshaded and one shaded. The unshaded event typically benefits Robin Hood and the shaded event typically benefits the Sheriff, but both players may choose to use either effect. Some Event effects might make a permanent adjustment to the game, adding or removing a special token to the board or a card from the Travellers deck (5.2) – keep these Events by the side of the board for reference if necessary.

5.1.2 Fortune Events

Fortune Events are marked with a wheel of fortune symbol under the illustration, and have only one option. When a Fortune Event is drawn, perform any Carriage moves, execute the Event text without changing eligibility order, then draw the next card and continue play.

5.1.3 Royal Inspections

The three Royal Inspection cards are titled Royal Inspection (two copies) and King Richard's Return. These cards mark the end of the current Ballad – perform one Carriage move and then proceed immediately to the Royal Inspection Round (6.0). If King Richard's Return was drawn, conduct only the Unrest Phase of the Royal Inspection Round, then determine victory.

5.2 Travellers

A separate deck of Traveller cards is sometimes drawn from when the Robin Hood player attempts a Rob Plot (3.2.3). Each Traveller card features a Defense Value (from 0 to 3) on a shield in the top left corner, and (usually) two options that the Robin Hood player may choose from before attempting the Rob, indicating the consequences for success or failure. Traveller cards are typically sent either to the Traveller discard pile or to the Victims Pile (5.2.1) after being Robbed (they may also occasionally be removed from play). Both piles should be kept clearly separate from one another, and from the Event discard pile. Two special Travellers, Bishop of Hereford (#T11) and Guy of Gisborne (#T12), begin the game out of play but may be added to the Travellers deck by the Events of the same names. The Traveller discard pile should be shuffled back into the main Traveller deck when instructed during the Royal Inspection Round (6.0).

5.2.1 Victims Pile

Traveller cards are sometimes removed to the Victims Pile after being Robbed (or by some Event effects). Place these cards in a distinct pile separate from the Traveller discard pile, and do not shuffle it back into the Traveller deck during the Royal Inspection Round (6.0). The effect of the Queen Eleanor (#3) Fortune Event depends on the number of cards in the Victims Pile.

6.0 Royal Inspection

When a Royal Inspection card (5.1.3) is drawn, one Carriage is moved if possible and then a Royal Inspection Round is carried out in the sequence of phases below (6.1-6.5), before play either continues or the game ends. The Royal Inspection Round phases are also listed on the board and described on the inside of each player screen. The Royal Inspection counter may be used to track each phase on the board as it is completed.

6.1 Unrest Phase

Check the number of Submissive Parishes and shift Royal Favour towards Justice or Order as follows:

• 5 to 7 Submissive Parishes: shift one step towards Order.
• 3 to 4 Submissive Parishes: shift one step towards Justice.
• 1 to 2 Submissive Parishes: shift two steps towards Justice.
• 0 Submissive Parishes: shift three steps towards Justice.

Note: Nottingham is not a Parish, so it should never be counted during this phase.

If either Justice or Order is now at 5 or more the game immediately ends and a winner is determined: Robin Hood if Justice is 5 or more, the Sheriff if Order is 5 or more. If this is the final Royal Inspection (King Richard's Return), the game immediately ends and the winner is Robin Hood if Justice is positive, or the Sheriff if Order is positive. Otherwise, continue to the next phase of the Royal Inspection Round.

6.2 Mischief Phase

Robin Hood gains 1 Shilling for each Camp in a Forest (including Ollerton Hill), and then may conduct a Single Rob Plot followed by a Donate Deed in up to two spaces. Return half (rounded down) of the Merry Men in Prison to Available Forces.

Important—Robin Hood in Prison: Robin Hood is also a Merry Man and can be removed from Prison during this phase. The Robin Hood player may choose to leave the Robin Hood piece in Prison if desired.

6.3 Governance Phase

The Sheriff gains 1 Shilling for each Submissive space (including Nottingham). Remove half (rounded down) the Henchmen in each Revolting space to Available Forces. Then, set any Revolting Parish where Henchmen outnumber Merry Men to Submissive (without paying any Shillings).

6.4 Redeployment Phase

First, the Sheriff must move any Henchmen in Revolting Parishes and Forests to Submissive spaces, and may move any other Henchmen to Nottingham, then returns all Used Carriages to Available Forces.

Note: Henchmen in Submissive or Passive Parishes may either remain where they are or return to Nottingham.

Second, all Merry Men on the map should be flipped to Hidden. Then any Merry Men in Submissive Parishes must be moved to any Forest, or to a Parish with a Camp (even if Submissive). Any other Merry Men may either stay where they are or be moved to a Forest or a Parish with a Camp, as desired. Then, if the special Robin Hood piece is in Available Forces, place it in any Forest. Finally, unless it is in Prison, the Robin Hood player may secretly swap the Robin Hood piece with any other Merry Man on the map.

Note: It may be convenient to place a player screen around the board while Robin Hood carries out Redeployment, so that the location of the Robin Hood piece remains hidden.

6.5 Reset Phase

Shuffle the Traveller deck discard pile back into the main deck. Place the Robin Hood player's eligibility cylinder on the First Eligible space and place the Sheriff player's eligibility cylinder on the Second Eligible space. Draw the next Event card and begin a new Ballad.

7.0 Victory

Victory is determined by the position of the red Royal Favour cylinder on the Justice/Order Track. Shift this cylinder in either direction along the track when instructed to do so during play (a summary of effects that cause shifts is listed below and on the inside of each player screen). If the Royal Favour reaches 5 or more in either direction during the Unrest phase of the Royal Inspection Round (6.1) then the game immediately ends and a winner is determined: Robin Hood if Justice is 5 or more, the Sheriff if Order is 5 or more. If the final Royal Inspection is reached and no winner has yet been determined in this way, then victory goes to the player whose side the cylinder is currently on. King Richard has returned from the Crusades, and will decide whether to appoint Robin Hood as a just governor of Nottinghamshire, or whether to reward the loyal Sheriff for maintaining order.

The Royal Favour cylinder may be shifted towards Justice in the following ways:

• By specific Event and Traveller effects.
• By placing Camps using Recruit or Events.
• By using the Inspire Deed in Revolting Parishes.
• By Robbing Tribute Carriages or the Treasury.
• If there are fewer than five Submissive Parishes during the Unrest phase.

The Royal Favour cylinder may be shifted towards Order in the following ways:

• By specific Event and Traveller effects.
• By removing Camps using Capture, Disperse, or Events.
• By sending Robin Hood to Prison by Capture or Event.
• By bringing Carriages safely back to Nottingham, especially Tribute Carriages.
• If there are five or more Submissive Parishes during the Unrest phase.

Key Terms Index

• Available – Forces and Carriages on a player mat that may be placed on to the board by various actions (1.5.3).
• Ballad – The sequence of 6 regular Events and 1 Fortune Event leading up to a Royal Inspection.
• Camp – Green disc forces used by Robin Hood as bases of operation (1.5).
• Carriage – Markers placed by the Confiscate Deed that earn Shillings and Order for the Sheriff upon return to Nottingham (1.9).
• Capture – Sheriff Plot used to remove revealed Merry Men to Prison and Camps to Available Forces (3.3.3).
• Confiscate – Sheriff Deed used to place Carriages in Submissive Parishes (4.3.2).
• Deed – Special action accompanying a Plot (4.0).
• Disperse – Sheriff Deed used to remove up to two Merry Men or Camps in a Parish to Available Forces (4.3.3).
• Donate – Robin Hood Deed used to set Submissive Parishes to Revolting (4.2.2).
• Event – One of three different types of cards that are drawn each turn (5.1).
• Forest – A type of map space where it is easier to Rob and Capture but harder to reveal Merry Men with Patrol (1.3.2).
• Fortune Event – Special Event card that has an immediate effect without either player taking an action (5.1.2).
• Henchman – Silver wedge forces used by the Sheriff to conduct actions (1.5).
• Hidden – The state of a Merry Man with its symbol end down (1.5.1).
• Hire – Sheriff Plot used to place Henchmen and to set Revolting Parishes to Submissive (3.3.1).
• Inspire – Robin Hood Deed used to Reveal Robin Hood in a Parish to either set it to Revolting or shift one step towards Justice if already Revolting (4.2.4).
• Merry Man – Green octagonal cylinder forces used by Robin Hood to conduct actions (1.5).
• Nottingham – A type of map space (1.6) that is always Submissive and may be targeted by Rob.
• Parish – A type of map space that might be either Submissive or Revolting, with different effects on several actions (1.3.1).
• Patrol – Sheriff Plot to move Henchmen and Reveal Merry Men (3.3.2).
• Plot – Basic action performed in one or more spaces (3.0).
• Prison – Holding Box that Merry Men are sent to when removed by Capture (1.5.4).
• Recruit – Robin Hood Plot used to place Merry Men and Camps, or to flip Merry Men at Camps Hidden (3.2.1).
• Revealed – The state of a Merry Man with its symbol end up (1.5.1).
• Revolting – One state that a Parish can be in, making it easier to Rob and enabling the Turncoat Deed (1.6).
• Ride – Sheriff Deed used to quickly deploy Henchmen from Nottingham to any Parish (4.3.1).
• Rob – Robin Hood Plot used to steal from Travellers, Carriages, or the Sheriff's Treasury in Nottingham (3.2.3).
• Robin Hood – The player controlling the Merry Men and pursuing Justice (1.4). Also, a special Merry Man piece, marked on one end with 'RH' (1.5.2).
• Royal Favour – The red cylinder marking the current status of Justice and Order in Nottinghamshire (1.8).
• Sheriff – The player controlling the Henchmen and Carriages and pursuing Order (1.4).
• Sneak – Robin Hood Plot used to move Merry Men and possibly flip them Hidden (3.2.2).
• Submissive – One state that a Parish can be in, making it easier to Capture and enabling the Confiscate Deed (1.6).
• Swashbuckle – Robin Hood Deed that allows Robin Hood and one other Merry Man to move to adjacent spaces and flip Hidden, or for Robin Hood to escape from Prison (4.2.3).
• Traveller – A card drawn from the Traveller Deck during Rob Plots (5.2).
• Turncoat – Robin Hood Deed used to replace a Henchman with a Merry Man in a Revolting Parish (4.2.1).
• Victims Pile – A separate pile of Traveller cards that have been removed by specific effects (5.2.1).