THE GREAT GAME
INTRODUCTION
Card game for 2 Players.
Depicts the 19th Century Rivalry between England and Russia in Central Asia.
One Player is the Russian Empire. The other Player is the British Empire.
VICTORY
The first player to accumulate 100 Territory Points is the winner.
TERRITORY POINTS
Territory Points represents territory that has come under your sphere of Influence.
Use pen and paper to keep track of Territory Points.
Players may have negative Territory Points.
THE DECK
Players share a common deck.
There are 8 types of Cards:
Intelligence, Politics, Military, Motivation, Obstacles, Difficulties, Events, Ally
SETUP
The Russian Player goes first.
Deal each player 10 cards.
TURN SEQUENCE
Players take turns.
The current player is the active player.
The other player is the dormant player.
Each turn has 9 phases:
1. Fate Phase
2. Event Phase
3. Exploration Phase
4. Strategy Phase
5. Operations Phase
6. Resistance Phase
7. Gains Phase
8. Ally Phase
9. Retreat Phase
FATE PHASE
Both players fill their hand to 10 cards.
Draw 1 extra card if you control more Allies than your opponent.
If the deck runs out, shuffle the discard and draw from it.
EVENT PHASE
The Active player may play one Event card.
EXPLORATION PHASE
The active player plays any Intelligence cards in his hand.
The dormant player may play any difficulty cards in his hand.
If the active player played more cards than the dormant player, he
May look at the dormant player’s hand.
All played cards are discarded.
STRATEGY PHASE
The active player may discard up to 5 cards and draw replacements.
OPERATIONS PHASE
The Active player may play either a Political Meld or a Military Meld
A Political Meld is all Political cards in the Active player’s hand.
A Military Meld is all Military cards in the Active player’s hand.
RESISTANCE PHASE
If the Active player played a Political Meld, the Dormant player plays any
Political cards in his hand.
PMV = Number of cards in the Political Meld
PDV = Number of Political cards played by the Dormant player
MC = Motivation Cards played by the Active player
The Influence Score = (PMV + MC) – PDV
If the Active player played a Military Meld, the Dormant player plays any
Obstacle cards in his hand.
MMV = Number of cards in the Military Meld
ODV = Number of Obstacle cards played by the Dormant player
The Influence Score = (MMV + MC) – ODV
GAINS PHASE
The Active player gains Territory Points according to the
Influence Score earned in Resistance phase.
Influence Score: Territory Points:
-5 or less -5
-4 -4
-3 -3
-2 -2
-1 -1
0 0
1 1
2 2
3 4
4 8
5 16
6 24
7 36
8 or more 50
ALLY PHASE
If your opponent has more Territory Points than you, you may put one
Ally card into play from your hand.
Ally cards stay face up in play.
If you scored 16 or more Territory Points this turn, you may steal an
Ally card from your opponent.
RETREAT PHASE
Both players may discard down to 3 cards.
MOTIVATION CARDS
Political and military cards are collectively called Influence cards.
Motivation cards can be used by the active player as Meld cards.
In a Meld, the active player cannot use more Motivation cards than Influence cards.
CARD LIST NOTATION
I = Intelligence
P = Politics
M = Military
V = Motivation
O = Obstacles
D = Difficulties
E = Events
A = Ally
I/D = can be used as Intelligence or Difficulty
E/O = can be used as Event or Obstacle
B = British Player only can use this card
R = Russian Player only can use this card
TP = Territory Points
OP = Opposing Player
PINYH = Put it in your hand
COMMON DECK CARD LIST
Card Name: Type Use Notes:
Russian Bogey V B
Sensational Claims V B
East India Company V B
Xenophobia V R
Tsarist Expansionism V R
Wild Adventure V -
Panic V -
Vengeance V -
Grand Design V -
Opportunism V -
Ambitious Officers V -
Glory V -
Enthusiasm V -
Historical Destiny V -
Fear of Being Attacked V -
Pretext V -
Momentum V -
Improved Scheme V -
Prestige V -
National Rivalry V -
Rise to Power V -
Forward Policies V -
Imperial Land Grab V -
Exhortations V -
Profit V -
Common Foe P -
Save Face P -
Secret Deal P -
Betrayal P -
Proposition P -
Assurances P -
Diplomatic Mission P -
Mediation P -
Brilliant Coup P -
Envoys P -
Duplicity P -
Alliance P -
Reward for Submission P -
Treaty P -
Persuasion P -
Play for Time P -
Diplomatic Crisis P -
Buffer State P -
Incident P -
Assassination P -
Puppet Regime P -
Negotiations P -
Arms & Advisors P -
Cordial Relations P -
Internal Strife P -
Allow Local Rule P -
Emissary P -
Lavish Gifts P -
Compromise P -
Exploit Fragile Coalition P -
Ultimatum P -
Oriental Flattery P -
Intrepid Explorers I -
Intrigue I -
Players of the Great Game I -
Chart Route I -
Amateur Spies I -
Political Agents I -
Military Geography I -
Mapping Mission I -
Discover the Truth I -
Troubleshooters I -
Messenger I -
Subterfuge I -
Reconnaissance I -
Elaborate Deception I -
Letters of Introduction I -
Bribery I -
Clandestine Surveys I -
Disguises I -
Safe Passage I -
Espionage I -
Native Operative I -
Rendezvous I -
Local Guides I -
British Secret Service I B
Royal Geographical Society I B
Flying Column M -
Cossacks M R
Advance Frontiers M R
British Redcoats M B
Sea Power M B
Territorial Gains M -
Major Expedition M -
Native Regiments M -
Declare War M -
Invasion M -
Garrison M -
Retribution M -
Small War M -
Siege M -
Set Piece Battle M -
Advanced Technology M -
Able Generals M -
Outposts M -
Punitive Expedition M -
Artillery M -
Conquerors Route M -
Overland March M -
Remorseless Advance M -
Disastrous Retreat O -
Hostile Tribes O -
Warlike Kingdom O -
Walled City O -
Hazardous Crossing O -
Bitter Resistance O -
Terrible Trap O -
Disease O -
Guerilla Warfare O -
Formidable Mountains O -
Humiliating Retreat O -
Well Crafted Ambush O -
Catastrophe O -
Harsh Deserts O -
Devastating Defeat O -
Fight the Infidels E/O - OP loses 5 TP
Charismatic Leader E/O - OP loses 5 TP
Popular Resistance E/O - OP loses 5 TP
Uprising E - OP loses 5 TP
Indian Mutiny E R Brit player loses 10 TP
Separate Peace E - Discard target Ally card
Seek Allies E - Search Discard for Ally & PINYH
Analyst E - Draw 3 cards
Insurrection E - OP loses 5 TP
Lawless Regions D -
Bandits D -
Agent Provocateur I/D -
Perilous Journey I/D -
Tournament of Shadows I/D -
Murderous Brigands D -
Execute Spies D -
Dangerous Frontier D -
Arouse Suspicion D -
Ottoman Empire A -
Emir of Afghanistan A -
French Connection A -
Baluchistan A -
Shah of Persia A -
Caucasus A -
CARDSET AVAILABLE!!!
Thanks Ron!
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LINKS
Wikipedia Required Reading
