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CivilizationsA card game about civilizations for 2 - 8 players.
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- 2024
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- Type:
- Layout
- Players:
- Difficulty:
- Ext. Diff.:
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- Version
- 0.9
- Updated on
- 28 Mar 2024
- Sibling games:
- Suit Taboo
- Table of contents
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BASICS
WORK IN PROGRESS
The game is still finding its final shapes. The basic idea and structure is there, but small scale details may flux greatly.
REQUIREMENTS
It's recommended to have a soft surface, so that it's easy to pick cards from the table.
- Players: 2 - 8 players. (See Player variations for team play adjustments - required with 5 - 8 players.)
- Cards: 2 standard decks of 52 cards, preferably with 2 or 3 jokers each. (The decks can look different, better so.)
- Coins/Chips: Some coins of different sizes / values (poker chips are fine) to be used as gold, architecture and to indicate unexplorable terrain.
- Pen & paper: Simple bookkeeping equipment (eg. paper & pen) for marking steps in the progress table.
- Dice: One dice (with numbers 1 - 6) to tell the outcome of spreading religion / culture (by Queens) and attacks and defending (by Kings).
BASIC IDEA
The game is more like a board game (than a card game) and unfolds like the phenomenon of human civilizations over eras.
- The game layout is made by laying cards (2 - 10 and jokers) face down (1 - 4 cards per slot) into a custom shape (with occasional T, Y or X crosses). The layout also has a few aces (A) face up - they are the home cities of each civilization (♤, ♧, ♥, ♦), while the face cards (J, Q, K) are the game pieces.
- On their turn the players can perform an action with each game piece and sometimes some extra interactions. Each piece has its own use:
- Jacks are pioneers that can explore cards in the layout as well as haul, load and trade them - they are the core engine of your civilization.
- Queens are agents, either on religious and cultural missions or to spy technology. They can't haul cards nor accept special cargo types (but can trade).
- Kings are military pieces. They are used to attack and/or defend but can also haul, load and trade cards. (With Walls extension, they can also control distant walls.)
- Aces represent each nation's home cities, where they can produce and dismantle various things and make technological progress (as well as load and trade).
- Storywise, each suit represents a cultural luxury: Spades (♤) are spices & textiles, Clubs (♧) rare metals, Diamonds (♦) jewelry, and Hearts (♥) wine & art.
- The game starts slow, but becomes faster by unlocking technologies and having more game pieces in play. When the deck runs out, it's reshuffled and a new era begins - the game is played for as many eras as there are players. (One game takes from about 2-3 hours with 2 players to 3-4 hours with 8 pl.)
- The player with the most civ. points wins the game - points are gained from technological, religious and cultural progress (and more with extensions).
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LAYOUT
INITIAL DEALING
The cards from the two decks are divided into the game pieces & cities (J, Q, K, A) and the remaining deck (2 - 10 and jokers).
- LAYOUT: The dealer shuffles the era deck (72 - 78 cards) and creates the layout by laying cards face down into a shape of about 20 - 30 slots.
- The map can feature turns and crosses (= L, T, Y or X shapes), and each slot can be connected to one or many slots as long as things are visually clear.
- TERRAIN: Initially each layout slot has just 1 card. The dealer can put a few extra cards (up to 4-card-slots) on certain spots (use about 5 - 10 cards in total).
- The extra cards indicate a non-smooth terrain (where Double Speed tech. won't work) but on the other hand a richer terrain for exploration.
- Leave enough (= at least half) cards in the deck. Since there are as many eras as players, each gets to take about as many cards as are left in the deck.
- ACES: The dealer also includes 1 ace face up per player (of different suits) into the layout with at least 3-layout-slot distance from each other.
- SUITS: Finally, the suits are picked for the players by drawing suits, and thus the players locations decided as well.
- The dealer offers the included Jacks face down, and others pick one. If many pick the same, those pick new until resolved - the dealer gets the last suit.
- START UP: Each player is given 5 gold and a Jack game piece, and the player on the dealer's left starts the game.
LAYOUT MECHANICS
- STACKED PIECES: There is no limit to how many pieces (from the same/different nations) can be on the same layout slot - they are simply stacked together.
- LOADED PIECES: All game pieces and the city can carry a load: the loaded 1 or 2 cards are placed face down above the piece / city (= left partly visible).
- The main game pieces (J, Q, K) have 1 loading space until unlocking Double Load tech. to carry 2 cards (or mix 2 loads, eg. 1 card + 1 other cargo type).
- The cities (A) can always carry 2 face down cards, but in addition each cargo type (with extensions) has its own loading space and limits (eg. 2 cards + 2 walls).
- You can use loaded cards of the same suit for political and city actions if their sum pays the action price (eg. ♧4 + ♧7 >= 10). Joker is always 10 of any suit.
- GOLD PILES: Gold is kept in front of each player as piles of coins/chips of different values. It's globally available when needed.
- PROGRESS: The technological, religious and cultural steps are marked into a global progress table, where players are columns and branches rows.
- ERAS: After the era deck runs out, it's reshuffled from the dumped cards (next to the deck) by the next dealer clockwise. (So you can count eras by dealers.)
- ENDING: After the last era deck runs out (= as many eras as players), exploration (action for Jacks) is no longer allowed and a final countdown follows.
- 5 coins are placed where the era deck was. Each time the last explorer's (= who consumed the last card) turn comes again, one coin is removed and a cycle of turns played. After the coins run out (= 6 turns), the game ends and the victorious civilization (with the most civ. points) celebrated.
ON YOUR TURN
During your turn you can perform actions with your game pieces and at the end of the turn use the city actions.
- Each of your main game pieces (J, Q, K) gets 1 turn (in free order). Each can play 1 main action and 1 handling action in either order - both are optional.
- After using the main game pieces, your city (A) can play limitless handling and city actions.
- LAYOUT: The dealer shuffles the era deck (72 - 78 cards) and creates the layout by laying cards face down into a shape of about 20 - 30 slots.
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MAIN ACTIONS
COMMON ACTIONS
J / Q / K - main action: MOVE
- Any game piece (J, Q, K) can move 1 slot in the layout to any connected neighbour on its turn - even on to a foreign city (= placed on the Ace).
- With Double Speed tech. you can move 1 slot for free to a 1-card-terrain (including cities) before consuming the main action for the turn.
POLITICAL ACTIONS
J - main action: EXPLORE
- Jacks can look at the layout cards under them, or on a unoccupied neighbouring slot, and optionally load 1 card.
- The loaded card is placed face down above the Jack, and a replacement card drawn from the deck.
- However, the action is not allowed during final countdown, and exploring a neighbouring slot is only allowed if there's no other pieces on it.
Q - main action: INFILTRATE
- The Q's can only exchange loads with their home city (A), and execute their mission when located on the same or adjacent slot to a foreign city.
- CULTURE: For culture, the Q should be loaded with at least 10 own suit (or pay missing in gold) and can target a city of any other suit.
- RELIGION: For religion, the Q should be loaded with at least 10 foreign suit (or pay missing in gold) and target a city of the matching suit.
- ESPIONAGE: For espionage, the Q must be loaded with at least 10 foreign suit (or pay missing in gold) but target a non-matching city.
- With espionage, the player just reveals the valid load (+ pays gold) and declares the target tech. step to spy on and both roll a dice, the spy first.
- TECH. GAMBLE: If the spy wins, they gain the respective tech. step. However, the difference in completed steps in the branch acts as if a 3rd dice.
- Otherwise, the player declares "religion" or "culture", and the target city either accepts the load (and counter-gambles) or doubts it.
- DOUBTED: If doubted, the load is revealed (and discarded) and if valid, the agent gets 1 step (under the declared branch), otherwise the doubter gets 1 step.
- ACCEPTED: Otherwise, the load is discarded without revealing it and the agent gets 1 step (received after the gamble), and a counter-gamble follows.
- COUNTER-GAMBLE: After accepting, the city rolls a dice, and the Queen rolls in response. If the city wins (= higher number), they also get 1 step.
- However the difference in the nations' religious / cultural progress steps acts as if a 3rd dice. (For example 1 vs. 3 = +2 for city.)
K - main action: DEMAND (military)
- A loaded King can make a demand against any other player with pieces on the same or neighbouring slot. If rejected, the K's turn continues.
- Making demands works exactly like trading (see below), except if accepted the attacker is disarmed: his load is discarded, and the K's turn is used up.
K - main action: ATTACK (military)
- To make a successful attack the King must be loaded with at least 10 of any suit - missing price can be paid in gold, but must use at least 1 card.
- STEALING: If loaded with own suit, the King can optionally steal the target load (= take it as his own load) instead of discarding.
- A loaded K can attack any city or other game piece (even own) on the same or neighbouring slot. The attacker shows which game piece / city is targeted, and reveals the valid load (or pays any shortage in gold) before discarding it.
- DEFENSE: Any Kings or Ace from the defender side on his slot provides an extra chance to stop the attack (unless attacking one's own countrymen).
- Both players roll a dice (attacker first): If the attacker wins, the attack continues (to the next block or to the damage phase), otherwise it stops.
- However, the difference in piece counts (including cities) acts as if a 3rd dice: defender's pieces on his slot vs. attacker's on his slot (eg. K vs. J + A = +1 defender).
- FOREIGN DEFENSE: In addition any Kings on the slot from other players can choose to help. (The only difference is from whose pieces the dice advantage is counted.)
- DAMAGE: If unstopped, the attacker rolls a dice to determine max. damage hits (can stop at any point). Each 2 gives 1 hit: 6 = 3 hits, 4-5 = 2 hits, 2-3 = 1 hit.
- If there's any face down load, 1 hit discards 1 card (attacker chooses). When stealing the attacker gets to see the card(s) after and can take one or both as load.
- After face down load, any other cargo type (on the piece / in the city) protects similarly. The attacker chooses freely what to destroy / steal.
- Any further hit discards the game piece (J, Q, K), except the city (A) is indestructible. (However with Settlers, the 2nd city - with Ace under joker - can be destroyed.)
- DEFENSE: Any Kings or Ace from the defender side on his slot provides an extra chance to stop the attack (unless attacking one's own countrymen).
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HANDLING ACTIONS
HANDLING ACTIONS (J / Q / K / A)
Each game piece (J / Q / K) can play 1 handling action (before or after its main action), while the cities (A) can play limitless handling actions.
handling action: EXCHANGE LOADS
- Your game pieces and city can exchange loads with your other pieces / city on the same or adjacent slot - except Q's only with their home city (Ace).
- The source gives 0 - 2 cards from its load to others on the target slot, and likewise takes 0 - 2 cards from any targets.
handling action: TRADE
- Trading works just like exchanging loads, but involves two (or more) nations and can include exchanging gold (and signing Treaties).
- Your game pieces / city can suggest a trade to any nation on the same or adjacent layout slot - or even to multiple nations (if all on 1 target slot).
- The terms can be negotiated quickly and loads described freely (even lied about), but must be clear (eg. "5 gold for the full load").
- If accepted, gold and loads (except Q's) are exchanged and the turn used. If rejected, the turn is not used, but you can't suggest another trade to them.
- Trades become more useful with Treaties, Luxuries and Walls or when players decide to help each other (eg. to support cards for attacking a 3rd party).
- Your game pieces and city can exchange loads with your other pieces / city on the same or adjacent slot - except Q's only with their home city (Ace).
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CITY ACTIONS
CITY ACTIONS (A - no limit)
After using your main game pieces, your city can perform limitless city actions mixed with limitless handling actions.
- You can pick (same suit) cards for each action freely from all your loads in the city and any adjacent slots - cards are turned face up and discarded.
- Each city action can only use cards of a single suit (joker is 10 of any suit) and their total sum must be equal or higher than the action price.
- You can pay missing numbers (or even full price) in gold: 1 gold for 1 number. (For example, buy a Jack with 9 own suit + 2 gold = 11 own suit.)
city action: MINE GOLD
- Mine +5 gold out of 10 own suit or 15 foreign suit. (This is a slightly cheaper shortcut for producing a game piece and dismantling it.)
city action: PRODUCE A GAME PIECE
- A new game piece costs its number equivalent with your own suit (J = 11, Q = 12, K = 13) and 5 more with foreign suit (J = 16, Q = 17, K = 18).
- The newly produced game piece is put face up on the city. (It can be loaded at the end of the turn, but gets its main action on the next turn.)
city action: RESEARCH TECHNOLOGY
- Unlocking a step in technological progress costs 15 own suit or 20 foreign suit. The step is marked into the progress table.
city action: DECOMPOSE LOADS
- Discard any loaded cards for the cost of 1 gold per card. (The cards are not revealed.)
city action: DISMANTLE GAME PIECES
- Discard your game pieces (on same or adjacent slots) to gain +5 gold per piece. However each loaded card on the piece drops the gains by 1 gold.
city action: TURN TO GOLD (once per turn)
- You can convert your whole turn to +1 gold, if you skip all other actions. (The action yields 2 gold for any non-teamed players in Suit Allies.)
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PROGRESS
TECHNOLOGY
There are 3 technological branches and each can be completed 3 times in free order - once for each game piece type: J, Q and K.
- Double Load increases the load capacity of the piece type to 2 cards. (Initially each can only carry 1 card - Aces always 2 cards.)
- Double Speed allows the pieces to move 1 slot for free to a 1-card-terrain (without Walls on the way) before consuming the main action of the piece turn.
- Double Pieces allows the player to have 2 pieces of the same type. Each starts with support for 1 piece type per player.
RELIGION & CULTURE
Each religious or cultural step is marked into the progress table (using tally marks) under Religion or Culture - each branch can have up to 5 steps.
SCORING
The player / team with the most civilization points after the last era wins the game. (If shared, then shared.)
- SCIENCE: The 1st completed tech. branch (with 3 steps in the progress table) gives 3 p., the 2nd branch 2 p. and the 3rd only 1 p. (= max 6 p. in total).
- RELIGION & CULTURE: Each great religious or cultural step (marked in the progress table) gives 1 p. You can gain max. 5 p. from each branch.
With all extensions included there are 4 more tech. branches (3 x Mini Techs and Seacraft) as well as other scoring opportunities:
- WONDERS: Each wonder work marked in the progress table (under Wonders) is worth 2 p., you can do max. 5 works (= 10 p.).
- ARCHITECTURE: Each layer of a cultural / religious center (= up to 3 coins on the Ace) is worth 2 p.
- LUXURY COMBOS: Each luxury item is worth 1 p. alone, but 2 p. if the city has another luxury item of the same number or suit (all involved are 2 p.).
- CONTROLLED WALLS: Built walls in your control (= next to your Ace, or King with no rivals) reward with 1 p. each.
- TREATY TRAITORS: Each traitor cross from a broken treaty (marked with X in the progress table) punishes with -2 p.
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PLAYER VARIATIONS
ABOUT SHARING SUIT
When a suit is shared, it's splitted into two rival nations (Suit Strangers), played by a team (Suit Allies) or by a single player (traditional or Settlers).
- When two share a suit, Double Piece tech. is dropped, and each suit side has its own game piece deck and can trade with each other (teamed or not).
- When both suit sides belong to 1 team / player, both cities are home cities and gold is shared for the whole suit. (Both can have the same Architecture.)
- The teams can be agreed or picked randomly (by drawing suits), and likewise player locations agreed or decided randomly (= dice roll winner chooses).
- With just 2 players, you can play traditional or Settlers variation. Either way, it's recommended to add 1 or 2 City States into the layout.
variation: SUIT STRANGERS (for 5 - 8 players)
Playing as suit strangers the game works normally (and can include solo players), except that Double Piece technology is dropped.
variation: SUIT ALLIES (for 3 - 8 players)
Playing as an allied team progress, victory & gold are shared (= suit based), while Double Piece technology is dropped.
- Accordingly the columns in the progress table are suits, and each team starts with 10 gold, while each player still starts with 1 Ace and 1 Jack.
- The allies can use both cities as their home cities. They can also trade with each other (to exchange loads - including Luxuries, Walls and Seacraft).
- You can also include solo players: each starts with 2 A's, 2 J's and 10 gold. As they play one bigger turn their Turn to gold action yields 2 gold.
- Combined with Walls extension, any wall controlled by two allied K's is jointly controlled by both players (they decide together, and get 1 p. together).
variation: SETTLERS (for 2 - 4 players)
The layout can be prepared with 1 - 4 settable slots (using face up jokers) where a Settler game piece (Ace) can establish their 2nd city.
- Producing a settler costs its number equivalent 14 of own suit or 19 foreign suit, and is allowed as long as there's an available ace.
- Each nation starts with all 3 Double techs for Ace: Double Load (always), Double Pieces (= can produce a settler) and Double Speed (for settlers).
- The settler can move (1 or 2 slots per turn) and carry a load (like a game piece) and do handling actions - the load stays upon establishing the city.
- The 2nd city provides cheap production prices (= own suit price for all suits) but is destructible. Both the settler and the city can also be stolen, when attacked successfully with own suit and with an Ace available (= the Aces are swapped).
MAIN ACTIONS
- A - ESTABLISH 2ND CITY: The settler can establish the 2nd city as a main action when located on a settable location: the Ace is placed under the joker.
- The 2nd city provides own suit prices for all suits in production, but is vulnerable: it can be taken over or destroyed (= spot becomes settable again).
- Note. When combined with City States the settable spots (= jokers) function as autonomous city states until the city is established.
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EXTENSIONS
ABOUT EXTENSIONS
All 10 extensions are compatible with each other (and player variations). It's strongly recommended to try some after learning the basic game flow.
- PRE-MODS allows to kick start the game. Useful especially if the layout consumes a lot of cards.
- MINI TECHS allows to research better military dice numbers, cheaper own suit prices and foreign suit prices.
- TREATIES allow to include written agreements (in trades) that can either disallow the parties from doing something or allow it but punish the traitors.
- MERCHANTS are attractive spots in the layout that appear here and there to sell cheap gold. (Especially recommended for Walls and Seacraft.)
- WONDERS are fixed attractive spots in the layout where Queens can donate their suit to gain civ. points. (Especially recommended for Walls and Seacraft.)
- ARCHITECTURE allows to build a point worthy religious / cultural center in the city (after 3 cultural or 5 religious progress steps) that can be attacked.
- LUXURIES are formed by merging 2 identical cards and are worth 1 or 2 civ. points each. They can be loaded, traded and attacked.
- CITY-STATES adds independent city states to the layout that can spice up the dynamics. (Especially recommended with only 2 players.)
- WALLS can be used to block the flow of main and political actions, or charge for allowing them, and are worth civ. points.
- SEACRAFT supports sea steps on the layout and producing pieces of seacraft that can be assembled to ships (and disassembled back).
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extension: PRE-MODS
GIFTS & TECHS
Use these mods to kick-start the game and jump closer to the mid game. (Recommended if the layout consumes a lot of cards.)
- PRE-GIFTS: Start the game with more gold or game pieces than normally, or give out Luxuries, pre-built Walls or Seacraft.
- PRE-TECHS: Pre-complete some steps in the technological progress cells.
- You can either decide to give each player / team the same pre-advancements, or define how many there are and each can decide for themselves.
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extension: MINI TECHS
TECHNOLOGY
This extension adds 3 new tech. branches - you can include all or just some. Each can be researched 3 times for completion.
- MILITARY TECH: Each step increases the dice number advantage by +1 when defending or fighting against defense with your Kings anywhere.
- CHEAPER OWN: Each step allows to pay 1 number less for all own suit prices (in all political and city actions).
- CHEAPER FOREIGN: Each step allows to pay 1 number less for all foreign suit prices (in all political and city actions).
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extension: TREATIES
TREATY MECHANICS
Treaties are written agreements between civilizations made during a trade (or similar situation) that do not break any game rules. There are 2 types:
- UNBREAKABLE: Anything that asks to not do some action can be agreed to be unbreakable - the player simply cannot play the action (as defined).
- For example, two nations can agree to be unable to attack any game piece of each other during the remaining era.
- BREAKABLE: Alternatively you can agree about anything in a breakable way, and be punished for breaking it.
- Each traitor gets 1 traitor cross in the progress table (marked as an X under Traitor row) which brings -2 civ. points. After broken, the treaty no longer binds.
- For example, nation A will only spread culture to nation B, if they don't explore the lands that are within 4-slot-distance from the city of nation A.
You can make multiple treaties (in one trade) and each can include many unbreakable and breakable parts and involve multiple civilizations.
- Treaties can also override or extend older treaties. In any unclear cases, can consult a 3rd party, or otherwise there is no punishment / disallowance.
- You can optionally agree to have custom restrictions about treaties in general. (For example, that they cannot last longer than 1 or 2 eras.)
- UNBREAKABLE: Anything that asks to not do some action can be agreed to be unbreakable - the player simply cannot play the action (as defined).
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extension: MERCHANTS
MERCHANT MECHANICS
This extension introduces merchants: face up cards in the layout that sell one-time cheap gold (before disappearing and reappearing elsewhere).
- MERCHANT SLOT: The dealer marks a few (1 - 6) layout slots by placing a special token (eg. a stone or a coin) on or in front of them.
- Each merchant slot is agreed to correspond to a dice number (or many). The slot can be of any terrain height (but not an Ace or other special slot).
- MERCHANT SPOTS: The dealer decides how many merchants to include (usually 1 or 2) and rolls a dice for each to decide its spot (unless only 1 spot).
- One card is then turned face up in the target merchant slot - or if already turned (and it's 1-card-terrain), then a dice is rolled again.
- While the merchant is active (= face up), the slot cannot be explored (even if it has other cards). The merchant disappears after he's traded with.
- During the final countdown, you can still trade with the merchants, but they will be just turned face down after.
- TRADING: The merchant trades 5 gold for 1 card and 10 gold for 2 cards of the same number as him, or 1 card of the same suit to make him go away.
- As always, jokers are number 10 of any suit. The paid 1 or 2 cards are revealed, and then discarded (and gold gained).
- A dice is then rolled for the merchant's next location (unless only 1 spot), while the old merchant is discarded and replaced by a normal face down card.
- MERCHANT SLOT: The dealer marks a few (1 - 6) layout slots by placing a special token (eg. a stone or a coin) on or in front of them.
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extension: WONDERS
WONDER WORK MECHANICS
This extension introduces wonders: special slots (eg. thick coasters) in the layout where Queens can do wonder work by donating their suit.
- WONDER SPOTS: The dealer can mark 1 (or 2) wonder spots in the layout with a pedestal. The slots are regarded as impassable terrain.
- DONATIONS: When next to a pedestal, the Queens can then donate up to 3 cards of their suit by placing the loaded card(s) face up on it.
- If playing Suit Strangers variation, you can mark one player's donations from the other (of the same suit) by placing the cards to point towards their owner.
- WINNER: The first nation to donate a straight flush with 3 cards (eg. ♥Q donates ♥4, ♥5, ♥6) gets the wonder, and then all donations are discarded.
- Each wonder work is worth 2 civ. points and you can do max. 5 works. Each is marked into the progress table (with tally marks under Wonders).
- ATTACKING: Any K's next to the wonder can act as foreign defenders. On damage roll, 2 hits (= 4-5) destroys / steals 1 card, and 3 hits (= 6) 2 cards.
MAIN ACTIONS
- Q - WONDER WORK: When next to a wonder pedestal, Queens can donate 1 or 2 loaded cards of their suit (but no jokers).
- The cards are placed face up on the pedestal, and you can optionally discard any of your earlier donations (but not current ones).
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extension: ARCHITECTURE
ARCHITECTURAL MECHANICS
This extension completes the religious and cultural efforts by allowing to build a global religious / cultural center.
- Building a religious or cultural center requires at least 3 cultural / religious steps. Each further step allows to add another layer (up to 3 layers = 5 steps).
- Each branch (religion / culture) has its own building (unlocked separately) visualized by a pile of coins on the Ace, where each coin is worth 2 civ. points.
- If the city is attacked, the next hits after the loads target any architecture (or Luxuries) in the city: each hit destroys / steals 1 coin (attacker decides which).
- Pieces of architecture (coins) can be traded and loaded on J's and K's, but each coin takes up 1 loading space (unlike when built on the Ace).
CITY ACTIONS
- BUILD ARCHITECTURE: Producing an architectural layer (1 coin) costs 15 own suit or 20 foreign suit, but you can also get them by trading or stealing.
- However, you're only allowed to move / produce the layers on the Ace with enough progress (1 layer after 3 steps, 2 after 4 steps, 3 after all 5).
- DISMANTLE ARCHITECTURE: You can dismantle pieces of architecture (in the city or loaded on the same or adjacent slots) to gain +5 gold per piece.
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extension: LUXURIES
LUXURY MECHANICS
This extension introduces luxury items that can be produced at the city.
- Luxuries are created from 2 indentical cards (= same number & suit, no jokers) at the city, and kept face up (overlappingly) under the Ace.
- Each luxury item in the city is worth 1 civ. point alone, but elevated to 2 p. with another item of the same number or suit (all involved are elevated).
- If the city is attacked, the next hits after the loads target any luxuries (or Architecture) in the city: each hit destroys / steals 1 coin (attacker decides which).
- Luxuries can be loaded on Jacks and Kings, but are kept face up in the load (= each takes up 1 load spot). They can be carried and traded as any load.
- When loaded back to a city, they are again kept under the Ace and separate from its main card load (kept above the Ace).
- Storywise, each suit is a cultural luxury: Spades (♤) are spices & textiles, Clubs (♧) rare metals, Diamonds (♦) jewelry, and Hearts (♥) wine & art.
CITY ACTIONS
- PRODUCE A LUXURY: You can merge 2 identical cards (= same number and suit) into 1 luxury item. Exceptionally you can't use jokers nor gold.
- One of the cards is discarded and the other placed face up (and often sideways) under the Ace overlapping any other luxuries.
- LUXURY TO GOLD: You can convert any luxuries (in the city or loaded on the same or adjacent slots) to gain +5 gold per item.
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extension: CITY STATES
CITY STATE MECHANICS
This extension adds the concept of city states represented by face up jokers in the layout (in addition to the player cities).
- LAYOUT: The dealer can add 1 - 4 jokers face up as independent city states using the same rules that apply for Aces in the layout.
- They provide friendy city services, but if you ever (attempt to) attack them while autonomous, they'll cut all ties with you - so that you can only attack them.
- AUTONOMOUS / SUZERAIN: Normally the city states are autonomous (= provide services to friendly nations), but with a suzerain they serve as a 2nd home city.
- Your Settler (A) can establish suzerainty in an autonomous city (= Ace under joker), which then provides cheap production but can be destroyed / taken over.
- MISSIONS (Q): Autonomous city states can be targeted by friendly Queens for cultural (own suit) / religious (foreign suit) missions with a valid load (+ gold).
- The load is revealed (and discarded), but the player only gains 1 step if wins a dice gamble (without any progress mods): he rolls first, then someone for the city.
- DEFENDING (K): Autonomous city states reject demands, but can be attacked by a K to gain cash (but they'll never forget it). They defend as if joker = Ace.
- If the attack gets all the way through, you can roll a dice for cash: a double hit (= 5 or 6) gives 10 gold, single hit (= 3 or 4) gives 5 gold, 1 or 2 nothing.
- If there's a suzerain card it's destroyed first, and as always any Architecture and Luxuries in the city are targeted first (after the face down loads).
- Attacking their City Walls is not an offense but they automatically gain the usual defense rolls for it (1 from the wall and 1 from joker as Ace).
- PRODUCTION & LOAD TRADES: Autonomous city states serve as production worksites for any friendly nation, and can likewise carry normal Ace loads.
- Friendly nations can exchange the loads freely by trading. Any Luxuries, Walls or Seacraft produced in the city are loaded into the city as normally.
- LAYOUT: The dealer can add 1 - 4 jokers face up as independent city states using the same rules that apply for Aces in the layout.
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extension: WALLS
LAYOUT
This extension requires some small sticks (eg. long matches) to be used as walls (between the layout slots, or loaded on the game pieces or city).
- PRODUCTION & ASSEMBLY: Each nation can produce pieces of walls, load (and trade) them on J / K / A and assemble them (as a handling action).
- The walls are assembled by simply moving the stick on the border of the layout slot and a neighbour slot - once laid down, cannot load it back on.
- CITY WALLS: The city controls any walls adjacent to it and can freely decide who can pass through (upon moving or political actions) and even charge for it.
- The passer asks and the city either allows, declines or suggests a trade. If declined, the passer cannot use the action (to that direction) during that turn.
- Exceptionally for City Walls, you can only control the incoming flow: if a foreigner is in the city, he's always allowed to exit without asking the city.
- DISTANT WALLS: Similarly any non-city walls are controllable by a King on a connected slot - with many rival K's, none can pass. With no K's, all ok.
- Even when the walls are totally blocked, the nations (with rivalling Kings) can still negotiate trades or make demands over the wall (but not attack over).
- WALLS AS TERRAIN: Any walls along the way (controlled or not) always hinder the benefits of Double Speed technology.
- DESTROYING WALLS: Walls can only be destroyed by attacks (by Kings). The attacker must indicate whether is attacking walls (or a game piece / city).
- However each King (from other players) adjacent to the walls can choose to provide an extra chance to stop the attack (with the usual dice rolls and advantages).
- Upon rolling for damage, 2 or 3 hits (= 4-6) is always enough, but even 1 hit (= 2-3) if the attacking nation controls the wall.
ACTIONS
HANDLING ACTIONS
- J / K / A - ASSEMBLE WALLS: Your J / K / A can assemble walls (loaded on them) on the border of any neighbouring layout slot (max. 1 wall per border).
CITY ACTIONS
- PRODUCE WALLS: A piece of walls is produced with 15 own suit or 20 foreign suit: as a token a stick is placed on the Ace.
- The Ace can hold max. 2 pieces of walls. As always the cargo type loads are separated on Ace, but mixed on game pieces (= each takes 1 loading space).
- DISMANTLE WALLS: You can dismantle non-assembled walls (loaded on the Ace or Jack / King in the city or adjacent slot) to gain +5 gold for each piece of walls.
- PRODUCTION & ASSEMBLY: Each nation can produce pieces of walls, load (and trade) them on J / K / A and assemble them (as a handling action).
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extension: SEACRAFT
TECHNOLOGY
A new technology is added: Seacraft. It can be researched 3 times for completion.
- Each nation can produce a piece of seacraft (= 1 stone) and load them on J / K / A, but can only assemble / disassemble them and sail with the tech.
- Each progress step unlocks skills for 1 ship layer: first boats (= 1 coaster), then longships (= 2 coasters) and finally caravels (= 3 coasters).
LAYOUT
This extension requires some coasters (= beer mats) to be used as ship layers and small stones to represent transportable pieces of seacraft.
- SAILING PATHS: The dealer marks sailing paths by placing small coins or pebbles on the map - even 1-coin-paths are allowed (= they can become bridges).
- HARBOUR SPOTS: Any layout slot (including cities) adjacent to a sea step are harbour spots: when a ship is next to them, pieces can move to / from it.
- You can only embark if the ship is not full (= 1 piece per layer) and not occupied by another nation. Actual sailing requires Seacraft tech. (= 1 step per layer).
- MOVING ON DECK / BRIDGES: The pieces can also move from one ship to another adjacent ship (1 slot per turn), instead of moving a ship by sailing.
- SHIP LAYERS: Ships are assembled by converting loaded seacraft (stones) to ship layers (coasters) on an adjacent sea slot (from land or sea).
- Each layer indicates how many 1. tech. steps are required, 2. pieces can embark the ship, 3. sea steps it can travel, and 4. hits it can take.
- OVERLAPPING SHIPS: Ships can overlap each other, but for clarity each overlapping ship is rotated 45 (or 90) degrees to dinstinguish them.
- NAVAL BATTLES: Attacking works the same on sea as on land (and sea-land), except you can also target the ship (which is way more efficient).
- If the ship is damaged, it loses 1 coaster layer per hit - if there are too many pieces aboard, the loser chooses which to discard (including their loads).
- Note that attacking always takes the K's turn, so he cannot be used to sail the ship on the same player turn (but other pieces on the ship can).
- WALLS: Combined with Walls, you can also build a wall between a harbour and an adjacent sea slot to control the flow to and from the harbour.
ACTIONS
MAIN ACTIONS
- J / Q / K - SAIL: Each piece on the ship can use its turn to sail: move the ship to an adjacent sea slot. (The more pieces on the ship, the faster it can move.)
- However, operating a boat / longship / caravel requires as many technological steps under Seacraft as there are layers (= coasters) in the ship.
HANDLING ACTIONS
- J / K / A - ASSEMBLE & DISASSEMBLE SEACRAFT: You can handle seacraft on an adjacent sea slot: assemble from loads and disassemble back to loads.
- With 1 step (under Seacraft) you can convert a loaded piece of seacraft into a boat. With 2 steps you can add a layer to an empty boat to make a longship, and with 3 steps another to an empty longship to make a caravel. You can also merge (eg. 2 boats into 1 longship) or split (eg. 1 caravel into 3 boats) empty ships.
- Disassembly works in reverse: you can disassemble empty boats with 1 step, empty longships with 2 steps and empty caravels with 3 steps.
CITY ACTIONS
- PRODUCE SEACRAFT: You can produce a piece of seacraft with 10 own suit or 15 foreign suit. A small stone is placed on the A - can hold max. 2 pieces.
- DISMANTLE SEACRAFT: You can dismantle pieces of seacraft from the loads (in the city or on adjacent slots) to gain +5 gold per piece.
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TABLES
ACTION PRICE TABLES (including all extensions)
MAIN ACTIONS
- action price result notes
- Move (J / Q / K / A as settler)-move 1 or 2 layout stepsDouble Speed: 1 free move to 1-card-terrain
- Sail (J / Q / K / A as settler)-move the ship 1 sea stepeach piece can sail (the same ship) on its turn
- Explore (J)-(optionally) take 1 or 2 cardsfrom the same or adjacent layout slot
- Cultural mission (Q)10 own suit(maybe) 1 cultural stepcan target other 3 suits (same or adjacent slot)
- Religious mission (Q)10 foreign suit(maybe) 1 religious stepmust match target suit (same or adjacent slot)
- Espionage mission (Q)10 foreign suit(maybe) 1 tech. stepmust not match suit (same or adjacent slot)
- Wonder work (Q)own suit straight (3 cards)1 wonder workdonated to a wonder spot
- Attack to destroy (K)10 any suit0 - 2 damage hitsfrom the same or adjacent slot
- Attack to steal (K)10 own suit0 - 2 damage + steal loadsfrom the same or adjacent slot
- Establish the 2nd city (A)settler2nd cityon a settable spot or adjacent to one
HANDLING ACTIONS
- action price resultnotes
- Exchange loads (J / Q / K / A)-exchanged loadson the same or adjacent slot (Q only with A)
- Trade (J / Q / K / A)-traded loads, gold, treatieson the same or adjacent slot (no Q loads)
- Trade demand (K)discarded loadstraded loads, gold, treatieson the same or adjacent slot
- Tolls for crossing walls (K / A)-traded loads, gold, treatiesmust be exclusively in the player's control
- Merchant trade (J / K / A)1 or 2 same number5 or 10 goldon the same or adjacent slot
- Assemble walls (J / K / A)1 piece of walls1 assembled wallson any connected border (on land)
- Assemble seacraft (J / K / A)1 piece of seacraft1 ship layerto an adjacent sea slot
- Disassemble seacraft (J / K / A)1 ship layer1 piece of seacraftfrom an adjacent sea slot
- Merge / split seacraft (J / K / A)empty ship layersregrouped ship layersall on one sea spot
CITY ACTIONS
- actionpriceresult
- Mine gold10 own suit / 15 foreign suit5 gold
- Produce seacraft10 own suit / 15 foreign suit1 piece of seacraft (on Ace)
- Produce a pioneer (J)11 own suit / 16 foreign suit1 Jack
- Produce a missionary (Q)12 own suit / 17 foreign suit1 Queen
- Produce an army (K)13 own suit / 18 foreign suit1 King
- Produce a settler (A)14 own suit / 19 foreign suit1 Ace (as settler piece)
- Research technology15 own suit / 20 foreign suit1 tech. step
- Build architecture15 own suit / 20 foreign suit1 coin (on Ace)
- Produce walls15 own suit / 20 foreign suit1 piece of walls (on Ace)
- Produce luxury2 identical cards (no jokers)1 luxury item (face up under Ace)
- Decompose loads1 loaded card (on any piece / city)-1 gold
- Dismantle game pieceJ / Q / K (or A as settler)5 gold
- Dismantle architecture1 coin5 gold
- Dismantle luxury1 luxury item5 gold
- Dismantle walls1 piece of walls5 gold
- Dismantle seacraft1 piece of seacraft5 gold
- Turn to gold(once per player turn)1 gold (or 2 for solo pl. in Suit Allies)
SCORING TABLES (including all extensions)
MATERIAL POSSESSIONS (temporary)
- featureciv. pointsnotes
- Architecture2 p. per coin (on Ace)max. 12 p. (= 3 coins x 2 piles x 2 points)
- Luxury1 p. or 2 p. in city-combocombo: same suit / number luxuries
- Walls1 p. per controlled walladjacent to A or K (with no rivals)
POLITICAL PROGRESS (permanent)
- featureciv. pointsnotes
- Culture1 p. per stepmax. 5 p.
- Religion1 p. per stepmax. 5 p.
- Wonders2 p. per stepmax. 10 p.
- Treaties-2 p. per broken treaty
SCIENTIFIC PROGRESS (permanent)
- featureciv. pointsnotes
- (Tech. branches - each has 3 steps)1st branch: 3 p. 2nd: 2 p. 3rd: 1 p.max. 6 p. (= 3 completed branches)
- Double Load(completed for J / Q / K)can load 2 cards (or other load)
- Double Speed(completed for J / Q / K)gains 1 free move on 1-card-terrain
- Double Pieces(completed for J / Q / K)can have 2 pieces of the type
- Military Tech (mini tech.)(completed in steps: 1, 2, 3)+1 dice number for / against defense
- Cheaper Own (mini tech.)(completed in steps: 1, 2, 3)-1 price for own suit
- Cheaper Foreign (mini tech.)(completed in steps: 1, 2, 3)-1 price for foreign suit
- Seacraft(completed in steps: 1, 2, 3)know-how for each Seacraft layer
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MAPS
... coming soon ...
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STRATEGY
RANDOM WISDOMDS
- In peaceful times use Kings to haul cards from Jacks so they can concentrate on exploration - keep them nearby, eg. 1 or 2 steps from each other.
- When danger approaches, group your pieces together with a King (or 2) and/or hide behind a wall or in your city (if there's anything of value).
QUICK GUIDE
EARLY GAME (getting by)
- There are various strategies starting with your first purchase. Some choose game pieces (K or Q) while other strive for the Double techs (typically for J).
- If you can't find cards of your own suit (or jokers) in the beginning, consider mining gold (while paying part in gold): the next purchase is then a bit easier. Another option is to get a King, because it can serve as extra card space but also for its hauling and military features.
- Also trade with any Merchants nearby (or send them away with a very low card). With Wonders the first Queens tend to appear already in the early game.
- With Walls, the early game can already feature some City Walls - used for protection as well as to prepare charging for accessing the city (with Q's).
MIDDLE GAME (religion & culture)
- The middle game starts when Queens start to appear. As they are the most direct way to get civ. points tensions start to accumulate around them, even though they have essentially friendly mechanics (or at least non-hurtful).
- Imbalances in religious / cultural progress start to accumulate which in turn affects who wants to propagate (religion or culture) to whom.
- With Architecture extension, the religious and cultural tensions transform partly into battles around architecture, since unlocking layers of the religious / cultural center, architecture becomes a very direct path to more civ. points.
- With Luxuries extension, some nations tend to gain more of them than others and become ever more eager to gain more, especially ones fitting to their collections. The accumulated wealth can in turn drive others towards attacking them (to try to give up some luxuries or destroy them).
- With City States extension, players are occasionally using them for their services but in Settlers variation the middle game can often be centered around becoming the suzerain of a city state - especially when there are fewer city states than players.
- With Walls, some distant walls may appear to control access to the strategically important locations - accumulating more political tensions.
- With Seacraft extension, the importance of sailing / bridges depends largely on the layout design - in some it's hugely beneficial, in some only lightly.
END GAME (wars and more)
- The end game dynamics depend much on the included extensions. In any case the end game eventually approaches around 3/4 of the game.
- Civilizations tend to become politically very rude and attack anything that is directly tied to civ. points, for example Architecture and Luxuries (through the city), wars around City States and taking control of and attacking Walls and Seacraft around the map, while Treaties can sometimes protect you.
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HISTORY
v1 - Civilizations (2024)
- The earliest sketches were made in 2023, but the game was less board game like and had no game pieces.
- In early 2024 while exploring dynamics of layout and partial knowledge the explorations lead to two branches: Suit Taboo and Civilizations.
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THANKS
FOR IDEAS, HELP WITH DEVELOPMENT & PLAYING
Ville Viitala, Johannes Aho