3000 Scoundrels

To set up, first sort all clear job cards into their matching colored sleeves (green, purple, black) and shuffle each color into a face-down deck. Then, sort trait cards into two face-down decks (blue, red) by color and shuffle them. Place the main game board in the center of the play area with money tokens nearby. Create three scoundrels by combining the top job and trait cards, placing them face-up in the Saloon spaces. Deal safe cards face-down to their matching colored spaces in the Depot, Estate, and Laboratory areas, keeping one of each color aside for later. Each player receives a leader sheet, a player reference card, $4 from the supply, seven double-sided marks, three henchmen tokens, and one reputation token in their chosen color. Players also receive seven poker cards matching their suit symbol, drawing four into their hand (kept secret). Place one henchman in the Jail area and the reputation token on the '0' space of the Reputation Track. The first player is chosen randomly.

The primary objective of 3000 Scoundrels is to accumulate the most technology, represented by points, by stealing safes from the game board. Players must strategically use their gang's abilities, manage their poker hand, and outwit opponents through bluffing and negotiation. The game concludes after a set number of days, at which point the player with the highest total tech score is declared the winner and gains control of the Wild West frontier.

A player's turn consists of three steps: 1. Plan: Play one poker card face-down into an empty slot (numbered A, 2-6) on your leader sheet, announcing the slot number. The card's value does not need to match the slot, allowing for bluffing. 2. Use Abilities: Activate abilities from your leader sheet or scoundrels in your gang that match the number of the slot you just played a card to. Abilities are optional but must be fully resolved if started. 3. Hire a Scoundrel or Use Sheriff's Office: Either hire a scoundrel from the Saloon by paying its combined cost (dollar icons on both job and trait cards) and adding it to an open space on your sheet (allowing you to rearrange existing scoundrels), or use the Sheriff's Office. Using the Sheriff's Office involves discarding the rightmost scoundrel from the Saloon, refilling the display, and then choosing to sell information (gain $2), post bail (spend $2 to free 1 henchman or $4 for 2), or bribe the Sheriff (spend $12 on the final day to steal any safe).

Final scoring occurs after the last day of the game. Players first reveal all safes they have stolen and sum their tech values (numbers on the safes). For each mark on a tech card that matches the card's value, the player gains an additional point (including marks from opponents). Next, players gain one point for each scoundrel on their sheet that has a tech icon. Finally, players adjust their score based on their position on the Reputation Track (positive values add to the score, negative values subtract). The player with the highest total tech score wins. In case of a tie, the tied player with the most money wins. If still tied, the tied player who took the most recent turn wins.

The game ends after all players have completed four turns on the second day (or third day in an extended game, as detailed in the rulebook). After the final turn of the last day, the End of Day phase is resolved, including calling bluffs, shuffling played poker cards back into decks, and drawing new hands. Once these steps are complete, final scoring is initiated to determine the winner.