London (Second Edition)

2017

Step into the shoes of a visionary architect in London, a strategic board game that combines city planning, financial management, and poverty control. Engage in a unique card-playing mechanism to reshape the city's landscape.

90
minutes

2 - 4
player(s)

14+

Medium

About the game

London (Second Edition) is a spectacular board game that takes players on a journey through the city’s history, from the smoke-filled skies of the Industrial Revolution to the bustling modern metropolis of the 21st century. As an opponent, you are tasked with the reconstruction and development of the city after the Great Fire of London in 1666. The challenge is to build the city and manage it efficiently while dealing with poverty, ensuring your path to victory.

The game is set in the city of London, where players take on the roles of architects and city planners. The goal is to rebuild London and surpass your opponents in the process. Players build their city from a deck of cards, each representing a different type of building or city area. The theme and setting of the game are steeped in London’s history, providing a deep sense of immersion for players.

Game components Unboxing the fun!

The board game ‘London (Second Edition)’ comes with several components that are used to play the game. Each component has a specific role and interacts with the game in a unique way.

1. Game Board

The game board is a detailed map of the city of London. The board is divided into sections that represent the different boroughs of the city. Players use the board to track their progress, build their city, and manage their resources.

2. Cards

The game comes with a deck of cards. Each card represents a building, landmark, or event in London. Players use these cards to build their city, earn points, and perform actions. Cards can have various effects such as generating income, reducing poverty, or providing special abilities.

3. Money Tokens

Money tokens represent the currency in the game. Players use money to purchase cards, build buildings, and pay for other costs. The amount of money a player has can greatly affect their strategies and decisions during the game.

4. Poverty Tokens

Poverty tokens represent the level of poverty in a player’s city. Players gain poverty tokens when they perform certain actions, and they must try to manage their poverty level to avoid losing points at the end of the game.

5. Player Tokens

Each player has a set of tokens in their color. These tokens are used to mark a player’s progress on the game board and to represent their ownership of certain cards on the board.

6. Borough Cards

Borough cards represent the different boroughs of London. Players can purchase these cards to gain control of a borough, which provides them with additional benefits and points.

7. Loan Cards

Loan cards are used when a player needs additional money. They can take a loan card to immediately receive a certain amount of money, but they must pay interest on it for the rest of the game.

8. Victory Point Tokens

Victory point tokens represent the points that players earn throughout the game. The player with the most victory points at the end of the game is the winner.

9. Rulebook

The rulebook provides the instructions for how to play the game. It explains the purpose of each component, the order of play, and the rules for winning the game.

Game setup Lay it out, line it up, let’s go

London (Second Edition) is a rich and immersive board game experience. To set up the game correctly, follow these step-by-step instructions:

Player Roles: There are no specific player roles in London. Each player is a builder trying to rebuild the city after the Great Fire. Each player will manage a borough, create buildings, manage poverty, and accumulate victory points.
Board Placement: Place the main game board in the center of the play area. This board contains the city areas where players will be building, the poverty track, and the draw deck of cards. Ensure all players can easily reach the board.
Initial Resources: Each player starts with 9 pounds. The money is represented by cardboard tokens in the game. Distribute these tokens to each player. In addition, each player starts with a hand of 6 cards. The cards represent various buildings and landmarks that can be built in the player’s borough. These cards are drawn from the draw deck.
Card Shuffle: Shuffle the deck of cards and place it on the corresponding space on the game board. The deck of cards includes a variety of building cards and unique landmark cards. These cards are the primary way players will score points and manage their borough.
Start Player: Randomly determine the starting player. This player will take the first turn when the game begins. The starting player will also be the first to choose a borough from the game board.
Borough Selection: Starting with the first player and proceeding clockwise, each player selects a borough from the game board. Each borough has unique advantages and disadvantages, so choose wisely. Once a player has chosen a borough, they place their borough board in front of them.
Random Elements: After setting up the initial resources, the random elements of the game come into play. These include the draw of the cards, the poverty that players must manage, and the natural disasters that can occur. It is this randomness that provides much of the game’s replayability and strategic depth.

Remember, the key to winning London (Second Edition) is managing your resources wisely, keeping poverty in check and building the most prosperous borough possible. Good luck!

Game flow Round and round we go

The game of London (Second Edition) by Martin Wallace is a challenging, strategic board game where players build the city of London from the ashes of the great fire to the dawn of the 20th Century. The game is played in rounds, divided into several distinct phases. Here’s a detailed breakdown of each phase:

1. Draw Cards Phase:

At the start of the turn, the active player draws cards from the draw deck until they have nine cards in their hand. If they already have nine or more cards, they do not draw any new ones.

2. Action Phase:

During this phase, the active player can choose one of the following actions:

Buy Land: The player can choose to buy a land card from the display by paying its cost. The purchased land card is placed face up in front of the player.
Develop Land: The player can choose to develop a land card they own by placing one or more building cards on it. The total cost of the building cards cannot exceed the value of the land card.
Run the City: The player can choose to run their city. They activate all their developed land cards and carry out the actions indicated on them. After running the city, all activated cards are discarded.

3. Discard Phase:

At the end of their turn, the active player must discard down to a hand size of nine cards if they have more than that. The discarded cards are placed face up in a discard pile next to the draw deck.

4. End of Round:

A round ends after all players have had a turn. If the draw deck is empty at the end of a round, the discarded cards are shuffled to form a new draw deck.

The game continues in this manner, with players taking turns in clockwise order, until the draw deck is exhausted for the third time. At this point, the game ends and the player with the most victory points, garnered from buildings, land cards, and money, is declared the winner.

Players'turn One turn to rule them all

In the ‘London (Second Edition)’ board game, players take on the role of architects attempting to rebuild the city after the Great Fire of 1666. During a player’s turn, they may take one of four possible actions: draw cards, develop their city, run their city, or buy land. Each action has its own strategic implications and effects on gameplay.

Draw Cards

Drawing cards is the simplest action a player can take. The player draws three cards from the deck and adds them to their hand. There is no limit to the number of cards a player can hold. This action is important because it provides the player with more options for developing their city on future turns.

Develop Their City

When a player chooses to develop their city, they play one or more cards from their hand onto their city board. Each card represents a building or other development and has a cost associated with it, which the player must pay by discarding other cards from their hand. The newly placed developments may provide immediate benefits, ongoing effects, or end-game scoring opportunities. Strategically selecting which developments to build and when is a key aspect of the game.

Run Their City

The run their city action allows the player to activate the effects of their developments. The player goes through each development in their city in the order they choose, activating each one only once. After all developments have been activated, the player must then take a poverty card for each development in their city, as well as for each card remaining in their hand. Managing poverty is a crucial part of the game, as having too much can severely impact a player’s score at the end of the game.

Buy Land

The final action a player can take is to buy land. This involves paying the cost shown on one of the available land cards and adding it to their city. Land cards are placed to the right of the player’s city board and can hold developments like regular city spaces. However, they also provide additional benefits such as reducing poverty or providing end-game scoring bonuses. Deciding when and which land to buy is another important strategic decision in the game.

End of Turn

At the end of their turn, a player may discard any number of cards from their hand, then draw back up to their hand limit of six cards. This allows the player to cycle through the deck faster and get to the cards they need more quickly.

Through these various actions and strategic choices, players vie to reconstruct London and emerge as the most successful architect.

End of the game All good games must come to an end

The game of ‘London (Second Edition)’ ends after the draw deck has been exhausted for the third time. Each player then has one final turn before the game concludes.

Victory Conditions:

The player with the highest total number of victory points (VPs) at the end of the game is declared the winner. VPs are accumulated throughout the game, primarily through the building of boroughs and landmarks, and also through certain card effects. It is crucial to note that players may lose VPs due to poverty.

Actions Before Final Scoring:

Final Turn: After the draw deck has been exhausted for the third time, each player has one last turn. They may choose to either draw cards or run their city during this turn. Once every player has taken their final turn, the game ends.
Resolve Cards: Any card effects that are activated or resolved at the end of the game or during the final turn must be addressed. This includes any effects that may add or subtract VPs, or increase or decrease poverty.
Calculate Poverty: Players must calculate their final poverty levels. This is done by subtracting the number of boroughs they own from their total poverty. If the result is negative, the player has no poverty. Otherwise, the player loses victory points according to the poverty penalty scale.

Final Scoring:

Players add up all the VPs they have earned from the boroughs and landmarks they have built throughout the game.
They add any VPs earned from card effects.
Players then subtract any VPs lost as a result of their final poverty level based on the poverty penalty scale.
The player with the highest total number of VPs is the winner. In the case of a tie, the player with the least poverty wins. If there is still a tie, the player who went earlier in the turn order wins.

Scoring Did you outsmart your rivals?

The scoring system in ‘London (Second Edition)’ is an integral part of the game that determines the winner. Players earn points through various means and the player with the highest score at the end of the game is declared the winner.

Point Acquisition:

Building Cards: Players earn points by building and running various buildings in their city. The amount of points earned depends on the specific building card.
Landmarks: Landmarks are a type of card that also provides a specific number of points to the player who builds and runs them.
Borrowing: Although borrowing money does not directly provide points, it allows players to take actions that can lead to point accumulation.
Poverty Reduction: Reducing poverty in a player’s city can indirectly lead to points as the player with the least amount of poverty at the end of the game receives points.

Scoring:

At the end of the game, points are tallied in the following way:

Each player adds up the points from their building cards and landmarks.
Players subtract one point for each poverty marker they have.
The player with the least amount of poverty adds 15 points to their total.
The player with the most amount of money adds 10 points to their total.

Tie-breaking:

In the event of a tie, the following rules are applied in order:

The player with the least amount of poverty wins.
If there is still a tie, the player with the most money wins.
If there is still a tie, the player who went last in the turn order wins.

Particular Cases and Exceptions Wait… is that legal?

London (Second Edition) is a complex but engaging board game. There are several key rules, exceptions, and clarifications that can make or break your gameplay. In order to maximize enjoyment and understanding, consider the following:

Building the City

When stacking cards during the game, remember that you can only stack cards of the same colour. If you want to build over an existing stack of cards, the new card must have equal or higher value.
It’s important to note that you can’t move a card once it’s been placed on the board. The only exception to this is when a card specifically allows you to do so.

Poverty Points

One of the unique aspects of London is the handling of poverty points. If you have more poverty points than your opponent at the end of the game, you will lose victory points. Therefore, managing your poverty points is crucial to your success.
Remember that borrowing money increases your poverty points. You should only borrow money if it’s absolutely necessary, as it can lead to a significant loss of victory points if not managed properly.

End Game

The game ends immediately when the draw deck is exhausted for the third time. It’s not uncommon for new players to miss this rule, so keep an eye on the draw deck as the game progresses.
At the end of the game, players have to pay back their loans. If you can’t afford to pay back a loan, you lose 15 victory points for each unpaid loan. Plan your finances carefully to avoid this penalty.

Card Clarifications

Hospital: You can only use the Hospital’s ability if you have at least one card in your hand when you play it. You can’t draw a card and then use the Hospital’s ability on that same card.
Factory: The Factory doesn’t allow you to draw cards. Instead, it allows you to take a look at the top card of the draw deck and decide whether to keep it or discard it.
Subway: The Subway card allows you to remove one poverty point per Subway card in your city. It’s a powerful tool for managing your poverty points, so use it wisely.

Tips and tricks Play smarter, not harder!

The board game ‘London (Second Edition)’ is a complex and challenging game that requires strategic thinking and careful planning. The game revolves around rebuilding London after the Great Fire in 1666. Here are some advanced strategies, beginner tips, common mistakes to avoid, and ways to optimize gameplay.

Advanced Strategies:

Optimize your Building Strategy: Carefully plan your city layout to maximize your benefits. Prioritize buildings that provide continuous income or reduce poverty.
Manage Your Money: Money is a limited resource. Always aim to keep a healthy reserve to be able to react to changing game conditions.
Control Poverty: Poverty can quickly accumulate and become a problem if not managed well. Use building effects, boroughs, and cards that reduce poverty.

Beginner Tips:

Understand Game Mechanics: Make sure to understand the rules and game mechanics before playing. For example, knowing when and how to draw cards, build buildings, or run your city is crucial.
Balance Your Actions: Don’t focus too much on one aspect of the game. A balanced approach between building, drawing cards, buying boroughs, and running your city often leads to success.
Use Your Cards Wisely: Every card in London has its use. Make sure to use your cards to their full potential and don’t discard them too quickly.

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

Ignoring Poverty: It’s easy to forget about poverty while focusing on other aspects of the game. However, ignoring poverty can lead to a lot of negative points at the end of the game.
Not Planning Ahead: London is a game that rewards planning. If you don’t plan your moves ahead, you might find yourself without the necessary resources when you need them.
Overbuilding: While buildings are important, overbuilding can lead to a lack of cards and therefore limit your options.

Ways to Optimize Gameplay:

Know Your Cards: Each card has its unique ability. Knowing what each card does and how it can benefit you is key to optimizing your gameplay.
Keep an Eye on Your Opponents: Paying attention to what your opponents are doing can give you an idea of what strategy they are employing and help you counter it.
Adapt Your Strategy: Don’t stick to one strategy if it’s not working. Be flexible and adapt your strategy based on the game’s progression and your opponents’ actions.