Overview

Ora et Labora (Latin for “Pray and Work”) is a resource management and building game by Uwe Rosenberg set in a medieval monastic economy. Players develop their estates by building and using various production buildings, managing resources on a rotating production wheel, and constructing settlements. Available in France and Ireland variants with different building sets. The game features an innovative resource production wheel that increases resources over time.

Components

• Game board with production wheel
• Estate boards (land strips for building)
• Building cards (numerous, different for France/Ireland variants)
• Settlement cards
• Resource tokens (wood, clay, peat, grain, coins, livestock, etc.)
• Production wheel with resource markers
• Clergy figures (Prior, Lay Brother, monks)
• Landscape tiles

Setup

1. Assemble the production wheel on the game board.
2. Each player receives an estate board (heartland) and starting buildings.
3. Place Clergy figures (Prior, Lay Brother) in each player’s area.
4. Set initial resource markers on the production wheel.
5. Sort building cards by era and type.
6. Choose variant: France (wine, bread focus) or Ireland (whiskey, peat focus).

Turn Structure

The game is played over a set number of rounds. On each turn, a player must perform exactly one of the following actions:

1. Cut Peat / Fell Trees

Take peat or wood resources from your estate. Place landscape tiles.

2. Build a Building

Pay the required resources and place a building card on your estate. Buildings must be placed adjacent to existing buildings following placement rules.

3. Use a Building

Place one of your Clergy members on a building (yours or another player’s) and activate its production ability.

4. Buy a Landscape

Purchase additional land strips to expand your estate.

After all players have taken their turns, the production wheel advances, increasing all resource availability.

Actions

Action	Description
Cut Peat	Gain peat resources, place moor tiles
Fell Trees	Gain wood resources, place forest tiles
Build	Pay resources to construct a building on your estate
Use Building	Assign Clergy to activate a building’s production
Buy Landscape	Expand your estate with new land

Using buildings: You may use your own buildings for free or pay another player to use theirs. The Prior can use any building; the Lay Brother has restrictions. After use, Clergy return at specific times.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

Game ends after all rounds are complete (varies by player count).

Scoring:

• Each building has a printed VP value
• Settlements score based on surrounding buildings
• Dwelling value depends on economic development
• Resources may convert to VP through specific buildings
• Coins count as VP

Highest total VP wins.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• Production wheel: Resources accumulate on the wheel over time. When you take a resource, you take ALL accumulated units.
• Clergy: Each player has limited Clergy. They must be managed carefully as they are tied up when using buildings.
• Settlements: Special buildings that score based on the economic value of buildings in their settlement group.
• Two variants: France includes wine and bread production chains; Ireland includes whiskey and peat production chains. Different building cards for each.
• Landscape expansion: Players can buy coastal, hillside, and mountain tiles to extend their estate.
• Prior vs. Lay Brother: The Prior is more flexible; the Lay Brother has restrictions on which buildings he can use.
• Solo rules included.

Player Reference

Turn: Choose 1 action: Cut Peat / Fell Trees / Build / Use Building / Buy Landscape

Production wheel: Advances each round; resources accumulate

Clergy: Prior (flexible), Lay Brother (restricted) – placed when using buildings

Variants: France (wine/bread) or Ireland (whiskey/peat)

Win: Most VP from buildings, settlements, and resources