Gamehelpsteamworks

Overview

Steam Works is a worker placement game in which you are an inventor of ingenious devices, competing for the favour of Her Majesty Queen Victoria. Over the course of the game you will take components from the conveyor belts on the main board, and combine them with power sources to manufacture Devices which function as action spaces for all players. You gain prestige points when an opponent uses a device you manufactured, and from activating certain certain components, and for the components in devices you own.

Each player takes one persona board (these can be distributed randomly, or drafted in reverse order of play), and elects to play side A or B. The side A of all boards have different starting resources but the same action spaces available, while side B of each board also has differing action spaces and some special rules.

Each turn, you place one mechanic on an unoccupied action space (one on your own persona board, or on a power source in any built device). The cost to place a mechanic is printed below that mechanic's space on the persona board; if you cannot (or do not wish to) pay that cost, you may instead pass with that worker and collect that cost.

When all players have placed all their mechanics, the round ends. All workers return to their owner's persona board, the conveyor belts fill up, and the first player marker advances. If the current age's clock tokens have all been awarded, then the next Age opens: each player gains a worker, and a new supply of more powerful tiles becomes available. At the end of Age III the game is over and the player who has the most prestige is declared the winner. (Ties are decided by the most leftover money, sources and components combined).

Action Spaces

The action spaces on side A of the persona board have the following effects:

1. Take the rightmost tile of any conveyor belt.
2. Take a basic power source of your choice.
3. Manufacture a device containing exactly two tiles from your hand.
4. Activate one power source in a device you have already built, without placing a worker on it.

A manufactured device must contain at least one source, and at least one component. A source and a component are connected when the source provides at least one type of power that the component accepts. Invalid connections are allowed to exist in your device but every tile is required to have at least one valid connection.

When a mechanic is placed on the power source of a built device, every component connected to it may be activated in the order of the player's choice. Some components have different effects depending on whether they are supplied with clockwork, steam or electrickal power - if the source is capable of providing more than one of these, you have the choice of which effect is applied.

Age I components

Collecting Resources

When you activate the Condenser you may take two basic sources of whichever type of power is supplying the Condenser.

When you activate the Innovation Turbine you may take a tile from an unlocked supply deck, or pay £1 to choose one tile from two revealed.

When you activate the Librarifier you may take any component from the Age I conveyor belts if powered by Clockwork, from the Age II belt if powered by Steam, or the Age III belt if powered by Electrickal.

When you activate the Miscellanerie you take 2 coins and a basic power source of your choice. If an opponent owns the device, they get one basic source of the same type.

When you activate the Monetiser you collect 3 coins.

When you activate the Scroll Rack' you may take any component from the conveyor belts, paying some coins depending on where it is located.

Building Devices

When you activate the Manufacturer you may use sources and components from your hand to build a new device, of exactly size 2/3/4 when the Manufacturer is powered by Clockwork/Steam/Electrickal respectively (though it does not have to be the same shape as the examples on the Manufacturer tile).

When you activate the Sourcer you may select a basic source from the supplies and add it to any device on the table. (It must be a legal connection). If the device containing the Sourcer is owned by an opponent, they get a coin.

When you activate the Upgrader you may select any source or component from your hand and add it to any device on the table. (It must be a legal connection).

Other Effects

When you activate the Alarm Chronometer' you advance the start player marker, once for free, and again for each £1 spent. (Remember it will still advance once more at the end of the round).

When you activate the Distiller you may discard one source from your hand to gain £5.

Age II components

Collecting Resources

The Amplicondenser works like the Condenser, but you take three sources when you activate it. If the device is owned by an opponent, they get one too.

When you activate the Resonator

Building Devices

When you activate the Insta-factor

Powering Devices

ElectroClock, ElectroSteam and SteamWork sources supply your choice of two power types in each direction.

The Iterator is placed adjacent to another component (and may be rotated to fit your device). Immediately after that component is activated, you may activate it once again with the same power input.

The Power Converter is placed between a source and up to three other components (and may be rotated to fit your device).

Earning Prestige

When you activate the Anthem Organ

When you activate the Patriotic Haiku Generator

When you activate the Statue Sculptifier

Other Effects

When you activate the Automaton

Age III components

Collecting Resources

When you activate the Ubiquity Conveyor

Building Devices

When you activate the Expander

Powering Devices

The Iteration Gears supplies clockwork power in each direction. After the device has been activated once, it is immediately activated again.

The Universal Source

Earning Prestige

Chrome has no activation effect, However when built in a device it is worth 2 Prestige points rather than the usual 1.

Crescendo Organ works similarly to the Anthem Organ, but you may trade two sources for 2 Prestige or three sources for 3 Prestige.

When you activate the Inflater

When you activate Ornament Grinder

When you activate Patriotic Sonnet Generator