Sator Arepo Tenet Opera Rotas Quick Reference V1.
1
SETUP
1 – Each player takes the Acolyte (pawn), Gargoyle, and 8 “Liber Fidei” cards of a color.
2 – The Acolyte goes on the starting space that matches its color.
3 – Each player takes and shuffles the positioning cards (small) of his color.
4 – Each player draws 1 positioning card and places all Books in the quadrant shown.
NOTE: 2/3-players, draw 1 positioning card from the unused color(s), but place only player-colored Books.
5 – Deal Footbridge tiles face-down to each player: 1/2 of each shape for 4/2 players.
NOTE: 3-players, 1 of each shape, then 1st player takes any 1, 2nd takes 1, 3rd takes 2, 2nd takes 1, 1st takes 1.
6 – Start player is the last to say a Psalm.
7 – Going right from the last player, players take turns placing all of their Footbridges…
a) Footbridges must be face-up, must never cover other Footbridges, or go outside the white grid.
b) When placing a Footbridge on a Book space, lift Book and place on Footbridge on the same space as before.
c) Cannot place 2 Books of the same color on the same Footbridge.
d) Cannot place a Footbridge in such a way that it prevents an opponent from putting one under his Book.
e) All Books must be on Footbridges at the end of this step. Strategy is to place Books on Footbridges FIRST.
f) Footbridges do not need to connect right now, and any player may use any Footbridge.
8 – Shuffle the “Incertus Movet” cards and deal 4/5/5/6 cards to the 1st/2nd/3rd/4th players in a 4-player game.
NOTE: 3-players, deal 4/5/6 cards. 2-players, deal 4/5 cards.
9 – The rest of the Incertus Movet cards are placed as a common face-down draw deck.
10 – Each player shuffles his Liber Fidei cards and places as a face-down deck before him.
The game lasts many TURNs, until 1 player collects all 4 Books of his color.
TURN OVERVIEW Players take turns individually, in the order below, then play passes left
0) FREE ACTION: Anytime during your turn you may move your Acolyte 1 space OR move 1 Footbridge with no
Acolytes 1 space OR turn 1 Footbridge with no Acolytes 1 space 90° or 180°.
1) SPEND ACTION POINTS: You have 6 APs to spend on… (APs are shown as cogwheels on cards.)
NOTE: Unused APs are lost and not saved.
a) Swap Cards OPTIONAL
I) Spend 1 AP AND discard 2 cards to draw 1 card from Incertus Movet deck OR his Liber Fidei deck.
II) Spend 2 APs AND discard 2 cards (1 MUST be a Liber Fidei card) to search through the Incertus Movet
OR his own Liber Fidei draw pile and take 1 card. Reshuffle the deck that was searched when done.
b) Play Cards
I) Incertus Movet
a) ROTAS: Turn 1 Footbridge of the shown shape 90° or 180° around 1 pivot point of the Footbridge.
i) May pay another 2 AP to turn the same Footbridge again, but must use a different pivot point.
ii) May rotate through other Footbridges, but may never end overlapping others.
b) MOVES: Push 1 Footbridge of the shown type vertically or horizontally to an adjacent open space.
i) May change direction if doing more than 1 movement.
ii) Unlike ROTAS, other Footbridges are barriers during movement.
II) Liber Fidei: See rules for card details.
CARD NOTES: 1) Books move with Footbridges.
2) Acolytes move with Footbridges, but it costs 1 extra AP per Acolyte, but pay only once.
3) May never play 2 identical cards in a row on the same Footbridge.
4) Cannot play a card to move a Footbridge and return it back to gain movement points.
2) MOVE ACOLYTE
a) Move your Acolyte the # of spaces equal to the # of Incertus Movet cards played this turn.
I) Liber Fidei cards do not count toward movement.
II) Acolytes never move diagonally and must stay on the Footbridges.
III) May never move through an opponent’s Acolyte or Gargoyle.
IV) Passing through or landing on 1 of your Books allows you to collect it.
V) May pass through a space with an opponent’s Book, but may never end movement there or collect it.
VI) Unused movement points are lost and not saved.
3) DISCARD CARDS PLAYED: Remember to display used Liber Fidei cards. They can’t be used again.
4) DRAW CARDS: Refresh hand to 6 from either the Incertus Movet or your Liber Fidei deck.
NOTE: Max # of Liber Fidei cards allowed in hand is 3. All used Liber Fidei cards are placed face-up near player.
GAME END
The 1st player to collect his 4 Books wins!
Corrections or constructive criticisms? geekmail: ajax @ bgg William Bussick, 2008
