Tricky Traders Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
• Game setup
• Gameplay overview
• Overview of a market day
• Gameplay
  • 1. Influence market stalls
  • 2. Market day evaluation
  • Choosing the market stalls
  • 3. Preparation for the next market day
  • Final scoring
• Influence cards
  • 1: Market Crier attracts customers
  • 2: Market Crier moves
  • 3: Pied Piper catches rats
  • 4: Pied Piper moves
  • 5: Saboteur causes chaos
  • 6: Saboteur moves
  • 7: Steward swaps stalls
  • 8: Steward moves
  • 9: Juggler arouses interest
  • 10: Juggler moves
  • ?: Copy action card
  • ?: Copy movement card

Components

• 7 market stalls
• 7 goal cards
• 4 overview cards
• 32 influence cards. A set consists of the following cards: 6 action cards, 6 movement cards, 2 special cards and 2 modification cards.
• 5 characters: Market Crier, Pied Piper, Saboteur, Steward, Juggler
• 28 rats
• 7 customers
• 3 'time of day' dice (Morning, Noon, Evening). Each die shows a pip count, a time of day, and an alternative pip count (only for the influence card Alternative number).
• 1 direction token (front side and back side)
• 2 scoring cards
• 1 scoring pad

Game setup

Setup for the first game is shown in the steps below in italics where it differs.

1. Lay out the 7 market stalls in a circle in the center of your play area. The order should be random.
2. Randomly place each character on a different market stall. It does not matter at which market stall each character is placed. Leave 2 market stalls empty, as far away from each other as possible.
3. Place 1 customer on each market stall. Place 4 rats on each market stall.
4. Roll the 3 'time of day' dice and place them in the center of the play area in order of time of day (Morning, Noon, Evening). Leave space for 2 influence cards above and below each die.
5. Place the direction token in the center of the play area, with the arrow pointing clockwise.
6. Keep the scoring pad to one side as it will only be needed later.
7. Take one set (red or blue banner) of 16 influence cards into your hand. First game: For your first game, we recommend playing without the influence cards Copy action and Copy movement.
8. Shuffle the 7 goal cards and each draw 2 face-down. Look at your goal cards in secret and keep them placed face-down in front of you so only you know your goals. You can look at your own goals at any time. Put the remaining 3 goal cards back in the box without looking at them. They will not be needed for this game. First game: For your first game, we recommend playing with face-up goal cards instead. This helps ease you into the game better and understand the other player's motives.
9. Each player should take 1 scoring card and place it with your 2 goal cards. This card will also be used later in the game. Finally each take one overview card. Now the game can begin.

Gameplay overview

The game takes place over 3 market days, with each day split into Morning, Noon and Evening. At each time of day, you play 2 influence cards to influence customers, rats and characters. At the end of each full market day, each market stall will gain fame depending on how many customers and rats are at the stall along with which characters are also present.

You play against each other and each have 2 goals: To support 1 market stall (the more fame, the better) and to ruin 1 market stall (the less fame, the better). At the end of the first market day, you use your goal cards to determine which market stalls these are.

The player who best succeeds in both pursuing their own goals and thwarting those of their opponent will be victorious.

Overview of a market day

1. Influence market stalls: Play 3 times of the day one after the other: Morning, Noon and Evening. Play 2 influence cards (different colors) at each time of day and resolve them in ascending order. Note: The same action and movement cards cancel each other out!
2. Market day evaluation: Calculate how much fame all 7 market stalls receive (see Evaluation).
3. Preparation for the next market day: Take all influence cards back into your hand. Roll the 3 'time of day' dice. After the first market day: Choose the market stalls.

The evaluation of each market stall is made up of customers (2 fame for each neighboring stall with fewer customers, -2 fame for each with more, 0 for each with the same number), rats (1 rat: 6 fame, 2 rats: 3 fame, 3 rats: 1 fame, 4 rats: 0 fame) and characters (Market Crier -2 fame, Pied Piper -1 fame, Saboteur 0 fame, Steward 1 fame, Juggler 2 fame). Details are given under Market day evaluation below.

Gameplay

Tricky Traders is played over 3 market days. Each market day consists of the following 3 phases:

1. Influence market stalls
2. Market day evaluation
3. Preparation for the next market day

1. Influence market stalls

In this phase, you play through exactly 3 times of the day one after the other: Morning, Noon and Evening. Carry out the following steps for each time of day:

A) Choose influence cards. Choose 2 influence cards of different colors from your hand and place them face-down in front of you. Once both players have decided, reveal the selected influence cards.

Important: You are not allowed to choose 2 influence cards of the same color, for example: cards 1 and 2.

B) Resolve cards. Resolve the revealed cards one after another, starting with the lowest numbered card and continuing in ascending numerical order. This means that your cards may be resolved back to back or alternately with the other player. Then, place the cards next to the die for the current 'time of day' to have a clear view of which cards have already been played. These cards can only be returned to your hand later. The 2 modification cards are excepted from this: Take these cards back into your hand immediately after resolving them (that means you can play them multiple times per market day).

An explanation of all influence cards can be found under Influence cards below.

Cancellation rule: Identical action or movement cards cancel each other out. If both players chose the same action card (1, 3, 5, 7, 9) or the same movement card (2, 4, 6, 8, 10), skip these cards and do not carry out their effects!

The Copy action and Copy movement cards do not cancel each other out. They count as the card they copy and therefore are only canceled with the matching card.

The cancellation rule does not apply to the 2 special cards and the 2 modification cards.

Example 1: Colin reveals the Market Crier moves (2) and the Steward swaps stalls (7) cards. Steffi reveals the Market Crier moves (2) and the Juggler arouses interest (9) cards. The two Market Crier moves cards (2) cancel each other out and are not resolved. Then, Colin resolves the Steward swaps stalls (7) action and Steffi resolves the Juggler arouses interest (9) action.

Example 2: Colin reveals the Pied Piper catches rats (3) and the Juggler moves (10) cards. Steffi reveals the Pied Piper moves (4) and Copy action cards. Since Steffi played the Pied Piper action card earlier, the Copy action card counts as the Pied Piper catches rats (3) card (see page 9). Therefore, Steffi's Copy action card cancels out Colin's Pied Piper catches rats (3) card.

2. Market day evaluation

Now calculate how much fame each of the 7 market stalls receives and note their fame on the scoring pad.

First game: Only calculate the fame of the 4 market stalls on your goal cards.

Each market stall receives fame based on the following 3 criteria:

Customers. The market stall gains or loses fame depending on the number of customers it has compared with its two neighboring market stalls.

• For each neighboring market stall with fewer customers: 2 fame
• For each neighboring market stall with more customers: -2 fame
• For each neighboring market stall with the same number of customers: 0 fame

Rats. The market stall gains the following fame according to the number of rats at the market stall:

• 1 rat: 6 fame
• 2 rats: 3 fame
• 3 rats: 1 fame
• 4 rats: 0 fame

Note: It is not possible for a market stall to have 0 rats (see Carelessness on page 8).

Characters. The market stall gains or loses fame for all characters located at the stall.

• Market Crier: -2 fame
• Pied Piper: -1 fame
• Saboteur: 0 fame
• Steward: 1 fame
• Juggler: 2 fame

Example: You are calculating the fame at the cloth stall. Customers: The smithy 1 is between the tavern 2 and the farmer's stall 3. It has more customers than the tavern and gains 2 fame. However, it has fewer customers than the farmer's stall so it loses 2 fame. It therefore receives a total of 0 fame for its customers. Rats: There is 1 rat on the smithy, so it gains 6 fame. Characters: The Pied Piper (-1 fame) and the Juggler (+2 fame) are at the smithy, so the stall gains 1 fame for the characters. In total, the smithy gains 0 + 6 + 1 = 7 fame for this market day.

Choosing the market stalls

At the end of the first market day, directly before preparing for the next market day, you have to decide which market stall you want to support and which stall you want to sabotage.

Now choose 1 of your 2 goal cards and place it face-down on the side of your scoring card. This is the market stall you want to support. The more fame it receives, the better. Place the other goal card face-down on the side of the scoring card. This is the market stall you want to sabotage. The less fame it receives, the better.

Note: Of course, you should also think about how you can support or sabotage your chosen market stalls during the first market day. However, you do not have to make your final decision until after the first market day ends.

First game: Place the goal cards face-up next to the scoring card.

Example: Colin has decided he wants to support the smithy and sabotage the tavern. Over the following two market days, he will try to ensure that the smithy receives as much fame as possible and that the tavern receives as little fame as possible.

3. Preparation for the next market day

Now take all your played influence cards back into your hand. Roll all 3 'time of day' dice and place them in the middle of the play area in order of their time of day (Morning, Noon, Evening). The next market day will now begin.

If it is the end of the 3rd market day, skip this step and proceed to the final scoring instead.

Final scoring

Total the fame for each of the market stalls across all 3 rounds.

Now determine how successfully you have achieved your individual goals. To do this, note the fame of your supported market stall and subtract the fame of the market stall you attempted to ruin. The player with the higher score wins. In the event of a tie, the player whose supported market stall has more fame wins. If there is still a tie, both players share the victory.

Example: Colin has supported the smithy and tried to ruin the tavern. The smithy has gained a total of 15 fame over the 3 market days. This market stall scores positively for Colin. The tavern received -3 fame. This market stall is scored negatively for Colin. Colin's score is therefore 15 - (-3) = 18.

Influence cards

Each player has a set of 16 influence cards. The set consists of 6 action cards (1, 3, 5, 7, 9, Copy action), 6 movement cards (2, 4, 6, 8, 10, Copy movement), 2 special cards (11, 12) and 2 modification cards (Change direction, Lower number). Each character is related to 1 action card and 1 movement card, indicated by the shared color of these two cards.

Editor's note: the printed sentence above names the modification cards "Change direction, Lower number". The cards are printed as "Opposite direction" and "Alternative number" (see Modification below), and "Change direction" is card 12, a special card. The card names are corrected here.

Whenever you play influence cards, you must carry out their entire effects as fully as possible!

Important: When you play a movement card, you always move the character in the current direction indicated by the direction token, and move a number of spaces equal to the pip count (filled in white pips) shown on the current 'time of day' die. You may not choose to forfeit any steps of this movement.

1: Market Crier attracts customers

Take 1 customer from each of the two market stalls opposite the Market Crier and place them on the market stall with the Market Crier.

Sabotage: If the Saboteur is at the same market stall as the Market Crier, the action fails and nothing happens. If the Saboteur is at 1 of the 2 market stalls from which a customer would be moved, the action only fails there. Take 1 customer from the other market stall and place it on the stall with the Market Crier, as usual.

Long queues: Whenever there are 4 or more customers at a market stall after an action, immediately move 2 of the customers to the stall on the left and 2 customers to the stall on the right. (If this results in 4 or more customers at a market stall again, apply this rule again.)

2: Market Crier moves

Move the Market Crier a number of spaces in the direction of play equal to the pip count shown on the current 'time of day' die.

3: Pied Piper catches rats

If there are 3 or 4 rats at the market stall with the Pied Piper, remove 2 rats from there, otherwise only remove 1 rat. Then, remove 1 rat from the 2 market stalls neighboring the Pied Piper. Place the caught rats at the edge of the playing area as a rat supply.

Sabotage: If the Saboteur is standing at the same market stall as the Pied Piper, the action fails and nothing happens. If the Saboteur is at 1 of the 2 adjacent market stalls, the action only fails there. As usual, remove 1 or 2 rats from the market stall with the Pied Piper and 1 rat from the neighboring market stall without the Saboteur.

Carelessness: Whenever there are 0 rats at a market stall after this action, 4 new rats immediately appear there. Take 4 rats from the rat supply and place them on the corresponding market stall.

4: Pied Piper moves

Move the Pied Piper a number of spaces in the direction of play equal to the pip count shown on the current 'time of day' die.

5: Saboteur causes chaos

Perform the following actions first on the 2 market stalls to the left of the stall with the Saboteur and then on the 2 market stalls to the right:

First, move 1 customer from the market stall with more customers to the market stall with fewer customers. Then move 1 rat from the market stall with more rats to the stall with fewer rats. If the two market stalls have the same number of customers, do not move any customers. Likewise, if the two market stalls have the same number of rats, do not move any rats.

Note: Perform these 2 actions both to the left and to the right of the Saboteur. Nothing happens on the market stall with the Saboteur.

Example: Colin plays card 5: Saboteur causes chaos. The Saboteur is standing at the smithy. To her left is the tavern with 3 customers and 1 rat and the farmer's stall with 2 customers and 2 rats. The tavern has more customers so 1 customer is moved from there to the farmer's stall. The farmer's stall has more rats so 1 rat is moved from there to the tavern stall. Colin then deals with the two market stalls to the right of the Saboteur. As both market stalls have 1 customer and 2 rats each, nothing happens there. Nothing happens at the market stall with the Saboteur either.

6: Saboteur moves

Move the Saboteur a number of spaces in the direction of play equal to the pip count shown on the current 'time of day' die.

7: Steward swaps stalls

Swap the positions of 2 market stalls. You must swap the market stall that the Steward is on with the stall that the direction of play and the 'time of day' die indicate: Move the market stall in the direction of play as many spaces indicated by the pip count on the current 'time of day' die. Place the market stall currently occupying this spot in the vacant space left by the moved stall.

All characters, customers and rats remain on the swapped market stalls and move along with them.

8: Steward moves

Move the Steward a number of spaces in the direction of play equal to the pip count shown on the current 'time of day' die.

9: Juggler arouses interest

Move each character 1 space in the direction of the Juggler. Ignore the direction of play and move the characters along the shortest path towards the Juggler instead. Characters already with the Juggler do not move.

10: Juggler moves

Move the Juggler a number of spaces in the direction of play equal to the pip count shown on the current 'time of day' die.

?: Copy action card

You may only play this action card together with a movement card and only if you have already played the action card of the same color as this movement card during a previous time of day.

This action card copies the action card of the same color as your movement card.

Attention: As an exception, you perform the effect of the copied action card IMMEDIATELY AFTER resolving the movement card (i.e. not in the usual order).

Editor's note: the printed rule reads "the action card of the same color as this as this movement card"; the duplicated words are a typo in the source and are corrected here.

?: Copy movement card

You may only play this movement card together with an action card and only if you have already played the movement card of the same color as this action card during a previous time of day.

This movement card copies the movement card of the same color as your action card.

Attention: As an exception, you perform the movement of the copied movement card DIRECTLY BEFORE the action card (i.e. not in the usual order).

11: Break up groups

If there are 2 or more characters on 1 market stall, they are considered a group. Break up all groups as follows:

In each group, lay the character with the lowest fame value down. These characters do not move. Then, move all standing characters one by one to the next free market stall following the direction of play. Move the standing character with the lowest fame value first, followed by the next highest fame and so on until all groups have been resolved. Finally, stand the lying characters back up in place.

To clarify: You do not break up groups one after the other, but rather move the character with the next highest fame value – regardless of which group it is in.

Note: If both players played this card, resolve its effect only once.

Example: Steffi resolves the effect of the Break up groups influence card. There is one group with 2 characters and one group with 3 characters. First, Steffi lies the Market Crier and Pied Piper down, as these characters both have the lowest fame in their respective groups. Steffi must move the other 3 characters to free market stalls. The current direction of play is counter-clockwise. Steffi first moves the Saboteur 1 market stall counter-clockwise. Then she moves the Steward counter-clockwise by 1 market stall and finally moves the Juggler (with the highest fame). Since the next 3 stalls counter-clockwise are already occupied by other characters, she moves him 4 market stalls counter-clockwise to the next free market stall. Finally, Steffi stands the Market Crier and the Pied Piper back up.

12: Change direction

Flip the direction token over. Doing so changes the direction of play.

Note: If both players played this card, resolve its effect only once.

Modification: Opposite direction

Carry out the effect of your other influence card in the opposite direction to the current direction of play. You must take this effect into account when resolving your other influence card. The effect only applies to you and the direction token remains on its current side. You may only play this modification card together with an influence card for which the direction of play is relevant.

Important: Take this card back into your hand immediately after resolving it.

Modification: Alternative number

The effect of your other influence card is determined by the lower pip count (not filled in pips) on the 'time of day' die. You must take this effect into account when resolving your other influence card. You may only play this modification card together with an influence card for which the number on the 'time of day' die is relevant.

Important: Take this card back into your hand immediately after resolving it.