NEW IMPERIALISM
INTRODUCTION
Map and board game for 4-7 Players.
Imperial Competition amongst the Great Powers from 1875-1914.
GAME LENGTH
The game is 20 turns.
Each turn is equivalent to 2 years.
VICTORY
The player with the most Victory Points at the end of the game wins.
VICTORY POINTS
Use coins or poker chips to keep track of Victory Points (VP).
GREAT POWERS
There are 7 Great Powers available for play:
1. British Empire
2. French Republic
3. German Empire
4. Netherlands (& Belgium)
5. Russian Empire
6. Empire of Japan
7. United States of America
THE MAP
MAP NOTATION
The map is divided into Land and Sea Regions.
The Term Region = Space, Territory, Area, Location.
There are 4 types of Regions:
1. Black Diamonds indicate Imperialistic Great Powers.
A player may have any number of his own units stacked on his own Homeland.
Other players Units may not enter your Homeland.
2. Asterisks are Off Limits: They are Old Empires or Powers unavailable for
colonization. They basically act as obstacles to the movement of Units.
3. Colonies are indicated by Capacity numbers and are available to be colonized.
The Capacity number is the max Units that can occupy that colony in Fight Phase.
4. Seas and Oceans in general are treated like Colonies but with no Move through
restriction. The Persian Gulf, Sea of Japan, and Red Sea have a Cap of 2 each.
The Baltic and North Sea have a Cap = 3 each. All other Seas have a Cap = 4 each.
The Oceans have a Capacity of 10 each.
UNITS
Use pawns, tokens, chits, or cubes as Units.
Each player has a set of units of a distinct color.
Units are nebulous. They can represent sea power, military might, missionaries,
colonists, native armies, factories, capital investments, diplomacy, etc.
Units are a combination of military, political, and economic influence.
NEUTRAL UNITS
There is a common set of neutral units.
These are units not controlled by any player.
They represent Old Empires, Native Governments, Warlords, Rebels, Anarchy, etc.
THE DECKS
There are 2 types of Decks:
The Event Deck
The Empire Deck
THE EMPIRE DECK
Players share a common deck.
There are 3 Types of cards:
1. Recruit cards
2. Movement cards
3. Special cards
Recruit cards are played in your Unit Phase.
Movement cards are played in your Move Phase.
Special cards are played according to the card text.
SETUP
Each player places 4 of his units on his own Homeland.
Each player is dealt a hand of 5 cards from the Empire Deck.
All Colonies get Neutral Units placed on them up to their Capacity.
YEARLY SEQUENCE
Each year has 6 Phases:
1. Trade Phase
2. Event Phase
3. Player Turns Phase
4. Fight Phase
5. Draw Phase
6. Score Phase
TRADE PHASE
Players may trade cards, units, victory points, and promises.
Limit this to 1 minute.
A player may discard any cards from his hand he does not want in this turn.
EVENT PHASE
Flip over the top card of the Event deck and resolve it.
PLAYER TURNS PHASE
Each player gets 1 Player Turn phase per year.
The player with the highest Victory Point Total (Score) goes first.
The player with the second highest score goes second and so on.
If 2 or more players are tied, they go clockwise from the last player to go.
Each Player turn phase has 4 Segments:
1. Strategy Segment
2. Special Segment
3. Unit Segment
4. Move Segment
STRATEGY SEGMENT
You may do all of the Following actions once each:
1. Gain 1 Unit in your Homeland.
2. Move 1 Unit by sea up to 5 Spaces:
(land or Water --> Water --> Water --> Water --> land or Water)
3. Move 2 Units 1 Space each by land or Water.
SPECIAL SEGMENT
You may play 1 Special card.
Culture Bonus Option: you may discard up to 1 card from your hand to gain 1 VP.
UNIT SEGMENT
You may play up to 2 Recruit cards.
MOVE SEGMENT
You may play up to 2 Move cards.
A single unit may be targeted by multiple Move cards in succession.
Note: You may not move a Unit through a Land space you do not already
occupy (You would have to end its move there).
Note: East Indies, Caribbean, and Pacific Islands are considered to
be both Sea Spaces and Colonies!
Note: Switzerland is an Off Limits Region.
FIGHT PHASE
Check for every Colony and Sea (and by Sea we also mean Ocean).
If a Colony contains more Units (of all players & Neutrals) than its Capacity, take
all of the Units and place them in a cup or pouch. Blindly remove a number of
Units equal to the capacity of the Colony. Discard the units remaining in the Pouch.
Note: All Seas have a Capacity of 4.
The North & South Atlantic & Indian Oceans have a Capacity of 5 each.
DRAW PHASE
All players Fill their hands to 5 Empire cards.
If the deck runs out, shuffle the discard and draw from it.
SCORE PHASE
This occurs on turns 5, 10, 15, and 20. Skip it on all other turns.
Check for each Colony and Sea.
The player with the most Units in a Colony/Sea gets 5 VP.
The player with the second most Units in a Colony/Sea gets 3 VP.
Each player with at least 1 unit in a Colony/Sea gets 1 VP.
If tied each tied player gets the VP. For example, if 2 players tie for
second, each gets 3 VP.
Important Rule: VP Limit Rule:
You cannot get more VP than the number of Units you have in a Colony or Sea.
END OF GAME SCORING
At the end of the game, each player gets 1 VP for each Unit they have in their Homeland.
CARD LISTS NOTATION
R = Recruit Card
M = Move Card
S = Special Card
GXU = Gain X Units of your Color
GXV = Gain X Victory Points
MXU = Move X target Units of your Color
CXU = Convert X Units (Replace target Units with Units of your Color)
RXU = Remove X Units of Opponents
HL = Homeland
OP = Opponent
NU = Neutral Units
MPT = Must start, end, or pass through
CUMU = Colony you have the most Units in
PUYO = Per Unit you Own
IUC = In an unbroken chain of Regions you occupy leading back to your Homeland.
EMPIRE DECK CARD LIST
Name: Type Notes:
Clippers R M1U to the Pacific
Native Troops R G1U in any Colony you Occupy
Sepoys S C1U (NU) in India if you occupy India
Mercenaries R C1U from OP HL. Put it in your HL
Conscription R G1U in your HL
Foreign Allies S C1U from OP HL. Put it in Colony you Occupy
Great Game R G2U in Afghanistan or Central Asia
Jingoism S G1U in your HL and M2U
Suez Canal M M1U up to 5 spaces. MPT Egypt, Med, & Red Sea
Missionaries S C1U target Neutral Unit
Traders M M1U in any Colony adjacent to a space you occupy
Outposts R G1U in any Colony adjacent to a space you occupy
Flying Columns M M1U to any Colony adjacent to a space IUC
Gunboat Diplomacy M M1U to any Colony adjacent to a Sea space you occupy
Surplus Population R G1U in your HL
Settlers M M1U from your HL to any Colony you occupy
Spies S M1U up to 6 Spaces. Look at Target Opponent’s Hand
Rail Roads M M1U up to 3 Spaces over Land Territories
Rail Lines M M1U up to 3 Spaces over Land Territories
Caravans M M1U up to 2 Spaces over Land Territories
Freight Passage M M1U up to 2 Spaces
Junks M M1U up to 3 Spaces. MPT South China Sea &/or Yellow Sea
Trans Atlantic M M1U up to 3 Spaces. MPT the Atlantic
Piracy S Place 2 NU in a target Sea Space
Sea Power R G1U in a Sea space you Occupy
Exploitation S Draw 2 Cards. Place 1 NU in target Colony you Occupy
Atrocities S Place 1 NU in target Colony
Scandal S Target opponent discards 2 random cards
Militarism R G2U in your HL
Nation Building R G2U in a CUMU
Extend the Frontier M M1U 1 Space
Small War M M1U over a Land Territory
Protect Interests M M1U up to 4 Spaces
Avenge an Insult M M1U up to 3 Spaces
Imperial Heroism M M1U up to 2 Spaces & Gain 1 VP
Occupation M M2U up to 2 Spaces each
Dollar Diplomacy M M1U up to 5 Spaces
Invasion M M3U up to 4 Spaces
Steam Ships M M1U up to 4 Spaces. MPT 2 Sea Spaces
Ocean Liners M M2U up to 4 Spaces. MPT 3 Sea Spaces
Merchant Marine M M1U up to 5 Spaces. MPT 3 Sea Spaces
International Waters M M1U up to 5 Spaces. MPT 4 Sea Spaces
Trading Stations R G1U in any Colony adjacent to a space IUC
Annexation M M2U up to 1 Space each into same Colony
Treaty R G1U in a Colony you Occupy
Development M M1U up to 3 Spaces
Sphere of Influence M M4U up to 1 Space Each
Warships M M2U up to 3 Spaces each over Sea Spaces
Cape Horn M M1U up to 4 Spaces. MPT S. Pacific & S. Atlantic
Cape of Good Hope M M1U up to 4 Spaces. MPT S. Atlantic and Indian Ocean
Capital Investments R G1U in any Colony
White Mans Burden S C1U Target NU in any Colony you Occupy
Race for New Markets M M1U up to 5 Spaces to a Colony you do not Occupy
Scramble for Africa M M1U to Africa
Carving up China M M1U to China
Architect of Empire M G1U in any Colony
Naked Aggression M M2U up to 4 Spaces
A Place in the Sun M M1U 1 Space
Humanitarians S G1U in your HL & Move it up to 5 Spaces
Crown Colony R GIU in a Colony you Occupy
Military Base S G1U in your HL & Move it up to 4 Spaces
Raw Materials S Gain 1 VP for every CUMU
Dominant Power R G1U in a Sea next to a CUMU
Penetration M M1U 1 Space
Acquisitions M M1U up to 2 Spaces
Expedition M M1U up to 4 Spaces
Industrial Growth R G1U in your HL
Modernization R G1U in your HL
Expansion M M2U 1 Space Each
Anti-Colonial Revolt S Place 1 NU in any Colony
Influence R G1U in your HL
Navy M M1U up to 3 Spaces. MPT 2 Sea Spaces
Extreme Nationalism R G1U in your HL & Draw 1 Card
Concessions R G1U in a Colony you occupy
Economic Privileges R G1U in a Colony you occupy
Exclusive Control R G1U in a CUMU
Protectorate R G1U in a CUMU
Opium Trade S Draw 2 Cards if you occupy China. Add 1 NU to China
Ocean Cables R G1U in any Colony you Occupy
Invention S Gain 3 VP
Assasination Attempt S Opponent must discard 2 random cards
Anarchists S Opponent must discard 2 random cards
Governor General R G1U in any Colony you Occupy
All the Tea in China S G1V PUYO in China
Gold, Ivory, Diamonds S G1V PUYO in West or South Africa
Spice Trade S G1V PUYO in India or Indochina
Palm Products S G1V PUYO in S. Pacific or East Indies
Rubber Plantations S G1V PUYO in S. America or East Africa
Sugar S G1V PUYO in Caribbean
EVENT DECK CARD LIST
Name: Notes:
Boxer Rebellion All players get 1 Unit in China
Spanish American War USA Player gains 1 Unit in Caribbean and East Indies
Russo Turkish War Russian Player loses 2 Units
Russo Japanese War Japanese Player gains 2 units in Korea
Trans Siberian Railroad Russian Player gets 1 Unit in Manchuria
Paris Exposition French Player may discard 1 card to get 3 VP
The Eiffel Tower French Player may discard 2 cards to get 7 VP
Balkan War Place 5 NU in the Balkans
Italians Invade Ethiopia Place 2 NU in North Africa
Fashoda Interest British Player gains 1 Unit in West Africa
Latin American Revolts Place 2 NU in Central and South America Each
Portuguese Expansion Place 1 NU in South Africa
Triple Alliance German Player may move units into/thru Italy & Austria
Queen Victoria Dies British Player discards 2 random Cards
Panama Canal Units may now move directly between the North Pacific & Caribbean
Boer War Place 2 NU in South Africa
Congress of Berlin Ottoman Empire becomes a Colony of 8 Capacity
Aswan Dam Player with most units in Egypt may discard 1 card to get 3 VP
Statue of Liberty French player draws 2 cards: Keeps 1 and Gives other to USA
Massive Immigration USA player gets 2 Units in Homeland
GREAT POWER SPECIAL ABILITIES & PENALTIES
*********************************British Empire:
Large Existing Empire: Start game with 3 Units in India, 2 in Canada, 1 in Caribbean,
1 in Egypt, 2 in Australia, 1 in New Zealand, 1 in Guiana, 1 in W. Africa,
1 in E. Indies, 1 in S. Africa.
*********************************French Republic
Impressionism: Gain 2 VP from the Culture Bonus Option.
Restore National Pride: Gain 1 extra VP for each Colony you have the most Units in.
Existing Empire: Start game with 1 Unit in Indochina, 1 in S. Pacific, 1 in N. Africa,
1 in W. Africa, 1 in E. Africa, 1 in Guiana, 1 in Caribbean
Large Army: Start with 1 extra Unit in your Homeland.
********************************German Empire
Blood & Iron: Draw 1 extra card in Draw Phase.
Great Army: Start with 3 extra Units in your Homeland.
War Monger: At the end of the game, get 1 extra VP for every 2 Units in your
Homeland rounding down.
********************************Netherlands & Belgium
Small Population: May never take the Gain 1 Unit option in strategy Segment.
Skilled Merchants: Win ties in Scoring Phase.
Existing Empire: Start game with 2 Units in East Indies, 1 in Guiana
Fast: May play up to 3 Move cards in Move Segment.
*********************************Russian Empire
Manpower: May play up to 3 Unit cards in Unit Segment. No matter the card text, all
Russian units start in Russia.
Contiguous Empire: Russian Units may not be placed in a region not adjacent to a
region they already occupy.
Huge Army: Start with 4 extra Units in your Homeland.
Start game with 1 unit in Finland and 1 unit in Poland.
********************************Empire of Japan
Bushido: When involved in a fight throw the first unit drawn from the pouch
back into the pouch if it is not a Japanese Unit.
Sphere of Influence: Japanese Units may not be placed in a region not adjacent to a
region they already occupy.
********************************United States of America
Aberrant Imperialism: The max VP you can score from a Colony in Score Phase is 1 VP.
Cultural Imperialism & Investment: 1 extra Free move per turn: Move 1 Unit 1 Space.
Existing Empire: Start game with 2 Units in Alaska
LINKS
New Imperialism Wikipedia
New Files and Pictures by Jan Barsk
New Imperialism BGG