Glover Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
• Background
• Preparation
• The Course of the Game
• 1. Production Phase
  • Production Tiles
• 2. Negotiation Phase
  • Step 1. Choose 1 Negotiation Card
  • Step 2. Offer products (cubes) you have
  • Step 3. Negotiation
    • Failure
  • Step 4. Open the Negotiation Card, and settle the deal
    • Negotiation Cards
  • Negotiation Tiles
• 3. Glover Phase
  • Helps
  • Early Bird Bonus
  • Tiles for the Glover Phase
• Next Round
• The End of the Game
  • Tiles for Bonus Winning Points at the End of the Game
• Big Cheese Cards
• Sample Combinations of Facility Tiles

Components

• 1 Game Board
• 18 Facility Tiles
• 24 Negotiation Cards (6 kinds, 4 each)
• 10 Head Quarter (HQ) Tiles (2 kinds, 5 each)
• 10 Big Cheese Cards
• 1 Start Player Card
• 100 Winning Point cards: 20 x 3pt [Rifles], 20 x 5pt [Cannon], 25 x 9pt [Steamships], 35 x 1pt [Letters]
• 5 Screens (5 colors)
• 125 Product Cubes (5 colors, 25 each)
• 20 Merchant Pawns (5 colors, 4 each)
• 5 Reliance Discs (5 colors)
• 1 Round Marker

Background

Glover was born the son of a coast guard officer in 1838 and grew up in the port city of Aberdeen, Scotland. He joined Jardine, Matheson & Co. on finishing school and worked briefly in the company's Shanghai office before taking up his assignment in Japan.

Nagasaki, Japan's only international port from 1639 to 1859 under the isolationist policies of the Tokugawa Shogunate, was a thriving entrepot. Glover soon built a bustling business there, largely in exporting tea. A larger business opportunity emerged with rising tensions between the Shogunate and rebellious clans in southern Japan. Glover made a fortune selling ships and arms to the rival factions.

(Background quotation from mitsubishi.com, "Stories of Some Prominent Figures: Thomas Glover", https://www.mitsubishi.com/e/history/series/thomas/)

Preparation

Place the game board in the middle of the table.

A: Shuffle all 24 of the Negotiation Cards, and stack them as a deck.

B: Discard Pile for the Negotiation Deck.

C: Shuffle all of 10 Big Cheese cards (character cards), stack them aside the game board as a deck, flip face up top card.

D: Set Winning Point cards beside the game board as 4 stacks (one stack for each of 4 kinds of Winning Point cards).

(Note: unlimited supply, if cards run out, use something to keep track.)

E: Choose 8 facility tiles among the 18 available, and lay them on the game board. Remaining facility tiles are not used in this game. See also "Sample combinations of facility tiles" below.

If this is your first game, the following combination is recommended: Tea Factory / Riding Club / Silver Exchange / Private Phone / Silk Mill / Trading House / Brewery / Shipyard.

F: Place a round marker at round track F. This game consists of 4 rounds in a 5-player game, 5 rounds in a 4-player game, and 6 rounds in a 3-player game.

G: Each of you chooses one color as your color. Take a screen of your color and set it in front of you.

Then, take 4 Merchant Pawns in your color, and put them in front of your screen. Take the Reliance Value disc of your color and put it on the "2" space in the Reliance Track G.

Screens / Merchant Pawns / Reliance Value discs of unchosen colors are not used in this game.

Each player takes 2 Head-Quarter (HQ) tiles, "Workshop" and "Small Office", and places them in front of you.

(Note: the "Workshop" tile's back is "Large Workshop", and the "Small Office" tile's back is "Mansion".)

H: Place ALL 5 colors of cubes beside the game board (regardless of number of players). These are referred to as "stock cubes" or "supply". Note: cube supply is unlimited. If you run out, use other items to keep track.

Choose the first round's start player randomly. The start player takes the "Start Player" card.

The Course of the Game

This game consists of several rounds. Each round consists of the following 3 phases:

1. Production Phase
2. Negotiation Phase
3. Glover Phase

The Negotiation phase proceeds clockwise from the start player. For the Production phase and the Glover phase, turn order is usually irrelevant, so all players can simultaneously do what they want.

1. Production Phase

In this phase, each player can use the power of their "Production Tiles" (green-edged tiles) to acquire cubes from the stock supply. Your initial HQ tile "Workshop" is available from the first round. [Editor's note: the source prints "Warehouse 工作所" here; "Warehouse" is a facility tile, and the Japanese 工作所 is Workshop, so "Workshop" is used.] Other facility tiles become available by placing your Merchant Pawn onto these tiles when you borrow them from Glover. (See "Borrowing Facility" under 3. Glover Phase.)

Put the cubes you've got inside your screen so that other players cannot see what cubes you currently have.

You can use each of your tiles' power once per round.

Production Tiles

• Workshop (Initial HQ): You get 2 cubes of your color from supply.
• Large Workshop (HQ Upgrade): You get 4 cubes of your color from supply.
• Tea Factory (Facility): Cost = 2 different colors of cubes, one each. You get 1 cube of your color from supply.
• Fishery (Facility): Cost = 3 different colors of cubes, one each. You get X cubes of your color from supply. X is the same number as your unused Merchant Pawns in front of your player area (not on other tiles).
• Silk Mill (Facility): Cost = 4 different colors of cubes, one each. You get 3 cubes of your color from supply.
• Commodities Exchange (Facility): Cost = 4 different colors of cubes, one each. You get 1 cube of ANY color from supply.
• Coal Mine (Facility): Cost = 5 different colors of cubes, one each. You get 5 cubes of your color from supply.
• Brewery (Facility): Cost = 5 different colors of cubes, one each. You get 2 cubes of ANY combination of colors (2 cubes of 1 color, or 1 cube each of 2 colors) from supply.

2. Negotiation Phase

In this phase, each player takes their turn in clockwise order. During your turn, you can offer one deal to one of the other players. The "deal" refers to giving some of your products/cubes to another player, and receiving some products/cubes from that player in return. Your turn consists of the following 4 steps:

• Step 1. Choose 1 Negotiation Card
• Step 2. Offer products you have
• Step 3. Negotiation
• Step 4. Open the Negotiation Card, and settle the deal

Step 1. Choose 1 Negotiation Card

1. Draw 3 cards from the Negotiation Deck. Look at the 3 cards secretly without revealing the cards to other players.

2. Discard 1 of the 3 cards openly to the Discard Pile. Then, put 1 of the remaining 2 cards back (facing down) on the top of the Negotiation Deck. Finally, put the remaining 1 card in front of you face down. This card is the Negotiation Card you choose. This card determines how cordial you are in this deal.

Note: If the Negotiation Deck runs out and you cannot draw necessary cards, reshuffle the Discard Pile to form a new deck.

Note: You can only check the top card of the Discard Pile.

Step 2. Offer products (cubes) you have

You pick 1 or more of your cubes you have inside your screen (any color combination is okay), and put them on the (face down) Negotiation Card in front of you. These cubes are the products you offer. When a deal with another player is done, usually the active player can get the products/cubes, but only if you are cordial/reliable enough.

In addition, pick 1 cube of your color from the supply, and put it on the Negotiation Deck (not on the Negotiation Card in front of you). When a deal with another player is completed, that other player is assured to get this 1 cube.

(In the very rare case that you don't have even one cube, the deal is automatically considered as "Failed". See below.)

Step 3. Negotiation

Any other player who wants to get the offered cubes (plus the cube on the Negotiation Deck) determines how many cubes he can pay by showing his "bid" in front of his screen. The following rules apply:

• Any player can declare or change his "bid" any time freely.
• The active player can change the "offer" any time freely.
• Any player can talk, discuss and negotiate freely what is necessary and what can be paid.
• At least one cube must be offered (active player), and at least one cube must be shown as "bid" (other players, if they want to participate).
• The active player must not flip over the chosen Negotiation Card face up at this time, but it is permitted to say what card it is, though it is permissible to lie about it.
• Any promise is not binding.

At any time, the active player can declare he has chosen one of the other players (who bids at least one cube as his price) as the counterparty of the deal. The deal is done immediately. The rest of the players retrieve and return the cubes used in their bids back behind their screens.

Failure

If there is no good bid (or there is no bid at all) but the active player does not want to raise his offer, he must declare that the deal is failed. All players retrieve and return the cubes used in his bid back into his screen. The cube on the Negotiation Deck is returned to supply. The active player must decrease his Reliance Value by 1, and ends his turn.

Step 4. Open the Negotiation Card, and settle the deal

Before the settlement of the deal, flip the Negotiation Card the active player has chosen face up, and apply its effect.

Negotiation Cards

There are the following 6 kinds of Negotiation Cards:

• Humble (+2): The active player raises his Reliance Value by 2. You have to choose 1 cube from the counterparty's bid, and return it into the counterparty's screen.
• Good (+1): The active player raises his Reliance Value by 1. You have to choose 1 cube of your color from supply and add it to your offer.
• Fair (+0): No effect.
• Crude (-1): The active player decreases his Reliance Value by 1. You must choose 1 cube from your offer, and return it back behind your screen.
• Illicit (-2): The active player decreases his Reliance Value by 2. You also get the same combination of cubes as shown on the counterparty's bid from supply.
• Rip-off (-3): The active player decreases his Reliance Value by 3. You must return all your offered cubes back behind your screen.

(Note: the maximum Reliance Value is 5, minimum is 0.)

After applying the card's effect, exchange the cubes of the bid and offer. The counterparty always receives the 1 cube placed on the Negotiation Deck. Put the received cubes behind each screen.

In addition, if the counterparty has one or more Negotiation Tiles (sky-blue color edge, see the following 2 tiles), it may be used now.

Negotiation Tiles

• Silver Exchange (Facility): Cost = 3 different colors of cubes, one each. If you are chosen as the counterparty in another player's Negotiation Phase, you get 1 cube of your color from supply.
• Insurance Agency (Facility): Cost = 3 different colors of cubes, one each. If you are chosen as the counterparty in another player's Negotiation Phase, and the player's Negotiation Card is turned out to be a "black" one, you get 1 cube of ANY color from supply.

3. Glover Phase

In this phase, by paying your cubes, you receive various help from Thomas Glover, but there is a "Minimum Reliance Value" required. You cannot get the help if you are not reliable enough.

Paid cost is returned to supply.

Helps

• Getting Reliance
  • Minimum Reliance Value = 0
  • Cost = [0 to 1: any 1 cube] [1 to 2, 2 to 3: 2 cubes in any color combination] [3 to 4, 4 to 5: 3 cubes in any color combination]
  • Raise your Reliance Value by 1.
• HQ Tile Upgrade
  • Minimum Reliance Value = 0
  • Cost = 3 different colors of cubes, 1 each
  • You can choose one of your HQ Tiles ("Workshop" or "Small Office"), and upgrade/flip it to the other side. Workshop becomes "Large Workshop", and Small Office becomes "Mansion". You can use the upgraded Mansion's power immediately.
• 3:1 Trading
  • Minimum Reliance Value = 1
  • Cost = 3 cubes of one color
  • You get any 1 cube from supply.
• Borrowing Facility
  • Minimum Reliance Value = 2
  • Cost = shown in each tile
  • Choose one tile from the board, pay its cost, and put one of your Merchant Pawns on it. You have effectively borrowed this facility tile. You cannot choose a tile you already have. You can choose a tile even if other players already have their Merchant Pawns on it. If you have used all of your 4 Merchant Pawns, you cannot borrow more facilities. Merchant Pawns do not return back to your hand.

Early Bird Bonus

When you buy a Rifle, Cannon or Steamship in the early rounds, you also get the following number of Letter [1pt] cards.

5-player game:

• Round 1: Steamship +4pts, Cannon +3pts, Rifle +2pts
• Round 2: Steamship +3pts, Cannon +2pts, Rifle +1pt
• Round 3: Steamship +2pts, Cannon +1pt

4-player game:

• Round 1-2: Steamship +4pts, Cannon +3pts, Rifle +2pts
• Round 3: Steamship +3pts, Cannon +2pts, Rifle +1pt
• Round 4: Steamship +2pts, Cannon +1pt

3-player game:

• Round 1-3: Steamship +4pts, Cannon +3pts, Rifle +2pts
• Round 4: Steamship +3pts, Cannon +2pts, Rifle +1pt
• Round 5: Steamship +2pts, Cannon +1pt

Tiles for the Glover Phase

During the Glover phase, the following tiles (with brown edge) can be used.

• Mansion (HQ Upgrade): Once in every round during the Glover phase, you can raise your Reliance Value by 1. (Note: the corresponding initial HQ tile, "Small Office", does not have any power.)
• Accounting Firm (Facility): Cost = 2 different colors of cubes, one each. When borrowing a facility with 3 or less colors of cubes, Accounting Firm reduces the cost by 1 (color of) cube.
• Old Japanese-Style House (Facility): Cost = 2 different colors of cubes, one each. Once in every round during the Glover phase, when your Reliance Value is 2 or less, you get one Letter [1pt] card from supply.
• Riding Club (Facility): Cost = 2 different colors of cubes, one each. Every time you get Letter [1pt] card(s), you get one more 1pt card. (Example: when you get four Letter [1pt] cards because of the early bird bonus, you get one more, so five Letter [1pt] cards in total.)
• Private Phone (Facility): Cost = 3 different colors of cubes, one each. The cost of "Getting Reliance" (during the Glover phase) is reduced by 1 cube. (Min. 0)
• Warehouse (Facility): Cost = 3 different colors of cubes, one each. The cost of a Cannon [5pt] becomes 3 (colors of cubes). The cost of a Rifle [3pt] becomes 2 (colors of cubes).
• Trading House (Facility): Cost = 4 different colors of cubes, one each. "3:1 Trading" becomes "2:1 Trading". You still cannot do this trading if your Reliance Value is 0.
• Garden (Facility): Cost = 4 different colors of cubes, one each. This tile does not have any effect in itself, but during the next round's Glover phase, you can move your Merchant Pawn from this tile onto any other facility tile.
• Shipyard (Facility): Cost = 5 different colors of cubes, one each. The cost of a Steamship [9pt] becomes 4 (colors of cubes).

Next Round

Move the round marker 1 space right. Flip the next card from the Big Cheese deck face up. The Start Player card moves to the next player to the left.

The End of the Game

After 4 rounds in a 5-player game, 5 rounds in a 4-player game, or 6 rounds in a 3-player game:

Remove everyone's screens, and sum up the values of the acquired Winning Point cards. In addition, the following facility tiles yield bonus winning points. The player with the highest total winning points wins. Tie-breaker: Reliance Value.

Tiles for Bonus Winning Points at the End of the Game

• Steam Locomotive (Facility): Cost = 4 different colors of cubes, one each. At the end of the game, remove your screen to show the cubes you have. You get 3 pts for each different kind of cube.
• Liner (Facility): Cost = 5 different colors of cubes, one each. At the end of the game, sum up the cost of facility tiles you borrowed (except for Liner itself). You get the same number of winning points.

Big Cheese Cards

In each round, one of the following 10 cards is flipped face up. Only the top Big Cheese card is considered in play and its power in use.

At any time you can see the (discard pile of) past rounds' Big Cheese cards.

• IWASAKI Yataro: At the beginning of the round, each player can place one Merchant Pawn on any facility tile. You have to move it back to the front of your own play area at the end of the round. For identification, the Merchant Pawn must be placed laying down.
• William J. ALT: (Only) once in this round, each player can buy one ship with 1 (color of) cube less. This power can be used with Warehouse or Shipyard.
• OURA Kei: During the Production phase, each player can get 1 cube of ANY color. (If necessary, decisions should be declared clockwise from the start player.)
• KATSURA Kogoro: During this round, the cost of "Getting Reliance" (during the Glover phase) becomes 1. (If you have Private Phone, the cost becomes 0.)
• GLOVER Tsuru: (Only) once during this round, each player can borrow 1 facility tile with 1 (color of) cube less. (If you have Accounting Firm, the cost is reduced by 2.)
• OZONE Kendo: During this round, when you start the Negotiation phase, put 2 cubes of your color onto the Negotiation Deck from supply instead of 1.
• SAIGO Takamori: During negotiation, the active player can change the color of cubes on the Negotiation Deck freely.
• SAKAMOTO Ryoma: When your Reliance Value is raised or lowered by a Negotiation Card you played, the absolute number of the card is raised by 1. (Example: +2 becomes +3, -3 becomes -4.)
• TAKASUGI Shinsaku: (Only) once during this round, each player can get 1 Rifle [3pts] as a bonus when you buy a Cannon [5pts] or Rifle [3pts]. (Note: there is no early bird bonus for this additional Rifle.)

Sample Combinations of Facility Tiles

Combination 1 (Basic Set): Tea Factory / Riding Club / Silver Exchange / Private Phone / Silk Mill / Trading House / Brewery / Shipyard.

Combination 2 ("Confidential Talk" Set): Old Japanese-Style House / Riding Club / Insurance Agency / Private Phone / Warehouse / Commodities Exchange / Steam Locomotive / Coal Mine.

Combination 3 ("Signature Stamp" Set): Tea Factory / Accounting Firm / Fishery / Silver Exchange / Silk Mill / Garden / Coal Mine / Liner.

Combination 4 ("Merchants of Death" Set): Tea Factory / Fishery / Private Phone / Warehouse / Commodities Exchange / Garden / Brewery / Shipyard.

Combination 5 ("The Congress Dances" Set): Accounting Firm / Old Japanese-Style House / Silver Exchange / Insurance Agency / Silk Mill / Steam Locomotive / Coal Mine / Shipyard.

Combination 6 ("Isolated Managers" Set): Accounting Firm / Riding Club / Fishery / Warehouse / Commodities Exchange / Trading House / Brewery / Liner.

Combination 7 ("Dirty Deeds" Set): Old Japanese-Style House / Riding Club / Insurance Agency / Garden / Steam Locomotive / Coal Mine / Brewery / Liner.

When you try other combinations, we advise you to choose at least 1 tile for each group of [cost 2][cost 3][cost 4][cost 5].