Troyes

2010

Experience Troyes, a captivating strategy board game! Manage your population, master domains, and manipulate opponents for fame and glory in this historical journey through the Champagne region of France.

90
minutes

1 - 4
player(s)

12+

Medium Heavy

About the game

Welcome to the captivating world of Troyes, a strategic and immersive board game that transports you right into the heart of the Middle Ages. Set in the bustling city of Troyes in Champagne, France, this game offers a compelling blend of historical sensitivity, complex strategy, and captivating gameplay that will keep you engrossed for hours on end.

The game’s theme is steeped in the rich tapestry of medieval France. As a player, you take on the role of a noble family, using your influence and wealth to shape the city’s development and earn prestige. The setting is vividly depicted through beautifully designed components and detailed artwork, which truly brings the city of Troyes to life.

Game components Unboxing the fun!

‘Troyes’ is a popular board game that includes the following components:

1. Game board: The game board is the main playing area. It depicts the city of Troyes, including its cathedral, palace, and city hall. It also features the three city gates, the activity spaces, the event track, and the dice area. Players place their meeples, workers, and resources on this board to perform various actions and strategies.

2. Dice: The game includes three sets of dice in white, red, and yellow. These dice represent the clergy, the nobility, and the commoners of the city. They are used to perform actions, combat events, and earn victory points. The number of dice a player can roll depends on the number of workers they have in each district.

3. Cards: Troyes includes two types of cards: Activity cards and Event cards. Activity cards depict various actions that players can perform on their turn. These include building, recruiting, trading, etc. Event cards represent unforeseen events that can affect all players. These can be positive (such as a festival) or negative (such as a fire).

4. Meeples: The game includes a set of meeples for each player, in their chosen color. These meeples represent the player’s workers in the city. Workers can be placed in one of the three city districts to earn dice, or in the palace to earn influence.

5. Influence tokens: Each player starts the game with a set number of influence tokens. These tokens can be spent to re-roll dice, hire workers, or manipulate the outcome of certain events. Players can earn additional influence tokens by placing workers in the palace.

6. Denier coins: Deniers are the currency of Troyes. Players start the game with a certain amount of deniers, and can earn more by performing certain actions. Deniers can be used to purchase cards, hire workers, or pay for other costs.

7. Player aids: Each player receives a player aid card that summarizes the turn order and the actions available. This is a helpful reference tool, especially for new players.

8. Rulebook: The game includes a comprehensive rulebook that explains the rules, actions, and strategies of the game in detail.

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

Troyes is a strategic board game that allows players to experience the economic, military, and civil life of the city of Troyes during the Middle Ages. Here’s a step-by-step guide to set up the game.

Step 1: Place the Game Board on the Table

Unfold the game board and place it in the center of the table, ensuring that all players can easily reach it. The game board features the city of Troyes with its different buildings, each associated with a specific action.

Step 2: Preparation of the Character Cards

Separate the character cards into three decks based on their color (yellow, red, and white). Shuffle each deck separately and place them face down on their respective spaces on the game board. Then, reveal the top card from each deck and place them face up on the leftmost empty space of their respective row.

Step 3: Assigning Player Roles

Each player chooses a color and takes all the dice, workers, and cubes of that color. In addition, each player receives a player aid card. The reverse side of this card will represent the player’s role in the game: the Bishop, the King, or the Duke.

Step 4: Set up Denier (Money) and Victory Points

Each player starts with 10 deniers (the currency in Troyes). The deniers are placed in the player’s personal supply. The victory points are set to zero at the start of the game and will be tracked on the scoring track around the edge of the game board.

Step 5: Distribute Starting Workers

Each player places a worker in each of the three buildings on their player aid card. The remaining workers form a personal supply for each player.

Step 6: Preparation of the Event Cards

Shuffle the event cards and place them face down near the game board. Draw the top four cards and place them face up in a row next to the deck. These represent the events that will occur during the first four rounds of the game.

Step 7: Random Elements

Roll three white dice and place each one on the corresponding space on the calendar track. The results will determine the order of play for the first round.

Following these steps ensures that you have correctly set up the game ‘Troyes’. Now you are ready to play!

Game flow Round and round we go

‘Troyes’ is a complex, strategy-based board game that simulates the economic, military, and civil growth of the French city Troyes during the Middle Ages. The game is played in a series of rounds, each consisting of several phases. Below is a detailed breakdown of the game structure and what actions are performed at each stage.

In the Placement Phase, players take turns to place their workers (dice) in the three major buildings – the Palace, the Bishopric, and the City Hall. The actions here include:

Palace: Players can hire additional workers or improve their influence.
Bishopric: Players can aid in the construction of the cathedral or combat events.
City Hall: Players can perform various civic duties or gain additional income.

During the Event Phase, players will have to deal with various events that can affect the gameplay. These events can be either beneficial or detrimental, and players must decide the best course of action to mitigate or take advantage of these events.

The Activity Phase is where players can perform various actions to build up their city. These actions include:

Building: Players can construct new buildings to provide additional resources or benefits.
Training: Players can train their workers to become more efficient.
Trading: Players can trade resources with other players or the bank.

In the Revenue Phase, players collect income based on their workers’ productivity and the buildings they own. The more productive the workers and the more buildings a player owns, the greater their income will be.

The game ends after a predetermined number of rounds (usually 4), and the player with the most victory points, which are earned through various actions during the game, is declared the winner.

While ‘Troyes’ is a complex game, its deep strategy and multiple paths to victory make it a rewarding and engaging experience.

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

The game of Troyes ends after a certain number of rounds, dependent on the number of players participating in the game. In a two-player game, the game ends after six rounds. For three and four players, the game ends after four and five rounds respectively.

Once the final round has ended, the game moves into the final scoring phase. It is important to note that players cannot take any additional actions once the game has entered this phase.

The victory conditions and final scoring in Troyes involve the following steps:

Tallying Victory Points: Victory points are calculated based on a variety of factors. These include:
- The number of influence points a player has left. For each unspent influence point, players earn one victory point.
- The number of citizens in the player’s personal supply. Each citizen is worth one victory point.
- The points earned from the player’s activity cards. The points vary depending on the card.
Adding Bonus Points: Bonus points are added to the tally based on the cathedral. The player with the most dice in the cathedral earns a bonus equal to the number of dice they have placed there.
Final Scoring: The points from steps 1 and 2 are added together to calculate each player’s final score. The player with the highest total is the winner. In case of a tie, the player with the most leftover money is the winner. If there is still a tie, the player who is earliest in the turn order wins.

Remember to plan your strategies carefully and make wise use of your resources to achieve the highest score and win the game of Troyes.

Scoring Did you outsmart your rivals?

In ‘Troyes’, players earn victory points (VPs) through a variety of game mechanisms. The scoring system can be complex, requiring players to plan ahead and strategize for optimal point gain. Here is a breakdown of how points are awarded:

1. Activity Cards:

Each player can earn points by completing Activity cards. The amount of VPs gained depends on the specific card and its requirements. Some cards provide immediate points, while others give points at the end of the game.

2. Event Cards:

Players can also earn points by overcoming Event cards. Each successfully managed Event card awards a specific number of VPs, as indicated on the card.

3. Character Cards:

Each player has a secret Character card that provides unique scoring opportunities. These often involve gaining points for specific sets of dice, or for achieving certain game objectives. The points are awarded at the end of the game.

4. Influence:

At the end of the game, each player earns one VP for each unused influence point they have.

5. Money:

Additionally, players earn one VP for every 10 deniers (the in-game currency) they have at the end of the game.

Tie-Breaking Rules:

In case of a tie at the end of the game, the following tie-breaking rules are applied:

The player with the most unused influence points wins.
If there is still a tie, the player with the most money (deniers) wins.
If there is still a tie, the player with the most workers in the city wins.
If there is still a tie, then all tied players share the victory.

Note: It’s important to carefully read and understand each card’s conditions and benefits as they can greatly affect your scoring strategy in ‘Troyes’.