Horseless Carriage: Rulebook

Developer Note: Images are not available yet. They're planned for a future update.

Introduction

This year, we want the best, or nothing at all. We don’t want tradition. We want to live in the present and the only history that is worth a tinker’s damn is the history we make today.

You all know our first customer was a lunatic, and the second had a death wish. So they bought our brakeless bangers. So there were a few accidents. But the only mistake is the one from which we learn nothing. This year, customers demand safety.

Of course, active safety features include rapid acceleration for safe overtaking! I know it will be hard to add the new motorblock section to the factory. But before you say you cannot do something, try it! To every engineer, every planner, every mechanic, and every salesperson in this great company I say: If I can dream it, you can do it!

Horseless Carriage is a game about the dawn of the automobile: a time when cars were invented, and no one quite knew yet what this new contraption would look like, and what features would be essential. Early cars sometimes used levers or pedals to steer and a wheel to accelerate. Brakes were not always seen as essential; but sometimes an outside spot to take along an onboard mechanic was. This early, super innovative period occurs in the development of many new product categories.

Players are cast as aspiring industrialists trying to find out what features the public will value when buying these new, expensive, and utterly unfamiliar horseless carriages.

The game can be played with 3-5 players and takes about 3 hours or a bit longer with more players or when learning the rules. For your first game, we strongly advise using the introductory rules, even if you are an experienced strategy gamer.

Game Components and Terminology

Time Terminology

The game covers multiple years. Each year consist of 8 phases. Each phase consists either of upkeep actions or of one or multiple rounds in which players take turns. The order in which players take their turns is different per phase.

The Market Board

The main board is an abstract, strategic representation of the car market. It consists of 8×8 squares, each of which represents a market niche. There are four areas with different hatchings. These are price segments. Each segment represents a certain price point. Price markers are used to show the current price point of each segment. (As there was a lot of inflation in this period, we did not try to link these actual prices). There are four larger squares, called quadrants. Each quadrant consists of 4×4 niche squares. Quadrants are used when growing market demand. They are numbered with the Roman numerals I, II, III, IV.

Specs Axes

These are placed next to the market board to show the required specs to sell to buyers in that row or column.

Research Tracks

There are 5 research tracks. Each represents a dimension of buyer expectations: speed, reliability, design, range and safety. At any given time, two research tracks will be active; these lie next to the market board. They determine what buyers are looking for in that year. The other three research tracks will be off-board. They only influence the minimum specs on their respective dimension. (At the start of the game, there are no minimum specs yet). Each research track shows 6 technologies. These represent technological innovations that players can develop. The current state of each player’s technological prowess is indicated by their research marker on the research track. Some technologies occur multiple times, this represents ongoing technological improvement in the same component. The research track also contains an indicator showing the innovation level. This is used to determine the evolution of buyer expectations (phase 7). Each active research track is placed along one spec axis on the board. The spec axis shows the required specs to sell to buyers in a particular niche. Because a slot on the spec axis is bigger than a single niche, there are always 4 adjacent niches that require the same combination of specs.

For example, in the picture below a player will require two range and one design to sell to the market niche containing the two trucks. The market niche with the two sports cars requires three range and three design. The market niche with two normal cars requires no range and no design.

Minimum Specs

5 minimum spec indicators in cardboard. In the course of the game these will be placed on the minimum specifications spaces on the board. 5 innovation indicators in wood. These will be placed on the research tracks.

Obsolescence Marker

This is a marker that indicates which of the research tracks will go off-board next year.

Buyers And Cars

The game contains a number of wooden markers in the form of car meeples. They come in three types: normal cars, sports cars, and trucks. These markers can represent buyers or cars, depending on their position on the table. Car meeples on the market board are called buyers. Buyers are placed on a niche. Each niche has spec requirements that correspond to its position. For the active dimensions, you can read the spec from the corresponding spec axis. In addition, each buyer requires the minimum spec of each off-board dimension. Car meeples are also used to keep track of production during sales.

Brands

5 × 10 wooden brand pieces that represent players.

Factories

Each player has a factory. These consist of factory floor tiles. Each factory floor tile has a preprinted loading bay (dark hatching), with a ‘Keep clear’ zone (light hatching).

Factory Tiles

Factory tiles are placed on the factory floor tiles. There are five types: mainlines, dealerships, departments, technology stations and spec indicators.

Mainlines

Mainlines come in three types, corresponding to the three types of cars (normal cars, sports cars, and trucks). These determine the number and type of cars you can make. The assembly capacity track on the game board shows how many cars each of the player’s mainlines can construct each year.

Dealerships

Dealerships allow you to sell cars. Each dealership can position itself on the market using a market window. Every player has a maximum of three dealerships.

Departments

Departments come in three types: research, planning and marketing. They provide additional capabilities in these areas. Each player has a maximum of four marketing departments.

Technology Stations

There are 17 technology stations in the game that represent the different innovations that go into building the first cars. The stations are divided into four groups, loosely corresponding with their manufacturing step: (A) structural components; (B) essential components such as the drive train and steering column; (C) Factory options and (D) After-market options. Each technology station increases the specs along one or more dimensions of buyer expectations. The potential contributions are indicated on each station. E.g., the dashboard module can contribute to design and/or speed; it is the fourth possible innovation on the design research track and the sixth on the speed one.

Spec Indicators

To show which technologies are currently available on a technology station, spec indicators are placed pointing to that station. These correspond in manufacturing step (A, B, C, D) and show which of the possible spec contributions (design, speed, etc.) have been realized on that station. A technology station must always have at least one spec indicator.

Market Windows

Each player has a set of 9 market windows, three different sizes for each of their dealerships. They come with a protective foil on top – please remove this carefully.

Spark Markers

Spark markers are placed on the market board and generate buyer(s) each year.

Cards

Each player has a set of cards that are used to grow the market. They show a 4×4 square representing a quadrant with 16 niches, and types of cars that will be placed there. The number in the bottom left corner of each card shows from which year onwards it can be played. There are also neutral market growth cards, which are placed next to the board.

Punch Clocks

Many items show punch clock symbols; these are used to reduce the timecard marker on the punch clock track. If the marker would reach 0 on the track, flip it over instead; the game will soon finish.

The Planning Office

The planning office regulates turn order with the following tracks:

• Gantt chart track: keeps track of the amount of planning each player has accumulated.

• Focus track (top) & Historical focus track (bottom): show the current focus of players (engineering versus sales). This determines the order of play in many phases.

Assembly Capacity

Keeps track of the mainline capacity of each player.

Wealth Accumulation

Keeps track of the score of each player.

Punch Clock Track

Keeps track of how much time is left in the game.

Setup

Place the board on the table. The game will require a lot of space for each player. To save space, consider placing the board to the side of the table with the long side of the board parallel to the short side of the table. Place the spec axis markers so that both axes read ‘0 1 2 3’. Each player chooses an industrialist from those available. Give each player the player aid of that industrialist as well as the corresponding deck of 17 cards, 9 market windows, 3 dealership stations, 4 marketing departments, the wooden brand pieces, and a main factory floor tile. Randomly shuffle the research tracks. Draw the top one and place it at the bottom of the market, under the spec axis. Draw a second track and place it on the left side of the board, next to the second spec axis. Place the obsolescence marker so that it points to the bottom research track. Place a brand piece from each player on the first technology station on these research tracks. Draw the other three research tracks one by one and place them off-board, vertically adjacent to each other. On each track, place a brand piece from each player at the start spot to the left of the first technology station. Place a wooden innovation indicator on each research track between the start spot and the leftmost technology station. Put the cardboard minimum spec indicators on a pile on the table or in the box. Randomly determine the order of play of the players. Place the brand piece of the first player on the

‘1’ spot of the historical focus track, the second on the ‘2’, etc. Then place brand pieces in the opposite order on the Gantt chart track. So the last player gets 1 Gantt chart, the one-but-last player 2 Gantt charts, etc. Give each player one Research and one Planning department. They must immediately place these in their factory following the normal placement rules. Place 6 floor expansion tiles on the table for each player; return the rest to the box. Put one brand piece for each player at the start of the Assembly Capacity track. Place the timecard marker on the punch clock track with the side showing the punch clock face up. The initial position depends on the number of players, as indicated. Draw cards from the neutral card deck equal to the number of players plus one. Place buyers as shown on the cards on the matching market niche squares in quadrant I. Place the $6 price marker in the bottom left price segment. Finally, place the technology stations, mainlines and additional departments on the table. For every player colour not in the game, return a set of tiles as depicted below to the box. For the first game, we advise to take out the sports cars and trucks (see the introductory rules).

Overview

The object of the game is to make as much money as possible. This is done by selling cars from your factory to buyers on the market. Each year, the market demand will change because buyers will value different things in a car. You can sell through dealers that are placed in your factory. You make the most money by selling in a higher segment. For this, you must sell cars with good specs on the dimensions buyers currently value. The specs of your car, like most of your abilities, are determined by the stations you have built

in your factory. These stations are connected to a mainline, and the mainline in turn will connect to a dealer. What you can build in your factory is mostly limited by space, and also by your research level. By planning well, you can sometimes use research performed by others to build stations in your own factory. Turn order is important, and you will need to choose in which phase you want to have the advantage.

Research

What Happens Here?

In this phase, each player performs research; the amount of research depends on the number of research departments you have. Each player starts with one. By doing research, players can unlock certain technologies for themselves or other players. As you can use other player’s patents in some cases, it may be good to advance them rather than yourself. Research also determines how expectations advance in phase 7. Note that research does not directly influence the quality of the cars you sell. Instead, research makes stations and their specs indicators available to build in your factory. The specs indicators pointing to technology stations of a mainline determine the specs of cars built on that mainline; and these specs determine which buyers you can sell to. Each spot on a research track represents the ability to add one spec indicator to the station pictured. Two technologies with the same spec indicator are equivalent. A car with only a brake is just as safe as a car with only a window pane (both would have 1 safety; a car with both would have 2 safety).

Order Of Play

The player with the highest engineering focus goes first, followed by the other players in order of their engineering focus. On their turn, players do all of their research actions.

Perform Research

For each research department in the player’s factory, they must move one research marker forward by one step. This can be

• Their own research marker on the Assembly Capacity track or

• Any research marker on one of the other research tracks. This can be either one of their own research markers, or that of one of the other players. It is not allowed to move a research marker you have already moved a second step. However, it is legal to move a research marker another player has moved this phase if you have not moved it yourself.

Punch Clock

If a research marker reaches a field with a punch clock, move the timecard marker a step down.

Set Focus

What Happens Here?

In this phase, players set the turn order for each of the subsequent phases. They choose between being stronger in either sales or engineering. This order also influences if they can use other players’ patents this year. Players will have a stock of one or more Gantt charts at the start of this phase (these are obtained in phase 4 by having planning departments in your factory). By depleting this stock, they can force being first or last to move (or, in some cases, middle). Alternatively, they can pass to keep their stock of Gantt charts for the next year.

Order Of Play

The player with the most Gantt charts goes first, followed by the other players in order of their number of Gantt charts. In case of a tie, the tied player with the highest engineering focus goes first. Each player can act or pass once.

Preparation

At the start of this phase all the focus markers should be on the historical focus track. Move them there if you forgot to do so earlier.

Set Focus Or Pass

On their turn, a player can do either of the following:

• Place their focus marker on any of the open slots on the focus track, AND set their Gantt chart marker to 0; or

• Pass Slots with a number higher than the number of players are not available.

End Of Phase

After all players have either set their focus or passed, there may be some markers left on the historical focus track. Move these to the focus track, preserving their relative order: so, the leftmost marker on the historical focus track goes to the leftmost open slot on the focus track, the next to the next open slot, etc.

Build Factory

What Happens Here?

This phase forms the engine of the game. Players decide which technology stations to include into their factory. By building these stations, they improve the specs of their cars, creating sales opportunities to score in phase 5. Players can also build departments to increase their research and planning capabilities. Meanwhile, each action also limits future possibilities for expanding their factory.

Order Of Play

It is advised to do most of this phase concurrently, to reduce waiting times. However, if there is a conflict, the player with the highest engineering focus goes first, followed by the other players in order of their engineering focus.

Placing Tiles

Players may place any number of tiles in their factory, providing they can validly place them. Tiles that have been placed in previous years can never be moved or removed. There are different types of tiles: mainlines, dealerships, departments, technology stations and spec indicators.

Definition Of ‘Adjacent’

Adjacent means two tiles touch on at least one side of one square.

General Requirements

Each tile must comply with general requirements:

Must fit in factory A tile must be placed so that it fits fully onto the factory floorplan. It is allowed to place a tile over multiple floorplan tiles. The borders of the tile must line up with the floorplan grid. Any tiles placed must cover only black square(s) – no overlap is allowed.

Must be adjacent A tile must be adjacent to a loading bay station (printed on each factory floor tile) or to a tile previously placed. You must be able to trace a path from any tile to a loading bay without having to cross an unbuilt area.

Must be available The number of station tiles provided is limiting, if they run out, a tile can no longer be built. (In this case, order of play is of course important!)

Requirements For Specific Tiles

Mainline and dealership must be adjacent Mainlines are the core of your factory. You may build any number of them. However, each must be adjacent to at least one dealership. Conversely, each dealership must be adjacent to at least one mainline.

Marketing department must be adjacent to a dealership Marketing departments must be placed adjacent to one or more dealerships.

No additional requirements for research and planning These departments only have to comply with the general requirements above.

Requirements For Technology Stations And Spec Indicators

Technology stations have the following additional requirements:

Player must currently have technology access A player can build any technology station they have researched themselves, and any station they have access to through other player’s patents.

ACCESS THROUGH YOUR OWN RESEARCH The player’s own research is indicated by their research marker. It must be on or past the corresponding spot on one of the research tracks.

ACCESS THROUGH OTHER PLAYER’S PATENTS Depending on their engineering focus, players have access to research performed by others. The player with the highest engineering focus has access to every technology researched by anyone else. The player with the second highest engineering focus has access to every technology researched by at least two players; the third, to any researched by three others; and the fourth to any research done

by 4 players already. Other players’ patents can also be used to have access to additional spec indicators on stations already built.

Must have a mainline in manufacturing zone Technology stations and spec indicators have a hatching indicating their manufacturing step (A,B, C, D). Mainlines have four areas corresponding to these same steps. A connected area of one type of hatching forms a manufacturing zone, made up of technology stations, spec indicators and one side of (one or more) mainlines. Each mainline can be part of four different zones, one on each side. A manufacturing zone must include a mainline. It is not allowed to place technology stations or spec indicators so that they do not connect to a mainline.

Technology station must be unique in manufacturing zone A technology station must be unique in its manufacturing zone. Any placement that causes two of the same technology stations to become part of the same manufacturing zone is illegal. However, you may build multiple copies of the same station in your factory as long as they are in different manufacturing zones . Note that you must have access to the relevant research in each turn you build such a station.

Must have attached spec indicator Each technology station must have at least one adjacent spec indicator pointing at it. The player must have access to that spec indicator when placing it (you cannot, for instance, place the range indicator on an engine if you have researched the engine only on the speed track). If a player has access to multiple spec indicators belonging to the same technology station, they can choose to add all those spec indicators, but it is not obligatory to have more than one per station.

Existing stations in later years Once built, a station will keep functioning with the indicated specs, even if the player loses access to the technology in later years. However, without access to the technology the player cannot build a second station of the same type.

Upgrading stations in later years If a player has already built a technology station and in a later year has access to a spec indicator not yet added to that station, they may add the spec indicator (assuming there is a legal place to put it).

Factory Floor Expansion

After placing all stations in the existing factory, a player must place one factory floor expansion if any remain. The expansion must be placed adjacent to the existing factory, aligned with the existing square grid. In addition, it is not allowed to block the ‘Keep clear’ zones (the light line) of any of the loading bays on the existing or new factory floor plan. The areas directly bordering on these zones must remain empty table space. Although this will rarely happen, it is allowed to have loading bays go to a table area that is fully enclosed by factory tiles.

Move Focus Marker

Move the focus marker down to the historical focus track after your turn has finished.

Print Sales Brochures

What Happens Here?

This is an admin phase to process the effects of phase 3.

Order Of Play

Simultaneous. One player can execute the planning steps for everyone. There are no decisions in this phase, everything happens automatically.

Increase Amount Of Gantt Charts

For each player, increase their Gantt chart marker by the number of planning offices in their factory. For each marker that moves onto or passes the punch clock symbol move the timecard marker one step down. In the unlikely case a player reaches the end of the Gantt chart track, any excess is lost.

Publish Car Data

For each dealership placed in a factory (this year or earlier), set/update the corresponding information.

Specs Determine the specs for each of the dealers in your factory and add coloured cubes to the dealership so that they correctly represent the specs. The specs (reliability, speed, etc) are determined by the specs of the adjacent mainline. A mainline’s specs for each dimension are determined by counting the corresponding spec indicators connected to the mainline.

If there is only one adjacent mainline, the dealer’s specs are that of the mainline. If there are multiple adjacent mainlines, the dealer’s specs on each dimension are set to the lowest spec of the adjacent mainlines.

Type and volume The type (car, sports car, truck) and volume depend on the adjacent mainline(s). If there are multiple adjacent mainlines of different types, the dealer will sell each of these types. Each mainline will produce a number of cars equal to the current assembly capacity of the player.

Market stretch The market stretch of each dealer depends on the number of marketing departments next to the dealer. A dealer with no adjacent marketing departments counts as small (S); one department makes it medium (M); and two departments makes it large (L). Marketing offices that are adjacent to multiple dealers will benefit each of them. For each dealer, take the correct market window and place it on the table; leave the unused market windows in the box so the other players can immediately see your sales potential. For a small dealer, take a 2×1 window; for a medium dealer, a 2×2 window; and for a large dealer, a 3×3 window. If a dealer does not meet or exceed the minimum specs on all five dimensions, including the offboard ones, that dealer will not sell any cars this turn. No window is taken for such a dealer.

Sell, Sell, Sell!

What Happens Here?

In this phase, players sell cars and make money. In each turn, a player can sell to car buyers in one niche.

Order Of Play

The player with the highest sales focus goes first, followed by the other players in order of their sales focus. On their turn, a player must activate a dealer to sell cars in one niche square on the market board. After all players have had a turn, another round will start in the same order. Sales rounds will continue until all players have run out of sales options.

Place a Market Window

First, the player decides which dealer will sell. The dealer must meet the minimum off-board specs. If it does not meet these, there will be no sales by this dealer this year. If the market window of that dealer has not yet been placed, place it first. Each market window must be placed in such a way that no niche square inside the market window exceeds the specs of the dealer. The specs of a niche square can be read from the spec axes. The specs of the dealer are indicated on the dealer itself. It is allowed to let the window stick outside of the market board if required. The 2×1 window can be placed horizontally or vertically. The newly placed window may freely overlap partially, or completely, with any windows placed earlier; including (in later rounds) with windows placed by the same player. Once placed, a window may not be moved or rotated.

Sell Cars

A player must then sell all cars to all buyers in one of the niche squares inside of their dealer’s market window, provided they have enough capacity of the correct type. For each car sold, update the wealth accumulation track: score points corresponding to the price marker of the price segment you are selling in; trucks get +$1 bonus, and sports cars +$2. Place each car sold on your mainline to keep track of assembly capacity. You cannot sell more cars than your assembly capacity allows you to make. If you can, you must sell all the cars in the niche square you picked. If you do not have enough capacity, you must sell as many as your capacity allows. It may be that the niche square is inside two of the player’s market windows. In that case, the player must choose which of his dealers is selling; they cannot combine the capacity of the dealers. In exceptional cases, this means two dealers of the same player may sell to the same niche square on two subsequent turns.

If the same dealer can sell multiple types of cars (e.g., sports cars and normal cars) in the same niche square, players must sell them both in the same turn. It is now the next player’s turn to sell. Selling cars is obligatory if possible; passing is not allowed.

Subsequent Rounds

It is legal to first place multiple windows and then return to sell remaining cars out of earlier windows; or to first sell all cars in the first window before placing subsequent ones.

Remove Market Windows

At the end of this phase, return all market windows to their owners. Return all sold cars from the mainlines to the stock. Any remaining buyers will stay on the market board, as will the spark markers.

Finish?

What Happens Here?

Check if the game is over, and if so, determine who won.

Order Of Play

This is an admin phase, one player can manage this phase. Whoever won gets to declare victory.

Game End

The game ends if at the start of this phase, the timecard marker has already been turned over. If this has not yet happened, continue to the next phase. The game also ends in year 7, when no factory floor expansions were available to be placed in phase 3.

Victory

The winner is the player with the highest wealth. In case the total amounts are tied, of the tied players the one with the highest sales focus wins.

Advance Expectations

What Happens Here?

Buyer expectations change. One of the dimensions on the market is replaced by another one. This is an automatic process; no decisions are required. It creates a completely different market for the next year.

Order Of Play

This is an admin phase, one player can manage this phase.

Scrap The Old Dimension

Remove the research track Remove the research track lying next to the board that has the obsolescence marker pointing to it. Place it under the off-board ones. Remove the corresponding spec axis.

Increase the minimum Increase the minimum spec for this dimension by 1 by placing a the corresponding cardboard minimum spec indicator tile on the board (or, if it happens again, by turning over the spec indicator). Move the wooden innovation indicator on the research track itself one step forward. From now on, only cars that have at least this minimum spec can be sold. Point the obsolescence marker to the remaining research track next to the marketing board.

Introduce The New Dimension

The new dimension is chosen from the off-board research tracks (excluding the one that was just removed). The research track with the most innovation is placed on the empty board axis.

Determine the new dimension Innovation is measured by looking at the research markers ahead of the innovation indicator. Each research 1 space ahead of the innovation indicator gives 1 innovation, each in the next space 2, etc. In case of a tie, of the tied research tracks the one with a research marker furthest to the right of the innovation indicator is most innovative; if this is also tied, the top research track is the most innovative.

Place the research track Place the chosen research track on the empty axis of the board. Place the correct spec axis tile next to it. The spec axis should start with the minimum spec of the new dimension—the first time, it will be ‘0 1 2 3’; if a dimension makes a comeback, it will increase to ‘1 2 3 4’, etc.

Grow Demand

What Happens Here?

Players play a card to influence the growth of demand. Demand grows. Cards are then drawn to add a few spontaneous buyers.

Order Of Play

This phase consists of two subphases. First, each player plays a card in order of engineering focus. One player then processes the market growth.

Play Market Demand Cards

In order of engineering focus, each player plays one card next to one of the four quadrants, face down. Cards show a number in the bottom left corner; this shows from which year onward the card may be played. In other words, a card may only be played if the player has at least that many factory expansions. Once played, cards are discarded and never return to the player’s hand.

Place Sparks

One player now seeds the market with new sparks. Quadrant by quadrant (in order I, II, III, IV), turn open the cards that were just played (if any), and orient them appropriately. Place a spark marker of the correct car type in the niche square indicated on the card. A niche square can hold any number of spark markers; the markers can be reversed to show two sparks of the relevant type. For each card showing one or more punch clocks, reduce the timecard marker by that many steps down. The cards are then taken out of play.

Sparks Generate Buyers

Each spark marker now generates one buyer (wooden car meeple) of the corresponding type up to a maximum of 2 buyers per spark marker of that type on the niche square. For example, if a niche square has 2 sport car sparks, add 2 sports cars if there are 0, 1 or 2 initially; 1 if there are 3; and none if there are 4.

Neutral Cards Generate Buyers

Additional ‘spontaneous’ buyers are placed by drawing neutral cards. Note that these directly generate buyers, not sparks! Draw a card and place a buyer (of the correct type) in the indicated niche square in quadrant II. Draw another card and place a buyer in the indicated niche square in quadrant III. Finally, draw neutral cards equal to the number of players minus 2 and place buyers on each of the indicated niche squares in quadrant I. Neutral buyers are not limited by the spark marker maximum. After placing all buyers, put all the neutral cards back into one deck and shuffle.

Set Prices

After all new buyers have been placed, adjust the price points for each segment. Start with the top right segment and work your way down to the bottom left. The highest segment containing any buyers will get the $6 marker; the next highest segment with buyers gets the next highest price, and so on. Segments with no buyers are skipped (thus making segments below them more valuable).

Introductory Rules

Take out all cards depicting any trucks or sports The trucks and sports cars meeples and sparks can cars (including the neutral market growth card). remain in the box; they will not be used. Each player should have 8 cards remaining. Each mainline you build will produce normal cars (even the bigger mainlines depicting trucks or sports cars).

Note on Strategy

• Don’t try to sell all types of cars at once.

• Smartly use your technology stations by connecting them to multiple mainlines.

• Consider how much Research and planning departments you’ll need.

• Trucks and sports cars both get bonus dollars, and may have less competition.

• Don’t build stations you don’t immediately need, and can be built later.

• Consider using your cards offensively to drop prices for your opponents.

• Quadrant IV is hard to reach, but always gets the highest prices.