In 1755, with a major earthquake tearing down Lisbon and most of the southern coast of Portugal, it was imperative to rebuild an entire nation. The demand for window glass increased to such an extent that William Stephens, a British businessman, expanded his business to Portugal by investing in the glass industry.

 

In 1769, Stephens purchased the glass factory located in Marinha Grande, a small town surrounded by a vast pine forest planted in the sand centuries earlier. Thanks to the significant support of the Marquis of Pombal and the protection of King José I, this glass factory grew to the same level as its largest European competitors and became an important factor for development in the region and the entire country.

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William and his brother John hired glassmakers from England and Italy, bringing them to work in Portugal. Utilizing their commercial skills and strong civic education, these brothers were able to create an unprecedented industry that provided medical care, education, and culture for the workers and their families.

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Their initiative and resilience attracted other Portuguese industrialists to open new factories in the following years, creating new jobs and introducing new resources. Even during the destructive and oppressive Napoleonic invasion, the town held its ground and, with the momentum of the Royal Glass Factory, returned to the path of being a great industrial center that still exists today.

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In Stephens, you take on the role of a master glassmaker working at the famous Stephens' factory, striving to become the most prestigious person in town - second only to William Stephens himself, of course. Through clever planning, you will develop your works, invest in new local businesses, and promote the creation of new jobs.

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On your turn, you must choose a single action to perform from a variety of options using a distinct action selection mechanism:

You either take a single cube from a factory   OR   you take a single disk from your player board

 

While you and the other master glassmakers strive to prosper and grow your personal investments, the French army advances towards the town. Stephens is played over an undefined number of sequential turns until the arrival of the Napoleonic forces in the town.