Sherlock: Case Connection Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Components
• Setup
• Game Flow
• Player Turn
• Connections
• Reconstructing Leads
• Game End

Introduction

In Sherlock: Case Connection you are a detective investigating a crime. Collect proof, make connections between threads, and use this evidence to reconstruct the leads that you are pursuing. Solve the nefarious plots that Sherlock has discovered as you strive to become the world's next greatest detective. Stay determined and you might even overcome the master himself!

Components

• 20 Lead Cards
• 44 Thread Cards
• 4 Location Boards
• 6 Bonus Point Tokens
• 13 Forensic Proof Tokens
• 13 Witness Proof Tokens
• 13 Cyber Proof Tokens
• 8 Universal Proof Tokens

Setup

1. Place the 4 Location Boards in the center of the play area.
2. Mix all the Forensic, Witness, and Cyber Proof Tokens face down to create the Proof pile.
3. Place the Universal Proof Tokens, and Bonus Point Tokens to the side of the play area.
4. Shuffle all 44 Thread Cards together face down to create the Thread deck. Randomly place a face-up Thread Card from the top of the Thread deck onto each space A on the Location Boards (for a total of 10 placed cards). Place the Thread deck face down nearby.
5. Randomly draw Proof Tokens from the Proof pile and place them face-up on each space B on the Location Boards (for a total of 10 placed tokens).
6. Shuffle all 20 Lead Cards together face down to create the Lead deck. Place it near the Thread deck.
7. Each player draws 2 Lead Cards from the top of the Lead deck, chooses one to keep and discards the other.
   • Each player places their selected Lead Card face-up in front of them. Make sure to leave space on each side of the Lead Card so you can add Thread Cards and Proof Tokens to it later.
   • Place the discarded Lead Cards face down on the bottom of the Lead deck.
8. Randomly select a first player.

Game Flow

During the game, you will acquire Thread Cards and Proof Tokens that you can use to Reconstruct Leads. You will earn points for each Lead that you Reconstruct. You can also earn special bonuses for Reconstructing a Lead efficiently, so choose your Connections wisely as you investigate!

Game End: When any player reaches 9 or more points, each other player gets one final turn, then the game ends and a winner is determined.

Player Turn

On your turn, you will first choose a Location to visit. You may then choose any combination of 2 Cards and/or Tokens to collect from that Location. This means you can take 2 Thread Cards, or 2 Proof Tokens, or 1 Thread Card and 1 Proof Token.

After that, if two Locations have only one item left on them (a Card or a Token), you must immediately replenish all Locations.

If a Location has only one item left on it (a Card or a Token), you cannot visit that Location on your turn.

To replenish a Location:

• Draw cards from the Thread deck and place them face-up on each open Thread Card space on the Location being replenished.
• Draw a random Proof Token from the Proof pile to fill each open Proof Token space on the Location being replenished.

Once per turn you may exchange 3 of your Proof Tokens of the same type for one Universal Proof Token.

At any time during your turn you may Reconstruct a Lead. Reconstructing Leads is explained on the next page.

Play then proceeds clockwise.

Connections

After visiting a Location and gathering Thread Cards and/or Proof Tokens, you can use them to make Connections to your Lead. These Connections will be necessary, however you may update them at any time. There are two ways to make Connections between your Thread Cards and your Lead Card - direct and indirect.

To Make a Connection:

1. Place two cards with matching symbols next to one another. The matching symbols must align when the edges of the card are also aligned (diagonal Connections are not allowed).
2. Place a matching Proof Token between the cards to complete the Connection.

A direct Connection is made with the Thread Card adjacent to the Lead Card. A, B.

Note that in Connection B the Forensic icon has not been matched. This is allowed, because only one match is required to make a Connection between two adjacent cards. The Forensic icon will be used to create an indirect Connection.

An indirect Connection is made with the Thread Card connecting to the Lead Card through other Thread Cards. C

Some Lead Cards have two icons on the same side. One icon will be used to make a direct connection and the other will be used to make an indirect Connection. Which icon you use for which type of Connection is up to you.

You May:

• Adjust the placement of your Thread Cards and Proof Tokens at any time, even when it's not your turn!
• Keep any unconnected Thread Cards and/or Proof Tokens to the side for later use.

You May Not:

• Rotate cards: they all must be aligned in a grid when making Connections.
• Create a closed loop of Connections: you may only have exactly one chain of Connections from any Thread Card back to the Lead Card.

Reconstructing Leads

A Lead becomes a completed Reconstruction once you have created Connections to Thread Cards for each of its icons.

These Connections can be direct (with an adjacent Thread Card) or indirect (connected through other Thread Cards).

A Reconstruction may have more Connections than needed by the Lead Card.

EXAMPLE: This Lead Card requires a Forensic Connection on top and a Cyber and Witness Connections on the right.

In this Reconstruction, the Forensic and Cyber Connections are direct, and the Witness Connection is indirect.

When you complete a Reconstruction, immediately perform the following steps in order:

1. Gain the Bonus for each card with a bonus icon that is directly connected to the Lead card. The bonus is not gained for indirect connections.

2. Claim the completed Lead Card; remove it from the Reconstruction and place it face down in front of you on the table. Each completed Lead Card is worth the number of points depicted in its upper right corner.

   If you have 9 or more total points now, including all of your completed Lead Card and Bonus Tokens, proceed immediately to the Game End section for final turns and scoring.

3. Choose a total of 2 Thread Cards and/or Proof Tokens (including Universal Proof Tokens) to keep from the Cards and Tokens in your play area. Place them in front of you on the table.

4. Place all your remaining Thread Cards face down on the bottom of the Thread deck, and return all remaining Proof Tokens face down to the Proof pile.

5. Draw 2 Lead Cards from the top of the Lead deck, then choose one to keep. Place it face up in front of you on the table. Place the other Lead Card(s) face down on the bottom of the Lead deck.

Example above: You get the Bonus Point Token as it is directly connected to the Lead Card, but not the extra-Lead-card bonus, because it is indirectly connected to the Lead Card.

Unselected Universal Proof Tokens are returned to their own supply.

If you had any extra-Lead-card bonus icon during this Reconstruction, you will draw one extra Lead Card for each of them (you may only keep one, no matter how many you draw).

Bonuses:

• Bonus Point Token (+1): Take one Bonus Point Token from the pool.
• Universal Proof Token: Take a Universal Proof Token from the supply. It can be used in place of any Proof Token when making Connections.
• Extra Lead Card (icon): During the Draw Lead Cards step 5 draw one extra card to choose from.

Game End

When any player reaches 9 or more points, including both their completed Lead Cards and Bonus Tokens, each other player gets one final turn, then the game ends. The player with the most points wins the game.

In Case of a Tie: The player with the single completed Lead Card that awarded the most points wins. If there is still a tie, the tied player who earned the most completed Lead Cards wins.