Cover Me Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Summary and goal of the game
• Contents of the game
  • Before your first game
• Card layout
• Markers
• Preparation
• Game Overview
  • 1. Play model cards from your hand
  • 2. Select the most trendy model for every magazine
  • 3. Evaluate the season special and replenish your hand
    • A) Clean up
    • B) Scoring or adding a card to the influence row
    • C) Replenish hand
    • D) Preparing for the next season
  • 4. Starting a new year
• End of the game
• Gaming tips
• Rules adjustments with 2 players
  • Set-up
  • Placing of the cover models for the new season
  • Selecting the most trendy cover model of each magazine
  • Evaluate the season special and replenish the hand
• Variants
  • Longer game
  • Shorter game
  • All cards have the same value
  • Advanced variant for 2 players

Summary and goal of the game

Cover Me is a game in which every player is the chief editor of a trendy magazine. The players try to influence the upcoming fashion trends with the models they put on the cover of their magazines. Every player has a portfolio of cover models at his disposal from which he's able to choose one to put on that month's cover. Every season the cover models are compared to the current trends. For each magazine the most trendy cover model is chosen, which will receive a spot in the season special (= scoring phase). If the model represents all three fashion trends (completely trendy) or none at all (alternative model) she will raise the magazine's prestige. Each year models with a new color will be available, which can raise the magazine's prestige even more in the future. The game is played over 3 years or 12 seasons (rounds). The chief editor who was able to raise the most prestige at the end of the game is the winner.

Duration: 60-75 minutes.

Contents of the game

• 162 cover model cards*, each card has a unique combination of the following fashion traits:
  • Hair color: blonde, red/brown, black
  • Hair length: short, semi-long, long
  • Background pattern (fall-winter color): squared (red), diamond (brown), striped (blue)
  • Clothes color (spring-summer color): yellow, blue, red, green, black, white
• 1 catwalk with fashion track
• 1 double mirror with fashion tracks, season track and year track
• 10 player cards/magazines (2 for each player)
• 15 fashion markers
• 10 standees
• 1 marker for the season track
• 1 marker for the year track
• 1 starting player marker

* Many cards are based on pictures of real women.

Before your first game

• Place the starting player marker and the 9 big fashion markers for the clothes color and the background pattern on a standee.
• Assemble the catwalk. You can find instructions on www.jumpingturtlegames.be/coverme/catwalk

Card layout

On each card you can find 4 symbols that display all the characteristics of the model.

1. The first symbol shows the clothes color (spring-summer color) and matches the color of the border and corners of the card: Yellow, Green, Red, Black, Blue, White.
2. The second symbol shows the background pattern (fall-winter color): Red squared pattern, Brown diamond pattern, Blue striped pattern.
3. The third symbol shows the hair color and the hair length: Short hair, Semi-long hair, Long hair; Blonde hair, Red/brown hair, Black hair.
4. To make sure the hair color is easy to recognize it is also printed as a fourth symbol: Black hair, Red/brown hair, Blonde hair.

The model on the card is always depicted with the same characteristics as these symbols. Also the background pattern is visible on the card. If there is any doubt about the characteristics of the depicted model, the symbols are always correct! All models also have a name, but the name isn't important in the game.

Markers

The game includes: background pattern markers, fashion markers for clothes color, hair length marker, hair color marker, starting player marker, calendar (year) marker and season marker.

Preparation

(The rulebook shows a set-up figure for 4 players; the letters below refer to it.)

A. Place the Catwalk on the side, but clearly visible for all players. Place on the catwalk the 3 fashion markers for the background pattern on the 0 space. Put the 6 fashion markers for the clothes color near the catwalk. You'll need them in the next season.

B. Place the Mirror next to the catwalk. Put the 3 fashion markers for the hair length on the 0 space on the first mirror. Put the 3 fashion markers for the hair color on the 0 space on the second mirror. Put the year marker on year one and put the season marker on the winter icon (snowflake).

C. Every player chooses a Magazine and takes the two corresponding cards. Place one of the cards in the middle of the table and put the other card in front of you.

D. Leave space in the middle of the table for 3 columns of cards as depicted in the figure.

E. Leave some space for an additional row of cards, the influence row. This row can never count more cards than the number of players.

F. Take the model cards with clothes color red, yellow and blue. Shuffle these cards in one big pile and put this pile face down on the table. This is the face down draw pile.

G. Keep taking the top card of the face down draw pile and sort it by hair color until you have turned at least one card of each type. If the hair color was already turned you put the card on top of the already turned card with the matching hair color. If the hair color wasn't turned yet, create a new pile for this hair color. Keep on doing this until you have created a third pile (the last pile will consist of only 1 card). The result will be you have 3 open draw piles based on hair color.

H. Take all 27 model cards with green clothes color and shuffle them. Put them face down next to the open draw piles. This is the next draw pile.

I. Do the same with the cards with the black clothes color and put them aside for now.

J. Also do the same with the cards with the white clothes color. These last two piles will enter the game later and represent the rise of new trends.

K. Reserve a place to put the discard pile. Players can look at the cards in the discard pile at any time.

The most colorful player becomes the starting player and receives the starting player marker. Draw two cards from the face down draw pile and put them face up in the influence row (E). Adjust the fashion tracks based on the models in the influence row (see Game overview, point 1). Deal each player 6 cards from the face down draw pile (F). Starting from the starting player and going clockwise every player takes one card from the open draw piles (G) or the face down draw pile (F). Repeat this process until everybody has 9 cards in his hand. If this is your first game you can also choose to deal 9 cards instead of dealing 6 cards and selecting 3 additional cards.

Every time when one of the three open draw piles is depleted (this will happen many times because there is always one pile with only one card), you turn a new card from the face down draw pile and sort it based on the hair color until the three open draw piles again have at least one card. Keep on using this method during the game every time one of the open draw piles is depleted.

Game Overview

Each year has four seasons and starts with a winter season, followed by a spring season, a summer season, a fall season and finally we set-up a new year. Each season has the following order:

1. Play model cards from your hand
2. Select the most trendy model for every magazine (player).
3. Evaluate the season special (scoring) and replenish your hand.
4. Starting a new year (only after fall).

1. Play model cards from your hand

Every season you play 3 months (or rounds). As a result this phase is played 3 times in a row. Every month each magazine publishes a new edition with a different cover model, so every season you'll need three cover models.

Each month all players place one model card face down in the middle of the table next to their player card. After all players made their choice the cards are turned face up and the trends are adjusted on the fashion tracks by moving the fashion markers.

Trends are tracked as follows: Every season there are three fashion traits active: hair color, hair length and depending on the season the background pattern or the clothes color. In fall and winter the clothes color isn't important. In spring and summer the background pattern isn't important. For each of the active traits the corresponding characteristics of the cards played by the players and the cards in the influence row are counted. Move the fashion marker one place forward on the fashion track for each model that has the corresponding symbol depicted on the card. The characteristic that is dominant will become the trend. If there are multiple dominant characteristics they all become trends. For example, if most models have long hair, long hair will become the trend of the trait hair length.

Example (winter, month 1): Every player places the card chosen face down on the table. When everybody has placed the card, they are turned face up and the characteristics are adjusted on the fashion tracks. Don't forget to also count the influence row.

Example (winter, month 2): In month 2 every player puts a new model face down on the table. They are turned face up and the fashion tracks are adjusted again.

Example (winter, month 3): And you do the same for a third time before the season is finished.

2. Select the most trendy model for every magazine

At the end of the season, after all players turned their third card face up, you can determine the trend value for each cover model on the table. The trend value of a model is determined by counting the number of characteristics that match the season overall trends on the fashion tracks. If a characteristic of a model matches a trend, the trend value of the model is increased by one. This means each cover model always has a trend value of 0, 1, 2 or 3.

For each player the most trendy model is determined. The model that has the highest trend value will be placed in the season special and remains on the table. The cover models that won't feature in the season special will be picked up and returned to the player's hand.

If more cover models have the same highest trend value (except when the value is 0) the player chooses one of these models to feature in the season special and returns the other models to his hand.

When all models have a trend value of 0 they will all feature in the season special and they all remain on the table. This is the only situation where you can leave more than one model on the table.

Example (continuation of previous example): A model scores one point for the squared red background pattern, one for blonde hair and one for semi-long hair. The players left their most trendy model on the table and they returned the other cards to their hand. If there are more models with the highest trend value, the player chooses one of the models to remain on the table. Only when you have 3 models with a trend value of 0, you leave all 3 models on the table. The yellow player and the green player are the only ones who managed to feature a model that is completely trendy (trend value of 3). The red player had a choice between the first and third card he played as his most trendy cover model. He chooses to leave the first card he played on the table and returns the other cards to his hand. The blue player doesn't have any choice. He leaves the best scoring model on the table.

3. Evaluate the season special and replenish your hand

A) Clean up

All cards in the influence row are discarded.

B) Scoring or adding a card to the influence row

For each model in the season special we now determine her future.

If the model has a trend value of 3 the player scores prestige and the card is put face down underneath the player card in front of the player. Keep in mind that you can only score one model with a trend value of 3 each season. At the end of the game you count the total prestige earned based on all cards scored.

If the cover model in the season special has a trend value of 1 or 2 the card is put in the influence row. As a result the model will influence the fashion trends the next season. In the influence row there can only be as many cards present as the number of players. It is also possible the row is empty when all players scored prestige the last round.

When there are 3 models in the season special because all of them have a trend value of 0, they will all score prestige and all 3 models are put underneath the player's card in front of him. Remark: scoring prestige this way is difficult, but has the potential to change the score drastically.

Example (continuation of previous example): The green and yellow player put a model with trend value 3 in the season special and have to put the model underneath their player card. The models in the season special of the other players are moved to the influence row.

C) Replenish hand

Starting with the first player and going clockwise each player takes a new card until they all have 9 cards in their hands again.

• If the player scored prestige: Take a new card from the open draw piles (G in the set-up figure) or the face down draw pile (F in the set-up figure). If needed, refill an open draw pile immediately when it is emptied. When all 3 cards were scored the player can take all 3 cards when it's his turn to replenish his hand one after another. Should the face down draw pile ever be depleted, shuffle the discard pile and use it as a new face down draw pile.
• If the player didn't score prestige: Take the two top cards of the next draw pile (H in the set-up figure). Keep one card and put the other card at the bottom of the next draw pile (H).

D) Preparing for the next season

Adjust the season on the season track and pass the starting player marker to the next player in clockwise order. All fashion tracks are reset to 0. Afterwards adjust the fashion tracks based on the cover models in the influence row.

Attention: Keep in mind you use the background pattern markers in fall and winter and the clothes color markers in spring and summer.

4. Starting a new year

Only after fall, when a full year has been played these steps have to be carried out. After playing a full year take the following steps:

• Move the year marker to the next year
• Place the next draw pile (H) with the next spring-summer color (in year one this is green, in year 2 this is black and in year 3 this is white) on top of the present face down pile (F).
• Place the 3 open draw piles (G) on the discard pile (K).
• Turn cards from the new face down draw pile and form again 3 open draw piles based on hair color. Further in the game it is possible that cards which are just placed on the face down draw pile are depleted and the 'old' colors return to the game.
• Place the deck with the cards representing the next clothes color (black in year 1, white in year 2) to form the new next draw pile.
• Beginning with the starting player and in clockwise order a player may put one of the cards in his hand on the discard pile and choose a card from an open draw pile or the face down draw pile. If one of the open draw piles is depleted keep turning cards until there are again 3 open draw piles.

At the end of the last year you can skip this step.

End of the game

The game ends after the fall season of the third year has been played. The players now pick up all the cards they stored underneath their player card during the game and put them face up in front of them. All players count the point value of all cards. The result is the prestige they gathered. Every color has a value you can find in the table below. The player with the most prestige is the winner of the game.

If there is a draw, the player who gathered the most cards is the winner. If there still is a draw, the player who gathered the most cards with the highest prestige value (5) is the winner. If there still is a draw, check the number of cards with the next-to-highest prestige value and so on. If all prestige values are used and there is still a draw the players decide they want to play an additional season or share the victory.

Color	Prestige
Yellow	2 points
Red	2 points
Blue	2 points
Green	3 points
Black	4 points
White	5 points

Example: The player has 2 yellow, 1 red, 1 blue, 2 green, 0 black and 1 white model. He scores 4x2 + 2x3 + 0x4 + 1x5 = 19 prestige.

Gaming tips

• Try to obtain enough of the same characteristics so you can try to set a trend. But too many of the same characteristics is also not a good idea because your options to get in on other trends are very limited.
• Scoring every season is almost impossible. If during a season you notice you probably won't be able to fulfill all 3 trends, it could be more interesting to play cards with a low point value to change trends in the disadvantage of the other players.
• Cover models with a color that just joined the game are very difficult to score in spring and summer because the clothes color is scarce. In fall and winter they are easier to score because the clothes color isn't important in these seasons.
• Be careful if you just follow the current trends. This will make the result predictable and it will be less difficult for your opponents to score 3 models with a trend value of 0.

Rules adjustments with 2 players

In a game with 2 players there are a few changes to the rules. In the game two fictional players will join and play cover models every month.

Set-up

Leave some space for two additional rows below the rows you use for both players. You can use two spare player cards if you like to. Take 12 cards of the face down draw pile without looking at them and place them as a separate pile close to the two new rows for the fictional players. This is the draw pile for the fictional players.

Placing of the cover models for the new season

Each month, before the players place their face down cards on the table, draw two cards from the draw pile of the fictional players and place them in their rows. The card of the last fictional player must be placed face up. As a result the players are shown one of the two cards before they have to put their card face down on the table. After both players played their card face down, all cards are turned open. When you adjust the fashion tracks the characteristics of all 4 cover models on the table are counted.

Tip: Don't adjust the characteristics of the card that is placed face up on the table before all players have put their card face down on the table. There is a risk you will count the characteristics of this card twice if you do this. If there is any doubt, you can always count the characteristics of the models on the table again and adjust the position of the markers if needed.

Example (winter, month 1): This is the situation after all players placed their card face down on the table. One of the cards of the fictional players is already face up. The other card is turned face up together with the cards of the players. The face up card isn't counted on the fashion track yet.

Selecting the most trendy cover model of each magazine

The most trendy cover model of the players is selected the same way as in the game with 3 players or more, but now you also have to select the most trendy cover model for the fictional players. When there is a draw the first placed cover model will be selected to appear in the season special, even if all models score 0 trend points. The 4 other cards are returned to the draw pile of the fictional players.

Evaluate the season special and replenish the hand

For the fictional players the following rules are active:

B) Scoring or adding a card to the influence row: The most trendy cover model of each row is placed in the influence row. It doesn't matter how high the trend value is. Fictional players will never score.

C) Replenish hand: Take one card of the face down draw pile and one card of the next draw pile. Place these cards on the draw pile for the fictional players and shuffle the pile thoroughly. The pile always counts 12 cards in the beginning of a season. This way, the draw pile of the fictional players will consist of cover models that are already known to the players so they can try to predict the dominant characteristics in the pile, but every season there are also two new models added so the pile can never be fully known.

The variant we just explained is a suggestion for beginning players who don't have much experience in playing Cover Me. If you start to know the game we advise to try the advanced variant.

Variants

Longer game

Instead of 3 years you can also play 4 years. For the final year you keep on playing without the renewal of the piles. Because there is no next draw pile you always take cards from the open draw piles or the face down draw pile.

Shorter game

If you want a shorter game you play 4 years, but every year you only play a spring and a fall season. You start with a spring season and play for the clothes color. The next season will be the fall season and you play for the background pattern. After these 2 seasons you start a new year. In the fourth year there is no next draw pile anymore, so you always take cards from the open draw piles or the face down draw pile.

All cards have the same value

Choose one clothes color and remove these cards from the game. Deal each player face down a card from each remaining clothes color. Shuffle the remaining cards in one big pile. Create the open piles like you are used to. Each player picks a card until all players have 9 cards in their hand. Scoring or not scoring (moving cards to the influence row) is done in the same way as in the base game but you always take a new card from the open draw piles or the face down draw pile. The "End of the Year Step" never takes place in this variant. You only move the year marker from fall to winter. This way you can also choose for a longer or a shorter game. If the draw pile is ever depleted just shuffle the discard pile to form a new draw pile. Each card has the same prestige value. The end score is just the number of cards underneath your player card. In case of a draw you can choose to play a new season until a winner is determined or share the victory.

Advanced variant for 2 players

For players who like a bigger challenge, a lower luck factor and more control we developed this strategic variant. This time there are no fictional players, but the players each control two magazines. One of them is the primary magazine and this can score prestige points. The secondary can be used to influence the trends, but doesn't score prestige.

Set-up: Make sure there is room for an additional row of cards below the main row of each player. Deal each player 9 cards from the face down draw pile (F). Starting with the start player, the players take in turn a card from the open draw piles (G). Repeat this until both players have 12 cards in their hand.

Play model cards from your hand: Each month both players put two cover models face down on the table. One in the row with their player card (primary magazine) and one below in their second row (secondary magazine). When adjusting the fashion tracks the characteristics of the models in all four rows are counted.

Selecting the most trendy cover model for each magazine: For each row you select the most trendy cover model just like you would do in a game with 3 or more players. If more models have the same highest trend value (except when this is 0) the player chooses one of the cards to put in the season special.

Evaluate the season special and replenish your hand:

• B) Scoring or adding a card to the influence row: For each cover model in the season special the future is determined. This will happen twice for each player. For cover models with trend value 1 or 2 the same rules are used as in the base game. If the model has a trend value of 3 or 0 there is a difference between both rows: For the primary row the normal rules apply: the card (or cards should they all have a trend value of 0) is placed face down underneath the player card in front of the player. For the secondary row the card (or cards should they all have a trend value of 0) is placed underneath the player card in the middle of the table. At the end of the game these cards are only important in case of a draw.
• C) Replenish hand: In player turn the players replenish their hand. A player does this for both rows at once. In the case he has a trend value of 1 or 2 for both models in the season special the player takes 4 cards of the next draw pile and keeps 2 of them (instead of taking two times 2 cards and keep 1).

End of the game: In case of a draw the values of the cards underneath the player card in the middle of the table are also counted. In the case there is still a draw the players use the tie breakers of the normal game and they count all the cards earned (you also count the cards underneath the player card in the middle of the table).