How to Play

Glass Road

1-4 players 20-80 min 7.4 Board Game Geek Rating

Players manage glass and brick production by strategically playing specialist cards with dual abilities. When you play a unique specialist others don't have, you use both abilities; shared specialists only grant one ability. Collect resources, place landscape tiles, and construct processing buildings, immediate-effect buildings, or end-game scoring buildings across four rounds to optimize your medieval glass-making operation.

Published 2013

Get Ready

Setup the game with these step-by-step instructions before diving into your turn.

Place Building Board

Set board on the correct side for player count (1-3 or 4 players)

Sort Building Tiles

Organize tiles by symbol (arrow, hourglass, purse) and place approximately half of each stack face-down on the left side board spots

Draw Building Tiles

For 1-3 players draw 4 tiles from each stack face-up; for 4 players draw 5 tiles each

Distribute Landscape Boards

Each player receives one Landscape board and one Production Wheel

Orient Production Wheel

Rotate the wheel so the longer pointer points upward (top = Glassworks, bottom = Brickworks)

Place Starting Resources

Put depicted components on Production Wheel spaces as printed on the board

Set Up Landscape

Place 6 Forests, 2 Pits, 2 Groves, and 2 Ponds on player Landscape board spaces

Distribute Specialist Cards

Each player receives a set of 15 Specialist cards in their color

Determine Start Player

Pick start player and award them the Start Player goblet

Agree on Game Length

Choose to play 4 or 5 Building Periods

On Your Turn

What you can do during your turn.

Select Cards for Period

At the beginning of each building period, choose 5 Specialist cards from your full set of 15 to keep in hand

Simultaneously Choose Card

All players choose 1 card from hand and place it face-down on the table

Reveal Starting with Start Player

Begin with start player and flip the chosen card

Check for Matching Cards

If any other player has the same card in hand, they must immediately play it on the right side of their player board (maximum 2 cards)

Resolve Card Abilities

In turn order starting with the player who first played the card, choose between the card's 2 abilities, paying the fee on the left if applicable

Continue Clockwise

Continue flipping played cards clockwise until all cards are revealed

Repeat Card Rounds

After all cards revealed, choose another card and repeat, beginning with the player holding the goblet; complete 3 card rounds per period

Manage Production Wheels

When goods are produced, move the resource token 1 space clockwise; when consumed, move counterclockwise

Trigger Automatic Wheel Rotation

When both brown sectors of a Production Wheel are empty at the end of a transaction, rotate until 1 or both brown sectors are not empty (glass/brick goes up, everything else down)

Take Anytime Actions

Execute trades using top row buildings or remove landscaping (pit, grove, or pond) at any time; forests can only be removed through card actions

Build Buildings

Place buildings with wooden borders on empty board spaces; place buildings with brick borders (upgrades) on top of indicated start buildings

End Building Period

Refill empty spaces on Building Board from stacks and pass the goblet clockwise