Book of Rulebooks: Recent Episodes
Mathieu Labrosse
Welcome to the never-ending tale of the Book of Rulebooks, where you can find the audiobook version of rulebooks to your favorite board games. In each chapter, your host, Mathieu Labrosse, will read through the entire rulebook of one specific game, so you don't have to.
Dear listener, if you hear this broadcast clearly with the rules to MIND MGMT, please know that you have the psychic abilities to join the MIND MGMT. Lucky you!
Designed by Sen Foong Lim & Jay Cormier, this game has suspense, excitement and surprises like very few games do.
Timestamps
Introduction - 2:00
TRAINING MISSION RULES - 3:50
Game area setup - 3:51
Overview - 10:28
Recruiter's turn - 12:53
Rogue agent's turn - 19:14
End of round & game end - 25:10
FULL GAME RULES - 26:32
Game area setup - 26:47
Overview - 35:12
Recruiter's turn - 37:38
Rogue agent's turn - 51:18
End of round & game end - 1:03:24
THE SHIFT SYSTEM - 1:04:43
SOLO & CO-OP MODE - 1:10:39
Chapter credit
Voice, editing & music production: Mathieu Labrosse
Photography: Fannie de Lorenzi-Valente
Grow and ship tea from 18th century Sri Lanka, then called Ceylon. This pick up and deliver game is designed by Chris Zinsli and Suzane Zinsli, and published by Ludonova.
Timestamps
Game components - 1:40
Setup - 6:30
Summary and objective - 10:38
Playing & game turns - 11:28
Main actions - 14:12
Alternative actions & end of turn - 21:20
End of the game & final scoring - 23:08
2 player game & game variants - 25:57
Chapter credit
Voice, editing and music production: Mathieu Labrosse
Photography: Fannie de Lorenzi-Valente
“Even the smallest person can change the course of the future.” – Galadriel
In the War of the ring, experience the trilogy of the Lord of the Rings in board game form, in order to destroy the one ring, or conquer Middle-Earth as the Dark Lord.
Designed by Roberto Di Meglio, Marco Maggi, and Francesco Nepitello, and published by Ares Games
Timestamps
CHAPTER 1 - Introduction - 1:34
CHAPTER 2 - Game components - 6:46
CHAPTER 2 - Game board - 12:42
CHAPTER 3 - Setting up the game - 20:34
CHAPTER 4 - The game turn - 24:38
CHAPTER 4 - The action dice - 29:02
CHAPTER 5 - The event cards - 41:30
CHAPTER 6 - Armies and battles - 46:58
CHAPTER 6 - Characters - 47:32
CHAPTER 6 - Armies and stacking - 52:10
CHAPTER 6 - Recruiting troops - 54:08
CHAPTER 6 - Army movement - 57:36
CHAPTER 6 - Battle resolution - 1:02:32
CHAPTER 6 - Resolving a battle (battle steps) - 1:07:45
CHAPTER 6 - Fortifications, cities, strongholds, and sieges - 1:18:56
CHAPTER 7 - The politics of Middle-earth - 1:26:10
CHAPTER 8 - The fellowship of the ring - 1:32:42
CHAPTER 8 - The ring-bearers - 1:34:54
CHAPTER 8 - Companion character cards - 1:35:58
CHAPTER 8 - The guide of the fellowship - 1:37:26
CHAPTER 8 - The fellowship track - 1:39:20
CHAPTER 8 - Separating companions from the fellowship - 1:48:08
CHAPTER 9 - Hunt for the ring - 1:50:16
CHAPTER 9 - Hunting the fellowship - 1:53:51
CHAPTER 9 - The one ring and the quest for Mount Doom - 2:00:58
CHAPTER 10 - Winning the game - 2:06:12
CHAPTER 11 - Multiplayer rules - 2:09:26
Chapter credit
Voice, editing and music production: Mathieu Labrosse
Photography: Fannie de Lorenzi-Valente
Experience the thrill of first-person-shooter video game in a board game with Project: Elite, a game designed by Konstantinos Kokkinis, Marco Portugal and Sotirios Tsantilas, and published by CMON Global Limited and Artipia Games.
Timestamps
Game overview – 6 :04
Basic concepts – 7 :30
Game setup – 14 :44
Phases of the game – 19 :30
Event phase – 19 :59
Alien spawning phase – 21 :54
Action phase – 28 :44
Equipment – 37 :10
Line of sights, events, objectives, and end of action phase – 43:58
Alien activation phase – 47:47
End of round phase & winning or losing – 51:36
Chapter credit
Voice, editing and music production: Mathieu Labrosse
Photography: Fannie de Lorenzi-Valente
Meet the little brother of the best-selling 7 Wonders: 7 Wonders Duel, a game designed by Antoine Bauza & Bruno Cathala, and published by Repos Production.
Timestamps
Overview & object of the game – 0:46
Game elements – 2:06
Preparation – 6:10
Constructing in 7 wonders duel – 8:17
Game overview – 12:26
Military, Science & Progress – 16:38
End of game & victory – 18:10
Chapter credit
Voice, editing & music production : Mathieu Labrosse
Photography: Fannie de Lorenzi-Valente
Cheer your favorite horses to victory, and use your wallets accordingly! In Ready Set Bet, place your wagers in real-time and push your luck to beat your opponents as the race goes on.
Designed by John D. Clair and published by AEG.
Timestamps
Gameplay overview - 0:40
Setup - 2:20
Round overview & running a race - 4:42
Placing & resolving bets - 9:26
Types of bets - 11:41
Clean up, VIP cards, and game end - 15:58
Variants - 19:44
Chapter credit
Voice, editing and music production: Mathieu Labrosse
Photography: Fannie de Lorenzi-Valente
Did the thought of incarnating a tree ever occur to you? Unfortunately, it is not possible to change from a human form to a tree (yet), but, you can try it out in Photosynthesis. Designed by Hjalmar Hach and published by Blue Orange, learn the rules to this perfect information game with this audio rulebook.
Timestamps
Object of the game - 0:52
Setup - 1:14
Playing a round - 3:38
Photosynthesis phase - 4:11
Life-cycle phase - 6:08
Possible actions - 7:02
End of round & end of game - 11:29
Advanced variations - 12:48
Chapter Credit
Voice, editing and music production: Mathieu Labrosse
Photography: Fannie de Lorenzi-Valente
Too Many Bones has... too many rules? Make sure to learn all of them (or as much as possible) with its audio rulebook, now available on the Book of Rulebooks Podcast.
Designed by Josh J. Carlson and Adam Carlson. Published by Chip Theory Games.
Timestamps
Game objective & set-up – 2:38
Gameplay overview & phases – 8:02
Encounters – 11:42
Gearloc mat – 15:38
Baddie chip – 34:52
Tyrants – 40:14
Battle mat – 42:22
Battle set-up – 47:38
Gearloc turn – 53:36
Baddie turn – 58:46
Ko’s and wipes – 1:02:06
Battle results – 1:03:26
Loot & Trove loot – 1:05:04
Lockpicking – 1:06:44
Miscellaneous rules – 1:07:38
Easing into Too Many Bones – 1:14:00
Getting technical – 1:16:50
Units explained – 1:21:52
Chapter credits
Voice, editing and music production: Mathieu Labrosse
Photography: Fannie de Lorenzi-Valente
Assemble farmers, merchants, knights, monks, and more, to gain supremacy through trade, construction and science in medieval France, in Orléans, a game designed by Reiner Stockhausen and published by Capstone Games & dlp games.
Timestamps
Setup - 1:44
Goal of the game & course of play - 5:54
Actions & places - 12:04
Development track - 21:02
End of the game and scoring - 22:06
Torture - 23:50
Credits
Voice, editing & music production: Mathieu Labrosse
Photography: Fannie de Lorenzi-Valente
There can't really be more than one Monster to rule Tokyo... you better make sure you're the toughest of them all!
King of Tokyo, designed by Richard Garfield and published by Iello, now has its rulebook in audio format with the Book of Rulebook!
Timestamps
Overview and goal - 1:00
Contents & game elements - 1:28
Setup - 4:04
How to play - 5:16
End of game & clarifications - 13:31
Credit
Voice, editing and music production: Mathieu Labrosse
Photography: Fannie de Lorenzi-Valente
Learn the rules to the almost-perfect information worker placement game, Barrage, with this audio rulebook.
Designed by Tommaso Battista & Simone Luciani, and published by Cranio Creations.
Timestamps
Aim of the game - 3:12
Important concepts - 5:58
General setup - 15:42
Introductory & advanced player setup - 18:54
Income and headstreams - 22:48
Actions - 24:54
Construction action and type of structures - 26:26
Management actions - 33:18
Water flow - 45:12
Scoring - 46:12
End of round - 48:55
End of the game - 50:10
Credits
Voice, editing and music production: Mathieu Labrosse
Photography: Fannie de Lorenzi-Valente
Become the biggest train magnate in the european continent in Ticket to Ride: Europe, designed by Alan R. Moon and published by Days of Wonder.
Timestamps
Setting up the game - 1:10
Object of the game & the game turn - 3:24
Drawing train cards - 5:54
Claiming routes & route types - 8:44
Drawing destination tickets - 13:52
Building a train station - 15:28
Game end - 17:08
Chapter credit
Voice, editing and music production: Mathieu Labrosse
Photography: Fannie de Lorenzi-Valente
After a long wait, Endless Winter: Paleoamericans is finally here, and it is glorious! Take control of a tribe, guide them, and make them thrive as much as possible to win the game.
Designed by Stan Kordonskiy and published by Fantasia Games.
Timestamps
Overview - 00:22
Setup - 00:56
Playing the game - 9:34
Action phase - 12:54
Eclipse phase & preparation phase - 20:28
Action columns - 25:30
Card abilities - 33:36
Megaliths - 36:10
Idol board - 38:34
Final scoring - 40:26
Variant setup - 44:44
Modules - 46:14
Chapter credits
Voice, editing and music production: Mathieu Labrosse
Photography: Fannie de Lorenzi-Valente
Emmy always knew that the deep, dark woods surrounding her home crawled with ghosts, goblins, and zombies. But on the eve of her eighteenth birthday, she learns that she is connected to these creatures—and to the land itself—in a way she never imagined.
In Harrow County: a game of gothic conflict, take the role of the Protectors, the Family, Kammi, or even Hester in order to accomplish your goal over Harrow. In this asymmetric game, you'll try to control various areas of the game board, engage in combat, and try to further your unique goals. Harrow County is designed by Jay Cormier and Shad Miller, and published by Off the Page Games.
It is also currently funding on kickstarter! Make sure to back the project it if you want to be among the firsts to experience this gem of a game. Follow this link to go to the campaign page:
Timestamps
About this rulebook - 2:46
CHAPTER 1 (your first game with the Protectors and the Family) - 3:38
Setup - 4:08
Round overview & Phase 1 (Actions/turns) - 9:46
Abilities Mason Jar - 12:18
Wild Mason Jar - 19:24
Legend Mason Jar - 20:42
Attack Mason Jar - 27:59
Clean up (ending your turn) - 36:20
Phase 2 (scoring and round reset) - 43:23
CHAPTER 2 (your second game with more components) - 46:06
Setup - 48:08
Cards - 51:48
CHAPTER 3 (your third game everything for the Protectors and the Family) - 57:40
Setup - 58:46
Haint dial - 1:07:58
Bonus tiles - 1:08:56
During Cleanup and end of round - 1:12:24
CHAPTER 4 (Kammi) - 1:14:16
Setup - 1:15:42
Kammi Gameplay - 1:19:48
Clean up & game end - 1:25:54
CHAPTER 5 (the 3 player game with Hester) - 1:28:32
Setup - 1:31:58
Turn details - 1:33:18
Actions - 1:36:00
Clean up, interacting with Hester & game end - 1:52:14
Chapter credit
Voice, editing, and music production: Mathieu Labrosse
Chapter 11 explores the rulebook of a terrifying hidden movement game called Escape from the aliens in outer space, designed by Mario Porpora, Pietro Righi Riva, Luca Francesco Rossi, Nicolò Tedeschi and published by Santa Ragione and Opsrey Games.
Timestamps
Setup - 2:10
Object of the game - 4:14
The zones - 5:08
Game turns - 6:22
Dangerous sectors - 8:56
Attacking and devouring - 11:20
Items - 13:44
Character abilities - 18:26
Escape pods - 22:16
The end of the game - 23:22
Hungry for more? - 24:38
Chapter credit
Voice, editing and music production : Mathieu Labrosse
Photography: Fannie de Lorenzi-Valente
Discover and map out new lands in Cartographer, a flip-and-write game designed by Jordy Adan, and published by Thunderworks Games.
Timestamps
Overview - 1:06
Game setup - 1:30
How to play - 3:24
Explore phase - 3:46
Draw phase - 4:36
Check phase - 8:16
End of the season - 9:02
End of the game - 11:18
Scoring cards - 11:56
Solo mode - 12:42
Chapter credits
Voice, editing, and music production : Mathieu Labrosse
Photography : Fannie de Lorenzi-Valente
Now, this is a big one! Welcome to ISS Vanguard, a massive campaign game set in a sci-fi universe. It is designed by Michał Oracz, Krzysztof Piskorski, Paweł Samborski, Marcin Świerkot, and published by Awaken Realms. Since this is a big chapter, we recommend you only listen to certain sub-chapters, depending on your context. If you are new to ISS Vanguard and haven't completed the tutorial, go to the sub-chapter 2 (Tutorial), and if you are already familiar with the rules and have completed the tutorial, go to sub-chapter 3 (Campaign). You'll find all relevant timestamps below.
Timestamps
ISS Vanguard rulebook structure - 00:02:42
(Sub) Chapter 1 - 00:04:24
Before your first game - 00:05:24
Starting your game - 00:13:04
(SUB) CHAPTER 2 - 00:16 :34
Setup - 00:17:50
Amir’s first action (Special Action and Dice Check) - 00:31:58
Amir’s second action (Move) - 00:43:16
Second crewmember’s turn (Special Action and Rest) - 00:46:40
Continuing the tutorial (Other rules for planetary exploration) - 00:59:16
Tutorial cleanup & continuing the campaign - 1:18:34
(SUB) CHAPTER 3 - 1 :26 :10
Campaign quickstart - 1:27:14
Planetary exploration rules & possible actions - 1:35:22
Dice Checks - 1:45:20
Section Cards - 1:58:44
Crewmember ability & skills - 2:04:44
Events - 2:05:44
Time Tracks - 2:06:58
Landers & Lander Mods - 2:07:44
Equipment - 2:10:06
Danger Dice - 2:12:12
Discoveries - 2:12:38
Leads - 2:15:02
Threats - 2:17:04
Injuries - 2:18:40
Global Conditions, Missions, and Point of interest - 2:21:22
Ending planetary exploration - 2:24:00
Resetting your game & deadly space mode - 2:25:44
Chapter credit
-Voice, editing and music production : Mathieu Labrosse
-Image: Dominik Mayer, Awaken Realms
Our longest Chapter so far takes a look at the rules for Bitoku, a heavy euro game designed by Germán P. Millán and published by Devir.
Timestamps
Learning Bitoku & goal of the game - 2:34
Setup (board & player) - 4:44
Cards (Yokai, Bitoku and Vision) - 12:58
Icons, actions, resources and amulets - 21:26
Spring - 25:56
Summer - 27:32
Autumn - 39:46
Winter - 41:26
The Ascension (final scoring) - 45:16
The elements of the Forest (board areas) - 51:04
Path of Wisdom & Movement points - 53:10
The forest regions & the hills - 58:44
The inhabited areas & Buildings - 1:08:32
Kodamas and the Rock garden - 1:12:48
Mitama Spirits and Dragonflies - 1:18:20
Crystal Caves - 1:22:47
The Player Board - 1:25:04
Rise of the Tengu (solo mode) - 1:28:12
Cultural References - 1:49:30
Chapter credit
Voice, editing & music production : Mathieu Labrosse
Photography : Fannie de Lorenzi-Valente
For this next Chapter, we take a look at our first app-driven detective game: Chronicles of Crime, designed by David Cicurel and published by Lucky Duck Games.
Time Stamp
Game Objective - 1:20
Set up - 1:49
How to play - 2:40
Discovering - 4:40
Search for evidence - 6:35
Time passing - 8:08
Ending - 8:56
Chapter credit
-Voice, editing and music production: Mathieu Labrosse
-Photography: Fannie de Lorenzi-Valente
Let's jump into the next chapter with the game Smartphone Inc., an economic game designed by Ivan Lashin and published by Cosmodrome Games and Arcane Wonders.
Chapter credit
-Voice, editing and music production: Mathieu Labrosse
-Photography: Fannie de Lorenzi-Valente
Game credit
-Design: Ivan Lashin
-Project editor: Max Vereschagin
-Artist: Aleksandr Kiselev
-General director: Mikhail Pakhomov
-Art director: Viktor Zaburdaev
-Promotion: Darina Orlova, Nataliya Naboyshchikova, Katerina Schlecker
-Production director: Sergey Morozov
-Translation: Runa LLC
-Proofreader: William Niebling
Chapter 5 of the Book of Rulebooks will be one all about ants with the game Myrmes, designed by Yoann Levet and published by Ystari Games.
Chapter credit
-Voice, editing and music production: Mathieu Labrosse
-Photography: Fannie de Lorenzi-Valente
Game credit
-Design: Yoann Levet
-Artwork: Arnaud Demaegd
Your legacy is underway in Chapter 4 of the Book of Rulebooks. Legacy of Yu is a solo-only design by Shem Phillips and published by Garphill Games currently on Kickstarter. Check it out for more information: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/shem/legacy-of-yu
Chapter Credit
-Voice, editing and music production: Mathieu Labrosse
Game credit
-Designer: Shem Philips
-Artist: Sam Phillips
-Creative Writer: Benedict Hewetson*
We look up in the sky in this 3rd chapter, as we learn the rules to Wingspan, a game designed by Elizabeth Hargrave and published by Stonemaier games.
Chapter credit
-Voice, editing and music production : Mathieu Labrosse
-Photography: Fannie de Lorenzi-Valente
Game credit
-Designed by Elizabeth Hargrave
-Illustrated by Natalia Rojas, Ana Maria Martinez Jaramillo, and Beth Sobel
-Bird information comes from the All About Birds website by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology (https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/), the Audubon Guide to North American Birds (https://www.audubon.org/bird-guide), and the Sibley Field Guides to Birds of Eastern North America and Western America, by David Allen Sibley.
-Tower Rex (https://towerrex.com/) designed the birdfeeder dice tower.
-Photographic sources for the birds come from Glenn Bartley, Alan Murphy, Roman T. Brewka, Rob Palmer, and Peter Green.
-Prints of the birds and other illustrations can be found at https://nataliarojasart.com/ and https://www.anammartinez.com/
Our adventure continues in the second chapter : Under Falling Skies, a solo only game designed by Tomáš Uhlíř, and published by Czech Games Edition.
Chapter credit
Voice, editing and music production : Mathieu Labrosse
Photography: Fannie de Lorenzi-Valente
Game credit
A game by Tomáš Uhlíř
Art Direction: Filip Murmak
Artwork: Kwanchai Moryia, Petr Bohacek
Supporting Artist: Jakub Politzer, David Jablonovsky
Typesetting: Frantisek Horalek
3D Modeling: Radim Pech
Production: Vit Vodicka
Rulebook Writer: Jason Holt
Project Management: Jan Zvonicek
Project Supervisor: Petr Murmak
The first chapter of the Book of Rulebooks will go over the rules for Spirit Island, a game designed by R. Eric Reuss and published by Greater Than Games.
Chapter credit
Voice, editing and music production: Mathieu Labrosse
Photography: Fannie de Lorenzi-Valente
Game credit
Game designer: R. Eric Reuss
Developer: Ted Vessenes
Editor-in-Chief: Christopher Badell
Creative Director: Adam Rebottaro
Managing Art Director: Jennifer Closson
Graphic Design: SaRae Henderson, Darrel Louder
Cover Art: Joshua Wright
Cover Vines: Nolan N Nasser
Figure Design: Jorge Ramos
Editors: Brian Blankstein, Dylan Thurston, Ted Vessenes
Alternate Historian: Paul Bender