Orloj: The Prague Astronomical Clock Gameplay Overview

Actions

Activate the Clock Mechanism

Configure the clock so the hand of the astronomical dial points to a section of the outer ring and a section of the Orloj clock face, then perform the indicated actions.

1. Configure the astronomical dial: It always rotates clockwise and must move at least one space. Maximum rotation is determined by the height of your disc on the blue mastery track (Innovation). You may force deviation to rotate additional spaces (one deviation per extra space).
2. Configure the Orloj clock face: It always rotates counterclockwise and you are not required to move it. Force one deviation for each space you wish to rotate it.
3. Place one of your available workers on the space indicated by the hand. If there is already a worker there, return it to its owner (you may return your own worker to yourself).
4. Choose whether to perform the actions of the outer ring section first or the Orloj clock face section first. You cannot alternate actions between each section — complete one section's actions before starting the other.

• The astronomical dial and the Orloj clock face are two independent components — rotating one does not affect the other.
• You must have at least one available worker to choose this option.
• The maximum rotation of the astronomical dial is indicated by the Innovation (blue) mastery track level.
• The Orloj clock face never needs to move, but each space of movement costs one deviation.

Pass

Instead of activating the clock mechanism, you may pass. Typically done to recover workers, but you may also pass even if you still have available workers.

1. Recover as many workers as indicated by the height of your mastery disc on the pink mastery track (Precision).
2. Activate the moon (move it clockwise along the astronomical dial as many steps as your yellow mastery track indicates, gaining all rewards along the way).
3. Move the golden rooster one space to the right on the general rooster track.

• Workers are normally recovered only from the clock. Recovering them from the calendar may result in earning fewer VP at the end of the game.
• Passing is not always bad — it activates the moon, which is the most efficient way to correct deviations.

Resource Production

Produce resources as indicated by the current level of a production track.

1. Produce as many resources as indicated by your production track level. Higher levels produce more resources and can include gold.

• You choose which production track to produce from (paint, wood, or iron).
• At the highest production level, you produce 2 of the resource plus 1 gold.

Mastery

Advance on one of the three mastery tracks to improve your abilities.

1. Move one of your mastery discs up one space on the indicated mastery track.
2. If you are already on the last space of the track when you would gain a mastery, gain 1 VP instead.

• Some mastery actions let you pay one coin to move up on a mastery track of your choice.
• The three mastery tracks are: Innovation (blue) — controls astronomical dial rotation; Precision (pink) — controls pass recovery and sculptor level; Observation (yellow) — controls painter steps and moon steps.
• Mastery tracks have bonus spaces that award scrolls (red seal), royal scrolls (blue seal), moon activations, and assistants as you advance.

Taking an Apostle

Take one of the two apostles displayed at the bottom of the walk of the apostles gears.

1. Take one of the two visible apostles from your personal set and place it in your warehouse.
2. After taking, the gears automatically rotate one position (direction indicated at gear center) to reveal a new apostle combination.

• You cannot take an apostle if your warehouse is full.
• Before taking an apostle, you may choose to rotate the gears. Force as many deviation tokens as extra spaces you wish to rotate the gears before taking the apostle.
• When rotating the gears, if one of the red teeth on the left gear aligns with the red arrow, move the golden rooster one step forward on the general rooster track.
• Some actions give you both a coin and an apostle together.

Activating the Moon

The moon moves clockwise around the astronomical dial, granting rewards for each step taken.

1. Move the moon disc clockwise as many steps as indicated by your disc on the yellow mastery track (Observation). Gain all rewards shown in the steps taken by the moon.

• The moon is the most efficient way to correct deviations — look for the correction icons along the astronomical dial.
• Some moon activations include a modifier (e.g., +2 additional steps beyond your yellow mastery track level).

Moving the Painter

Move the painter around the calendar sections to gain bonuses.

1. Move the painter clockwise up to the number of steps indicated by your disc on the yellow mastery track (Observation). The painter must move at least one space.
2. Once moved, choose one of the two bonuses shown in the calendar sections to the left or right of the painter.

• The painter's maximum movement and the moon's steps are both controlled by the yellow (Observation) mastery track.

Performing an Upgrade

Move one of your production cubes or your hammer cube one position upward.

1. Move one of your production cubes or your hammer cube one position upward on its track.
2. If all three production cubes reach a worker's position in the production zone, that worker is unlocked and becomes available.

• Gain 1 VP and 1 gold when performing an upgrade on a production track that has already reached its final position.

Expanding Your Workshop

Purchase a workshop card to expand your workshop and gain bonuses.

1. Choose a workshop card from the 3 displayed and pay its cost: one paint plus a number of resources based on card position and type.
2. If present, unlock the worker of your color above the card and place it as a new available worker. If no worker is there, you have already purchased from that position and do not gain a worker.
3. Gain the reward shown at the top of the card.
4. Place the card in your play area. If it is your first, simply place it. Otherwise, place it to the left or right of your existing workshop cards.
5. If placing the new card completes the two halves of an apostle icon or construction icon with an adjacent card, immediately perform that action.
6. Slide the remaining workshop cards to the right and refill the empty space with a new card from the deck.

• Completing an apostle icon between adjacent workshop cards lets you take an apostle immediately.
• Completing a construction icon between adjacent workshop cards lets you construct immediately.

Constructing

Build month or zodiac dials on the calendar to score VP based on adjacency.

1. Move the hammer disc clockwise (following blue arrows) until it reaches a position adjacent to the dial you wish to construct. Maximum movement is determined by your hammer card level. Force one deviation per extra space beyond your limit.
2. Pay the required resources shown at the intersection of the row and column where the dial is located. Gain 2 VP for each resource spent.
3. Place the constructed tile in its corresponding position on the calendar with the illustrated side up. Place an available worker on it.
4. Gain 2 VP per dial (including this one) that is part of an adjacent group of dials with workers of your color.
5. Gain the bonus corresponding to the calendar section where the dial was built.
6. Gain the hammer bonus based on the position of your cube on your hammer card.

• You must have an available worker to place on the constructed dial.
• A single dial tile with no adjacent ones is considered a group of 1.
• Month dials and zodiac dials are also adjacent to each other. For example, month XII has three possible adjacent positions: month I, month XI, and the Capricorn zodiac dial.
• You are not required to move the hammer disc to construct if it is already adjacent.

Activating the Sculptor

Place your sculptor on one of four sculptor action spaces to gain graded bonuses.

1. Move your sculptor to one of the four sculptor action spaces on the main board. If another sculptor is already there, return it to its owner.
2. You must move the sculptor — you cannot repeat the same action space if your sculptor is already there.
3. Perform the action corresponding to your sculptor's level, which is determined by your disc's position on the pink mastery track (Precision).

• Some sculptor actions require forcing a deviation. You cannot perform the remaining action unless you first force the indicated deviation.
• Sculptor Level 1 actions: (1) Force deviation, take 1 gold + 1 coin; (2) Force deviation, expand workshop; (3) Force deviation, move painter OR activate moon without forcing deviation; (4) Force 2 deviations, construct.
• Sculptor Level 2 actions: (1) Force deviation, take 1 gold + 2 coins; (2) Force deviation, take 1 resource + expand workshop; (3) Force deviation, take 1 coin + move painter OR take 1 coin + activate moon with +1 modifier; (4) Force deviation, take 1 resource + construct.
• Sculptor Level 3 actions: (1) Correct deviation, take 1 gold + 3 coins; (2) Correct deviation, take 1 gold + expand workshop; (3) Correct deviation, take 1 coin + move painter OR take 1 coin + activate moon with +2 modifier; (4) Correct deviation, take 1 gold + construct.

The Rooster's Call

Triggered when the golden rooster reaches the last position on the general rooster track. A scoring and maintenance phase.

1. The active player takes the rooster and places it on their personal board as a reminder, then finishes their turn.
2. All players correct as many deviations as indicated by their personal rooster track. If the track value is higher than the number of forced deviations, gain 1 VP for each deviation you cannot correct.
3. All players lose VP equal to the number of broken gear icons still showing on their deviation tokens.
4. Move the round marker one position to the right. Place the rooster back on the general rooster track on the number indicated by the new round marker position.

• The rooster moves for only two reasons: (1) When rotating the apostle gears and a red tooth aligns with the red arrow, move rooster one step; (2) When a player passes, move rooster one step.
• If the rooster needs to move additional steps during the remainder of a turn after reaching the last position, those extra steps are not taken.
• Avoid completely exhausting your deviation tokens — use the moon to correct deviations when needed.

Key Concepts

• Deviation Tokens: Each player has 5 deviation tokens. Forcing deviation flips a token to show the broken gear icon, allowing extra clock rotations, gear rotations, or meeting sculptor action requirements. You cannot force a deviation if all 5 tokens already show the broken gear. Correcting deviation flips a token back to hide the broken gear. Broken gear icons cost VP during the rooster's call.
• Worker Management: Workers are placed on the clock, calendar dials, and objectives. If you have no available workers, you must pass or find ways to unlock/recover them. Workers are recovered via passing (from the clock, or calendar at a cost), unlocked from the apostle panel, production zone upgrades, or workshop card purchases.
• Mastery Tracks: Three tracks that improve abilities: Innovation (blue) controls astronomical dial max rotation; Precision (pink) controls pass recovery amount and sculptor level; Observation (yellow) controls painter movement range and moon steps. Each has bonus spaces with scrolls, royal scrolls, moon activations, and assistants.
• Resources: Basic resources: paint, wood, iron. Special resources: gold and coins. Gold can substitute for any basic resource. Coins can substitute for any basic resource but NOT for gold. 3 identical basic resources can be exchanged for 1 gold at any time during your turn.
• Warehouse: Holds apostles and assistants. Two spaces: one exclusively for apostles, one for either. You may rearrange contents at any time. Warehouse must have space before taking an apostle or assistant.
• Clock Mechanism: The outer ring is printed on the main board. The Orloj clock face rotates counterclockwise. The astronomical dial rotates clockwise. The hand of the astronomical dial indicates which outer ring section and which clock face section are active. The moon moves clockwise along the astronomical dial.
• Adjacency (Calendar): When scoring construction, count all dials in a connected group that have your workers. Month dials and zodiac dials ARE adjacent to each other. A lone dial is a group of 1.