Instruction Manual Web
User Manual:
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Page Count: 13
In a metal-riveted palace, covered in a heavy
layer of coal dust, lies the Steam Court. Steam
Court is a 1–12 player card game with elements
of traditional trick taking, character-based
abilities, and various victory conditions.
Tasked with the upkeep of the court’s mechanical
devices, players try to catch the eye of the Queen
and her Courtiers by displaying their mechani-
cal prowess. Using their numbered gear cards,
players try to win tricks and be the rst to play all
their cards. e Queen rewards such displays of
skill by snatching up the most successful Engi-
neer as her own. Can you engineer your way into
the Queen’s good graces and come out on top of
the social ladder? Or will you be stuck assisting
the Tea Boy and suering his incessant whining?
The Goal
Prove that you are the most skilled engineer by
collecting the highest sum of gear tokens by the
end of the fourth Quarter. Gear tokens are awarded
based on the order in which players get rid of all
the cards in their hand. By utilizing the privileges
granted to you by the Royals and Renegades, you
can astound the court and take your rightful place
next to her Royal Majesty the Queen.
Contents
12 Character cards
2 Decks of cards containing:
6 of each gear card 1–12
3 Masterstroke cards
3 Multiplier cards
3 3/9 cards
3 6/12 cards
2 Playmats
24 Gear tokens (1–6)
12 Starting tokens
Instruction manual
12
Game Setup
2–6 Players (see p. 13 for other variations)
Set out character cards according to the diagram on the following
page (for fewer than 6 players refer to p. 21).
Gather the four sets of gear tokens corresponding to the number of
players (e.g. 5 players would use gears 1–5). Stack each set of gear
tokens from highest on top to lowest and place one stack on each
Quarter space on the playmat.
Shue and deal one deck of cards into equal hands for each player
plus an extra hand called the “Court Hand.” If the cards do not deal
evenly, place the extra cards in the Court Hand.
Finally, players randomly draw start tokens to determine seating. Play-
ers should sit behind the character card with corresponding number
on it. Players should keep their start token for end-of-game scoring.
Queen
General Duke
Time
Traveler
Tea Boy Jester
2
2
2
2
2
2
3
1
23
4
56
4
Winning the Trick: e trick (or “machine”)
is nished once everyone has passed. Whoever
played the highest card(s) wins the trick. e
Tea Boy clears the cards and puts them in a
discard pile, and everyone turns their character
card back to the active side. e winner leads
o the next trick.
End of Quarter: When a player gets rid of
all his cards, he takes the highest-point gear
token remaining on the stack of tokens for that
Quarter. Play continues around the table on that
trick until everyone has passed. If no higher
cards were played, the player to the le of the
player who went out starts the next trick. Game
play continues until only one player is le with
cards. at player takes the last (lowest-point)
gear token, and the Quarter ends.
Tokens: Tokens represent points that the
engineers win depending on the order they
go out. e rst player out takes the highest
number token and so on until the last player
takes the 1-point token. is last token has a
special power on the back that the player can
use at any time. Keep the token number-side
up until the power is used and then ip it over.
e player does not sacrice the victory point
for using the power.
Starting a New Quarter: Before the next Quar-
ter begins, players leave their current seats and
character cards and reseat based on the order in
which they went out. e player who went out
rst becomes the preeminent player at the table
for the next Quarter. (e.g. e Duke got rid of
his cards rst and takes over as the Queen).
Aer the players have reseated, the cards are
shued and dealt for the 2nd Quarter. Once
again, players exercise their Beginning of
Quarter privileges starting with the Queen.
Aer the privileges have been exercised, the
new Queen begins the Quarter by leading the
rst trick. Play proceeds in a similar fashion
for the 3rd and 4th Quarters.
End of 4th Quarter: At the end of the 4th
Quarter, players add up their starting character
token and the four gear tokens they collected.
Whoever has the highest total has proven to be
the most skillful engineer and wins the game!
Game Play
Privileges: Starting with the Queen and going
clockwise, players use any Beginning of Quarter
special privileges listed on their character card.
First Trick: e Queen starts the rst trick by laying
any quantity of cards with the same value (e.g. three
2s). e card quantity for the trick has been set. Subse-
quent players must play the same quantity of matching
cards but of increasing value (e.g. three 3s -> three 5s).
Each player is trying to beat the previous player’s cards.
Passing: A player who can’t play (or chooses not to)
passes by turning his character card over to the “Pass”
side and sits out for the rest of the trick. Play proceeds
around and around the table with players continuing
to lay cards until everyone passes.
56
Explanation of
Cards and Tokens
e Masterstroke card beats all other
cards. As soon as a Masterstroke card is
played, it ends the trick (you cannot beat a
Masterstroke with another Masterstroke).
If you are dealt three Masterstroke cards,
you can pull a coup and seize the throne! You im-
mediately move to the Queen’s seat, and as necessary
other players move down one seat. e cards are
reshued, dealt, and then the Quarter restarts.
A Multiplier card (X) can be played
with one or more of the same num-
bered card(s). e player announces
the number of times the card(s) will
be multiplied (a 2 card and a Multi-
plier could equal two 2s, three 2s, eight 2s, inn-
ity 2s.). A Multiplier can be played as a multiple
of one (played with a 2 card as 2 x 1=2). It can
also be played by itself, but it will equal a single
1 card.
e 3/9 cards can be played as either
a 3 or as a 9 (whichever the player
determines to be most valuable to
his hand).
e 6/12 cards can be played as
either a 6 or as a 12 (whichever
the player determines to be
most valuable to his hand).
M
M
x
x
3
9
3
9
6
1
2
6
1
2
Each 1-point gear token has a special ability that can be
used one time by the player who received it (the lowliest
player needs all the help he can get). He may use the to-
ken at any time, and keeps the token aer it is played for
scoring at the end. Tip: keeping the token number-side
up before use and ipping it to the text side aer it has
been used is a good way to keep track.
e Unpass token allows a player who has already passed
to “unpass” and play a card(s). He should use this token
when it would normally be his turn (before the player to
his le has played any cards).
e Discard two cards token allows a player to discard
two of his numbered gear cards once during the game.
1
1
2
2
3
3
4
4
5
5
6
6
7
7
8
8
9
9
1
0
1
0
11
11
1
2
1
2
78
Characters
Each character has a special privilege listed on the
bottom of their card. Some privileges are exercised
aer the cards are dealt, but before the rst cards
are played . ese Beginning of Quarter privileges
are exercised in number order from the preeminent
character to the most inferior.
1. e Queen
Her Royal Majesty the Queen presides
over the court from her gear encrusted
throne. Nothing escapes her shrewd
gaze or her iron st. e Queen grants
her engineer the ability to bestow one
undesirable card on any player at the table. e
Queen’s Engineer also begins play each Quarter.
2. e General
Second only to the Queen, the
General commands respect and
obedience. e General’s Engi-
neer may give one of his unde-
sirable cards to any other player
at the table besides the Queen. Once during
the Quarter, he may stop any player from
laying a card/set (except for a lead card). e
player does not forfeit the trick, but must wait
until play goes all the way around the table
before laying another card.
3. e Duke
e Duke smiles and bows
before the Queen, all the while
using his connections to increase
his power and inuence. e
Duke’s Engineer needs to only match the
previously laid card/set. He does not have
to play higher valued cards. ree 4s
three 4s.
4. e Time Traveler
Past, present, futurethey
all blend into one for a time
traveler. e Time Traveler’s
Engineer has the unique abil-
ity to learn from his mistakes.
Once during the Quarter, aer losing a trick,
he may retrieve the last card/set he played
during that trick.
5. e Jester
He entertains the Court with tricks and
jokes, but the Jester’s true skill is the art of
distraction. e Jester’s Engineer may un-
pass once during the Quarter. He may also
trick the other Engineers one time by play-
ing a single card as though it were a set of 2.
6. e Tea Boy
e Tea Boy hides his sneer by bending low
over the steaming silver pot. At the begin-
ning of the Quarter, the Tea Boy’s Engineer
must give his two highest numbered cards
(not special cards) to the preeminent player
at the table. Aer serving his best, he may
decide to trade his hand with the Court Hand (before
looking at it). He must keep any cards given to him by
other Engineers. e Tea Boy’s Engineer is also respon-
sible for shuing and dealing the cards for the Quarter
and for clearing the gears aer each machine is complete.
9
10
The Royals
9
7. e Submariner
e Submariner spends little
time on land. He is much more
comfortable sealed in a metal
can under the sea. e Subma-
riner grants his Engineer the
ability to dive into the Court Hand or discard
pile. Once during the Quarter, he may reveal
a numbered card from his hand, shue the
pile, and then pull out that many cards. He
must keep at least half of the cards he draws.
8. e Inspector
No secret or scheme can remain
hidden from the Inspector. He’s
a master of tracking down clues
and solving mysteries. e In-
spector’s Engineer may seek out
information by looking at the Court Hand and
the hand of one other Engineer.
9. e Alchemist
e Alchemist rarely emerges from
his laboratory. He has no use for
politics and court intrigue when
he is on the verge of unlocking
the mysteries of the universe. e
Alchemist’s Engineer may transmute one thing
into another. He may lower the value of any of
his numbered cards by exactly two digits.
10. e Pirate
Whether sailing on the high seas,
navigating through the skies, or
wending her way through city
streets, the Pirate has a swagger
that can’t be ignored. Once per Quarter, the Pirate grants her Engineer the ability
to steal a numbered card from the play pile (the machine) before the Vagabond
clears the cards (this doesnt aect the previously played cards).
11. e Plague Doctor
Mysterious and grave, the Plague Doctor lurks in the shadows. Is
he a good shepherd or a bringer of death? e Plague Doctor grants
his Engineer the ability to walk among the dead. His Engineer may
shue the discard pile and randomly draw four cards. He must
keep at least two of the drawn cards.
12. e Vagabond
With nothing to his name except the oversized pack on his back, the
Vagabond is a wandering marauder. At the beginning of the Quar-
ter, the Vagabond’s Engineer must give his two highest numbered
cards (not special cards) to another Engineer at the table. If he
wishes, he may hoard the entire Court Hand and add it to his hand.
As the lowliest Engineer at the table, he also clears the cards aer each trick.
11 12
The Renegades
Variations
712 PLAYERS (Party Variant)
Set up a Royal Table and a Renegade Table
according to the diagram (see p. 4 for Royal
Table diagram).
Each table will play independently with its own
deck of cards and playmat. Each player randomly
draws a start token and then sits by the character
card with the corresponding number.
e rest of setup and play is the same as the 26
player game except for the following changes.
Tokens
Only one set of gear tokens (the starting tokens) will be
used. At the beginning of each Quarter, stack the tokens
for each table from lowest number on top to highest on
bottom. When a player goes out, he takes the top token
from the stack. At the end of each Quarter, players reseat
based on the tokens they collected (the order players went
out). All tokens are then re-stacked for the next Quarter.
Promotion and Demotion
At the end of each Quarter, the last two players at the
Royal table to get rid of their cards are banished to the
Renegade table. e second-to-last player takes the
Submariner’s seat (character 7) and the last player moves
to the Inspector’s seat (character 8). e reverse is true for
the Renegades. e rst two Engineers at the Renegade
table to get rid of their cards are promoted to the Royal
table. e rst player reseats as the Jester (character 5),
and the second player is given the chance to prove himself
as Engineer to the Tea Boy (character 6).
Victory Condition
At the end of the 4th Quarter, the player at the Royal
table who gets rid of his cards rst becomes the
Engineer to her Royal Majesty the Queen and is the
winner of the game.
13 14
Submariner
Inspector
Alchemist
Pirate
Vagabond
Plague
Doctor
2
2
2
2
2
2
7
8
9
10
11
12
Variations (Continued)
1 PLAYER (Solo Variant)
Work your way up the Court ladder to become Engineer
to the Queen before the Court Hand runs out. You start as
Engineer to the Tea Boy and must beat the Court Hand’s tricks
to advance to the next Courtier. To win, you must beat the
Court Hand (all three tricks) as the Engineer to each character,
including the Queen.
Setup: Deal 12 cards to yourself, 22 to the Court Hand, and
place the rest of the cards into the draw pile. Stack the 6 Royal
Table character cards from 1–6, Queen on the bottom up to
Tea Boy on top.
Play: Begin each round by exercising your character’s privilege
(if applicable) and drawing back up to 12 cards in your hand.
e Court Hand will lay three tricks that you must try to beat
by playing the same quantity of matching cards
in the set, but of a higher value. (Same method as
multiplayer Steam Court).
If you can beat all three tricks, move them to
the discard pile and start the next round by
advancing to the next character and drawing back
up to 12 cards.
If you are unable to beat all three tricks, discard
the beaten tricks, leave the other tricks, and begin
a new round with the same character. Draw back
up to 12 cards and reveal cards from the Court
Hand until three tricks are on the table.
If you are unable to beat any tricks, discard all
three tricks and reveal three new ones from the
Court Hand.
15 16
e Court Hand
If the Court Hand reveals …
• duplicate numbered cards, stack them on top of each
other to form a set. Reveal additional cards until three
tricks are on the table.
• a Multiplier or a Masterstroke, treat it as a Multiplier
(which adds one additional card to the set) and stack it
on the le-most available trick. Reveal additional cards
until three tricks are on the table.
• a 3/9 or 6/12 card, play it as the lower of the two
numbers.
Character Privileges:
Tea Boy : Only at the beginning of the rst round: Give
up your 2 highest numbered cards (not special cards)
and place them on the bottom of the Court Hand.
Jester: Once per round: Play a single card as though it
were a set.
Time Traveler: Once per round: You may retrieve an
already played card from the discard card pile.
Duke: You may match the number laid. (You do not
need to lay a higher numbered card to win.)
General: At the beginning of the round: You may
discard your lowest card and draw to replace it from the
draw pile. You may stop the Court Hand from laying
one trick (i.e. you only need to beat 2 tricks to advance.)
Queen: You may discard your lowest card or set of cards
and draw to replace them from the draw pile.
End Game:
Beat the Court Hand as Engineer to the Queen, and you
win the game! Do it with...
1–2 cards le in the Court Hand and achieve the rank of
Apprentice Engineer.
3–4 cards le in the Court Hand and achieve the rank of
Skilled Engineer.
5–6 cards le in the Court Hand and achieve the rank of
Master Engineer.
Variations (Continued)
2 PLAYERS (Duo Variant)
Before dealing the cards, remove all of the 1s and 2s
from the deck. In this version of the game, players start
o as the Tea Boy and Plague Doctor (randomly draw
start tokens to determine initial positions). e player
to play all of his cards rst will gain the privileges of
the new character for the next Quarter (second Quar-
ter characters are Plague Doctor and Alchemist, third
Quarter: Alchemist and Duke, fourth Quarter: Duke
and General). Prior to the start of the game, players
should decide on the win condition: either the player
with the highest gear point total or the player who n-
ishes the 4th Quarter as Engineer to the Queen.
CLOCK CLIMBING (Alternate side of playmat)
For 2–6 player games, this alternate scoring
method can be used. Players will be rewarded
for taking tricks. Set up the Royal table using the
alternate side of the playmat. Aer taking their
seats, players place their start tokens on the outer
rim of the playmat from lowest number to high-
17 18
At the end of the Quarter, beginning with the lowliest
character, playersone at a timemove their token one
space around the clock per trick they collected. Use the
outer circles the rst time around the clock. e second
time around, use the inner circles. A token cannot rest
on the same space as another token. If a token would end
on an occupied space, move it forward to the next open
space. e rst player to play all their cards earns 2 extra
spaces, and the second player to go out earns 1 extra space.
Before starting the next Quarter, players reseat based
on the order of their tokens (the player whose token is
farthest ahead on the clock takes the highest character,
second farthest, the second character, etc.). en the next
Quarter begins.
At the end of four Quarters, the player whose token is
farthest ahead on the clock wins!
est (as shown in the example). Players will
use the same token throughout the game.
e other gear tokens will not be used.
Play the Quarter like normal (strategies will
change, but rules are the same). e Quarter
ends aer a second player has played all of
their cards (third player
for a 6-player game).
Note: Players must
keep track of each
trick they win.
19 20
Frequently Asked
Questions
What do you do when the dealt cards are uneven?
Every player should receive the same number of dealt
cards. Extra cards go into the Court Hand. Players
may have to trade cards using their privilege, result-
ing in uneven hands, but this is done aer all the
cards have been initially dealt evenly.
If the Queen’s Engineer has a set of three 1s, does
she have to give one of those away? “Undesirable”
doesn’t necessarily mean “lowest.” If you would prefer
to get rid of another card so that you can play three
cards on your rst turn, then give whatever you want
to that sniveling little Tea Boy!
Can I pass even if I have playable cards? Yes.
Can I lay two cards with a Multiplier card? Yes. If
a player started the trick with three 5s, you could lay
two 7s and a Multiplier.
Can a player play over his own cards in the same
trick (everyone else has passed, but the active
player still has cards that are playable)? Yes. If a
player laid two 10s and everyone else has passed, he
could then play two 11s on top of his own cards.
When a player goes out, do we keep playing or
start a new trick? When a player runs out of cards,
the other players continue playing around the table
as usual. If a player plays his last card and no one else
can play on that trick, the player to his le starts the
next trick.
If I pull a coup (with three Masterstrokes), do
I get bonus points? Nope.
If two players try to exercise their privileges
at the same time and they conict, who goes
rst? e higher ranked player goes rst.
What characters do you recommend for X
numbers of players? See “Character Recom-
mendations” on the next page.
When can the General stop someone from
playing? Before or aer a player lays his card/
set (except for a lead card/set), the General may
stop him and make him put his card(s) back
into his hand. He must stop the player before
the next player lays his card(s).
Can the General stop a player from playing a
Masterstroke card? Yes. But stopping players
from laying does not require them to pass or
remove them from the trick. e player could
still lay the Masterstroke card on his next turn.
If I’m the Tea Boy, do I have to give away my
Masterstroke, Multiplier, 3/9, 6/12 cards? No.
You only have to give away your highest “num-
bered” cards, not your special cards.
Credits
is game was designed by Will
Meadows and Ryan Pilz. Graphic
design by Will Meadows. Illustrated
by Greg Warner. SteamCourt font
design by Jeremy Dooley. Rules
edited by Melissa Delp.
Tantrum House Team: Will
Meadows, Ryan Pilz, Kevin Delp,
Ben Fields.
Soli Deo Gloria.
Thank Yous
Special thanks to David Lovegrove. is game wouldn’t have
existed if you hadn’t introduced me to the mechanic, mentored
and brainstormed with me as we worked on a dozen other games,
and encouraged me to step up and give it a try. ank you.
Tom Glass—you introduced me to the wide world of board
gaming and your insights were invaluable as we put this one
together. anks for being awesome.
All of our playtesters and Kickstarter backers: ank you
for the amazing support, feedback and encouragement!
Our wonderful wives (we each have one): ank you for letting
us waste far too much time playing games! We love and appreciate
you! anks for helping us get to where we are!
21 22
Character Recommendations
3 PlayersQueen, Duke, Tea Boy
4 PlayersQueen, Duke, Time Traveler, Tea Boy
5 PlayersQueen, Duke, Time Traveler, Jester, Tea Boy
6 PlayersQueen, General, Duke, Time Traveler, Jester, Tea Boy
7 PlayersFor 7 players we recommend staying at 1 table and adding/
inserting the Inspector’s seat between the Duke and Time Traveler.
8 Players(Royal Table) Queen, Duke, Time Traveler, Tea Boy
(Renegades) Submariner, Alchemist, Pirate, Vagabond
9 Players(Royal Table) Queen, Duke, Time Traveler, Tea Boy
(Renegades) Submariner, Alchemist, Pirate, Doctor, Vagabond
10 Players(Royal Table) Queen, General, Duke, Time Traveler, Tea Boy
(Renegades) Submariner, Alchemist, Pirate, Doctor, Vagabond
11 PlayersRemove one character card of your choosing
12 PlayersUse all character cards
