Rococo

2013

Step into the Rococo era with Rococo board game! Manage a dressmaking business, hire employees, and orchestrate the most prestigious ball. Earn prestige to win!

120
minutes

2 - 5
player(s)

12+

Medium Heavy

About the game

Rococo is an enchanting board game that invites you to step back in time, immersing players in the opulent grandeur of the 18th century. The setting is an illustrious ball in the time of Louis XV. As players, you are esteemed tailors, crafting the finest garments for the high society attendees of the grand event.

Every stitch and sequin is a strategic move, as you vie for prestige and recognition. The core mechanics of the game are deck-building and area control, offering a unique blend of strategic depth and thematic immersion. Each decision you make, from hiring staff to acquiring resources, contributes to your overall strategy.

Game components Unboxing the fun!

In the board game ‘Rococo’, a variety of components are included to help players navigate through the game’s intricate world of haute couture. These components each have their own unique purpose and interaction within the game.

1. Game Board: The game board is the main component of the game where all the action happens. It depicts the grand ballroom where the festivities of the game take place. It also includes spaces for cards, resources, and dresses.

2. Player Boards: There are five player boards included in the game. Each player takes one at the beginning of the game to keep track of their resources and employees.

3. Garment Tiles: These tiles represent the dresses and coats that players can make during the game. There are different types of garments with different values.

4. Lace and Thread Markers: These markers are used to keep track of the players’ lace and thread resources, which are necessary to create garments.

5. Employee Cards: These cards represent the employees that players can hire during the game. Each employee has different abilities and costs associated with them.

Masters can do everything: they can make dresses, hire new employees, and acquire resources. They can also utilize the special abilities of some locations on the board.
Journeymen have fewer abilities than Masters, but they can still make dresses and acquire resources.
Apprentices are limited in their abilities, but they are cheaper to hire and can still perform basic tasks like acquiring resources.

6. Prestige Point Tokens: These tokens are used to keep track of players’ prestige points, which are one of the main victory conditions of the game.

7. Money Tokens: These tokens represent the currency of the game. Players use money to hire employees, acquire resources, and make garments.

8. Resource Tokens: These tokens represent the different types of resources that players can acquire during the game. There are different types of resource tokens, including lace, thread, and silk.

9. Decoration Tiles: These tiles allow players to decorate the ballroom, which can earn them additional prestige points.

10. Favor Cards: These cards can provide players with various advantages during the game, such as additional resources, prestige points, or special abilities.

11. Starting Player Marker: This marker is used to determine who starts each round of the game.

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

Rococo is a strategic board game set in the Rococo era, where players take on the roles of dressmakers. The game involves managing resources, hiring staff, and making dresses to earn prestige points. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to set up the game:

Step 1: Set Up the Board

Spread out the game board in the middle of the table. The game board represents the palace where the grand ball is taking place, with different rooms that players can place their dresses in.

Step 2: Arrange Building Tiles

Shuffle the building tiles, then place three face up next to the game board. Stack the remaining tiles face down. The building tiles represent additional abilities that players can use during the game.

Step 3: Prepare the Resource Market

Sort the resource cards by color and form five face-up stacks in the market area of the game board. The resource cards represent the materials needed to make dresses, such as silk and lace.

Step 4: Prepare the Dress Market

Shuffle the dress cards, then place five face up next to the game board. The dress cards represent the designs that players can create.

Step 5: Set Up the Player Pieces

Each player chooses a color and takes the matching player pieces. These consist of five employees (3 apprentices, 1 journeyman, 1 master), a scoring marker, and a player board. Place the scoring markers on the starting space of the prestige point track on the game board.

Step 6: Initial Resources

Each player starts with 15 livres (the currency in the game), 1 lace, and 1 thread. These resources are placed on their respective spaces on the player board.

Step 7: Prepare the Employee Deck

Each player shuffles their employee cards and places them face down as a draw pile next to their player board. Three cards are drawn to form their initial hand.

Step 8: Random Elements

There are a few random elements in the game. The building tiles, resource cards, and dress cards are shuffled and placed face down, with a few flipped face up at the beginning of the game. This means that the available options can change from game to game.

Step 9: Determine the First Player

The youngest player goes first. Give this player the starting player token. Play proceeds clockwise.

Once the setup is complete, you’re ready to begin the game. Remember, the goal of Rococo is to earn the most prestige points by making the most beautiful dresses and contributing to the decoration of the palace!

Game flow Round and round we go

The game of ‘Rococo’ is a board game that explores the grandeur of the Rococo era in 18th-century France. The players take on the roles of master tailors who are striving to meet the fashion demands of the era. The game unfolds over 7 rounds, each with multiple phases. These phases include: acquiring resources, making dresses, hiring employees, decorating the palace, and scoring points.

Phase 1: Acquire Resources

In this first phase, players acquire the resources they need to make dresses. Resources are drawn randomly from a bag and include fabric, lace, and thread. Players can choose to take a limited number of resources each turn.

Phase 2: Make Dresses

Once players have acquired their resources, they can then use them to make dresses. Dresses require specific combinations of fabric, lace, and thread, and players must have the correct resources to make each dress. Once a dress is completed, it can be sold for profit or used to decorate the palace.

Phase 3: Hire Employees

After making dresses, players can choose to hire new employees. Employees come in three types: apprentices, journeymen, and masters. Each type of employee provides different benefits and abilities to the player, and the cost to hire an employee varies based on their type.

Phase 4: Decorate the Palace

In the fourth phase, players can use their completed dresses to decorate the palace. The palace is divided into several different rooms, each requiring a different type of dress. By decorating a room with a dress, a player can gain prestige points.

Phase 5: Scoring Points

Finally, at the end of each round, points are scored. Points are awarded based on the number of dresses a player has sold, the rooms they have decorated in the palace, and the employees they have hired. The player with the most points after seven rounds is declared the winner.

Phase 1: Players acquire fabric, lace, and thread from the resource bag.
Phase 2: Players use their resources to make dresses.
Phase 3: Players can hire new employees to gain benefits and abilities.
Phase 4: Players use their dresses to decorate the palace and gain prestige points.
Phase 5: Points are scored based on dresses sold, rooms decorated, and employees hired.

After seven rounds of play, the player with the most points is declared the winner of ‘Rococo’.

Players'turn One turn to rule them all

Rococo is a tactical board game that involves managing a team of tailors to create the most beautiful dresses in the late 18th-century Royal palace. A player’s turn during a game of Rococo involves numerous possible actions and strategic choices. Here’s an in-depth breakdown of what these entail:

1. Draw three cards:

At the beginning of each round, a player draws three employee cards from their personal deck. The type of employee you draw (whether a master, journeyman, or apprentice) determines the actions you can perform during your turn.

2. Play a card & perform an action:

Players then take turns playing one card from their hand and performing an action associated with the type of employee on the card:

Master: Can perform all types of actions.
Journeyman: Can do everything apart from upgrading the player’s workshop.
Apprentice: Can only make a dress, hire a new employee, or acquire resources.

The possible actions you can perform include:

Acquire Resources: You can choose to collect lace or thread, essential resources for making dresses.
Make a Dress: Using the resources you have collected, you can create a dress. The dress can be sold for money or rented out for victory points.
Hire a New Employee: You can add a new employee to your deck, which will provide you with more actions in future rounds.
Upgrade your Workshop: Upgrading your workshop allows you to hold more resources and provides additional benefits, such as extra income or victory points.
Fund a Decoration: Funding decorations for the ball earns you immediate victory points and can also provide ongoing benefits.
Claim the Queen’s Favor: This action provides you with a one-time bonus and gives you the first player token for the next round.

3. End of Turn:

Once all players have played all their cards and performed their actions, the round ends. Any unsold dresses are moved to the sales rack and new dresses and employees are added to the market.

Your strategic choices during your turn can significantly shape the course of the game. For instance, focusing on making high-quality dresses can earn you a lot of money, but investing in hiring new employees or upgrading your workshop can provide long-term benefits and allow you to perform more actions in future rounds. Every decision impacts your strategy and the outcome of the game.

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

The game of Rococo ends after the last round, which occurs when all the cards from the employee deck have been used and each player has had an equal number of turns. This usually happens after the seventh round of play.

When it comes to victory conditions, Rococo is a game of strategic management and resource allocation. The winner is the player who has the most victory points at the end of the game. These points can be earned in a variety of ways throughout the game:

Victory Points from Prestige Points: Players can earn victory points based on the prestige points they have accumulated throughout the game. Prestige points are primarily earned by completing orders and renting out dresses.
Victory Points from Decoration: Decorating the ballroom also rewards players with victory points. The player who contributes the most to the decoration of the ballroom receives additional points.
Victory Points from Majorities: Majorities in certain areas of the board can also earn players victory points.
Victory Points from Bonus Tiles: Players can also gain victory points from bonus tiles they have collected during the game. These tiles provide bonus points for achieving certain objectives.

Before final scoring, players must ensure that all their actions for the final round have been completed. This includes hiring employees, acquiring resources, making and renting dresses, and decorating the ballroom. Players should also double-check that they have properly tracked their prestige points and bonus tiles throughout the game.

After the final round, players add up their victory points from all sources. The player with the most victory points is declared the winner. In the case of a tie, the player with the most leftover money is the winner. If there is still a tie, the player who is first in the player order wins.

Scoring Did you outsmart your rivals?

Rococo is an engaging board game where players are competing tailors who must create the most beautiful and elegant dresses for a grand ball. Scoring in Rococo is a multifaceted process, and the player who amasses the most points wins the game. Here’s a detailed breakdown of how points are awarded and the tie-breaking rules:

Players earn points in the following ways:

Dresses: Players earn points for each dress they make. The points vary depending on the type and location of the dress. For example, a player earns 5 points for a dress in the ballroom, 3 points for a dress in the terrace, and 2 points for a dress in the master’s hall.
Decoration Items: Players can also earn points by buying decoration items. Each decoration item has a specific point value, which is added to the player’s score.
Master Craftsman: The player who hires the most Master Craftsmen receives 5 points. If there’s a tie for this, all tied players receive 5 points.
Statues: Players earn 3 points for each statue they have.
Completed Sets: Players earn 10 points for each complete set of dresses (one in each of the three locations).

After all points are tallied, if there’s a tie, the tie-breaking rules are applied:

The player who used the fewest employees during the game wins the tie.
If there’s still a tie, the player with the most leftover resources (lace and thread) wins.
If there’s still a tie, the player with the most leftover money wins.

These rules ensure a diverse range of strategic options for players, adding depth and replayability to the game of Rococo.

Particular Cases and Exceptions Wait… is that legal?

‘Rococo’ is a strategic board game that requires careful planning and a keen eye for detail. While the basic rules are straightforward, there are some rare or special rules, exceptions, and important rule clarifications that are worth noting for a smooth gaming experience.

1. Employee cards:

Master cards: Unlike other employee cards, Master cards can perform any action. It’s crucial to remember that you cannot use a Master card to perform an action that has already been taken in the same round.
Journeyman cards: These cards cannot be used for hiring new employees. This is a common point of confusion among players.

2. Dressmaking:

When a player selects the ‘Make a dress’ action, a few specific rules come into play:

The selected garment must match the fabric color of the dress tile.
The player must have an employee available with a rank equal to or higher than the dress tile.

3. Decoration:

Decorating the hall is an important aspect of the game, but it does come with its own set of rules:

Only Master and Journeyman cards can be used for decoration.
A player can decorate the same hall more than once.

4. End of the Game:

The game ends after the seventh round or when all garment tiles have been placed on the game board. This can sometimes happen earlier than expected, so it’s important to plan strategically.

5. Scoring:

Scoring in ‘Rococo’ can be complex due to the various elements to consider:

Each player scores points for the total value of their collected prestige points.
Additional points are awarded for garments on the three mannequins, for decorations, and for remaining resources.
Lastly, the player with the most leftover money scores additional points.

Understanding these special rules and exceptions in ‘Rococo’ can help players develop more strategic gameplay and ultimately enhance their gaming experience.

Tips and tricks Play smarter, not harder!

Rococo presents a strategic challenge that is both engaging and complex. Throughout the game, players manage resources, plan ahead, and balance multiple objectives to build the most prestigious and elegant dresses for a grand ball. Here are some key tips, strategies, and common mistakes to avoid to optimize your gameplay.

Advanced Strategies:

Efficiency is key: Focus on getting the most value out of each action. For example, when creating dresses, try to use as few resources as possible to maximize your return.
Master the Trade: Trading is a crucial part of Rococo. Mastering the timing and selection of your trades can give you a significant advantage.
Plan Ahead: It’s not enough to just react to the current round. Successful players anticipate what resources and actions will be available in future rounds and plan accordingly.

Beginner Tips:

Learn the Basic Rules: Before you start playing, make sure you understand the basic rules of Rococo. This includes knowing how to create dresses, how to use your employees, and how scoring works.
Start Small: In the early stages of the game, focus on completing smaller tasks. This will help you accumulate resources and gain momentum for later rounds.
Experiment: Try out different strategies to see what works best for you. Rococo offers a lot of strategic depth, so don’t be afraid to experiment and find your own way to victory.

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

Overcommitting: It’s easy to get carried away and commit too many resources to a single task. This can leave you vulnerable in later rounds when you might need those resources for something else.
Neglecting Your Employees: Your employees are a valuable resource in Rococo. Neglecting to use them effectively can put you at a disadvantage.
Ignoring the Competition: Rococo is a competitive game. Pay attention to what your opponents are doing and adjust your strategy accordingly.

Ways to Optimize Gameplay:

Balance Your Resources: Try to maintain a healthy balance of resources. This will give you more flexibility and allow you to respond to changing circumstances.
Use Your Employees Wisely: Each employee has unique abilities. Use these abilities strategically to gain an edge over your opponents.
Adapt to the Game: No two games of Rococo are exactly the same. Adapt your strategy based on the current game state and the actions of your opponents.