THE WORLD IN FOUR ACTS
THE WORLD IN FOUR ACTS
INTRODUCTION
Card game for 2-4+ players.
Civ building theme.
CARD SET
Click Here BGG
VICTORY
Have the most Victory Tokens at the end of the game.
The game ends at the end of the turn when the last
card is drawn from the Fourth Deck.
VICTORY TOKENS
Players share a common set of Victory Tokens (VT).
Also referred to as Victory Points.
Use poker chips with different denominations.
THE AGE DECKS
The game is played in 4 Ages.
Each Age has a unique deck.
Each deck has 64 cards.
The 4 decks in order of play are:
1. Ancient Deck
2. Medieval Deck
3. Revolution Deck
4. Modern Deck
Each deck should be graphically designed to be easily distinguishable
from the other decks.
THE VICTORY DECK
These cards are used for End of Age Scoring.
CARD TYPES
There several card types:
Political Leader
Religious Leader
Science Leader
Art Leader
Troops
Conflict
Advance
Wonder
Event
Government
POLITICAL LEADERS
You can only have 1 Political Leader card in play at a time.
If you play a second one, the first is discarded.
Some card text will allow 2 friendly Political Leaders to
be in play at the same time.
RELIGIOUS LEADERS
You can only have 1 Religious Leader card in play at a time.
You cannot play a second one.
Some card text will allow 2 compatible Religious Leaders to
be in play at the same time.
ART AND SCIENCE AND EXPLORER LEADERS
You can have multiple Science, Explorer, and Art Leaders in play simultaneously.
GOVERNMENT CARDS
You can only have 1 Government card in play at a time.
If you play a second one, the first is discarded.
If you play a Government card, it must be the one and only card
you play during the turn.
TROOPS
You may have multiple Troop cards in play.
Troops always provide a bonus of X to your military attribute.
During conflicts, you may discard a Troop card from your hand to
increase your Military level by 2X for that Conflict.
ADVANCE CARDS
You may have multiple Advances in play.
Advance cards will increase one of your Attributes by 1 or more.
WONDERS
You can have multiple Wonders in play.
In order to play a Wonder, you must first discard 1 other
card from your hand
EVENT CARDS
These produce a special Effect according to their text and are then discarded.
CONFLICT CARDS
These have 2 Values:
1. Prestige Value
2. Military Bonus
If you initiate a conflict, the Prestige value is the amount of
Victory Tokens the winner takes from the loser.
The Military Bonus is added to your Military Level for the
duration of the conflict.
After a conflict is started Players may play additional Conflict cards to
temporarily increase their Military Levels.
ATTRIBUTES
There are 5 Attributes:
1. Vitality
2. Resources
3. Stability
4. Military
5. Culture
These describe your Civilization.
Most cards when played will increase your level in one or
more of these attributes.
VITALITY
For every 3 levels of Vitality you have draw 1 extra card in fate Phase.
RESOURCES
For every 4 levels of Resources you have, you may play 1 extra card in
action phase.
STABILITY
For every 2 levels of Stability you have, your max hand size increases by 1.
MILITARY
The player with the highest military level in a conflict wins that conflict.
CULTURE
For every level of Culture you have you gain 1 Victory Token in
Destiny Phase.
SETUP
Separate out and shuffle the 4 Age decks and the Victory Deck.
Place a container of Victory Tokens where everyone can reach them.
Each player starts with 10 VT.
The winner of the last game (whatever it was) goes first.
The decks are played in order:
Ancient, Medieval, Revolution, and then Modern.
Each player is dealt 1 random card from the Ancient deck.
Flip over the top 7 cards of the Victory Deck.
Place these Victory cards face up in the middle of the Table.
TURN SEQUENCE
Players take turns.
Each turn has 4 Phases:
1. Fate Phase
2. Action Phase
3. Destiny Phase
4. End Phase
FATE PHASE
Draw 1 card from the current deck.
For every 3 levels of Vitality you have draw 1 extra card in fate Phase.
Keep the deck in 3 even size piles.
2 piles are face up and 1 pile is face down.
When drawing, pick a card from any of the piles as you choose.
When one pile is used up, draw from the remaining piles.
ACTION PHASE
You may play 1 card from your hand.
For every 4 levels of Resources you have, you may play 1 extra card in
action phase.
Place the card face-up in front of you.
The card stays in play until some other rule causes it to be discarded.
Notice how it impacts your attribute levels.
Note that Event cards do not stay in play, they are discarded.
INITIATING CONFLICTS
You may initiate a conflict by playing a conflict card.
You must have at least 1 Troop in play to start a conflict.
This is called the Aggression card.
You are the attacker. Pick a target player to be the defender.
The attackers Base Total Military Value is equal to the sum of the Military values of his
cards in play plus the military bonus of the Aggression card.
The defenders Base Total = the sum of the Military values of his cards in play.
The player with the lower Total may discard a conflict card or troop card from
his hand to add its bonus value to his Total.
The other player may do likewise. This continues until both players pass.
The player with the highest total is the winner.
The winner steals Victory tokens from the loser equal to the prestige value of
the Aggression card.
The winner keeps the Aggression card with his Victory Tokens.
If tied, neither player wins; discard the Aggression card.
DESTINY PHASE
For every level of Culture you have you gain 1 Victory Token.
END PHASE
Max hand size is 3 cards.
Discard excess cards.
TRANSITIONING FROM ONE AGE TO THE NEXT
At the end of the turn in which the last card is drawn from the
current deck, the current age ends.
Players discard their hands.
All current Leaders in play are discarded.
Note if the deck is used up on your turn, and you don't get to draw your full
allotment of cards, too bad.
Advances, Troops, Governments, and Wonders from the previous
Age remain in play. Cards older then that are discarded.
Do End of Age Scoring.
After scoring discard Aggression cards.
After scoring discard the current Victory cards, shuffle them into the
Victory deck and flip over the top 7 cards for the new Age.
Place these current Victory cards face up in the middle of the Table.
END OF AGE SCORING
Do this at the end of each Age.
X = 3 at the end of the Ancient Age.
X = 6 at the end of the Medieval Age.
X = 9 at the end of the Discovery Age.
X = 12 at the end of the Modern Age.
Score for each of the 7 current, Face-up Victory cards.
VICTORY DECK CARD LIST
Name: Notes:
Vitality High The player with the highest Vitality Level gets X VT
Resource High The player with the highest Resource Level gets X VT
Stability High The player with the highest Stability Level gets X VT
Vitality Low The player with the lowest Vitality Level loses X VT
Resource Low The player with the lowest Resource Level loses X VT
Stability Low The player with the lowest Stability Level loses X VT
Military High The player with the highest Military Level gets X VT
Military Low The player with the lowest Military Level loses X VT
Most Wonders The player with the most Wonders gets X VT
Most Advances The player with the most Advances gets X VT
Fewest Advances The player with the fewest Advances loses X VT
Current Wonder Any player without a current Wonder loses X VT
Fewest Leaders The player with the fewest Leaders loses X VT
Current Government Any player without a current Government loses X VT
Most Aggressions The player with the most Aggression cards gets X VT
Most Leaders The player with the most Leaders gets X VT
Culture High The player with the highest Culture Level gets X VT
Culture Low The player with the lowest Culture Level loses X VT
CARD NOTATION
LP = Political Leader
LR = Religious Leader
LS = Science Leader
LA = Art Leader
LX = Explorer Leader
T = Troops
X = Conflict
A = Advance
W = Wonder
E = Event
G = Government
M = Military
V = Vitality
C = Culture
S = Stability
R = Resource
B = Boon: Gain 3 VT if you also play the indicated card
J = Join: You may have both of these cards in play at the same time
MB = Military Bonus: Adds to Military Value in Conflicts if Discarded
PV = Prestige Value
Destroy = Discard Target Card in Play
ANCIENT DECK CARD LIST
Name Type Notes
Aristotle LS V+1 C+1 B: Philosophy
Hammurabi LP S+1 R+1 B: Code of Laws
Caesar LP M+1 R+1
Sun Tzu LA M+1 C+1
Jesus LR V+1 C+1 B: Monotheism
Cleopatra LP C+1 R+1 J: Caesar
Buddha LR C+2 J: Confucius
Confucius LR C+1 S+1
Alexander the Great LP M+2
Great Wall W M+2 S+1 B: Confucius
Parthenon W C+2 V+1 B: Aristotle
Pyramids W S+2 C+1 B: Cleopatra
Hanging Gardens W R+2 C+1 B: Hammurabi
Colossus W V+1 R+2
Library of Alexandria W V+2 C+1 B: Alexander the Great
Terracotta Army W M+1 C+1 S+1 B: Sun Tzu
Warriors T M+1 MB+2
Cavalry T M+1 MB+2
Legions T M+1 MB+2 B: Caesar
Archers T M+1 MB+2
Phalanx T M+1 MB+2 B: Alexander the Great
Spearmen T M+1 MB+2
Chariots T M+1 MB+2
Horse Archers T M+1 MB+2
War Galleys T M+1 MB+2
Biremes T M+1 MB+2
Democracy G C+1 B: Aristotle
Republic G R+1 B: Caesar
Dynasty G S+1 B: Cleopatra
Empire G V+1 B: Alexander the Great
Oligarchy G M+1 J: Democracy
Sands of Time E Destroy Wonder
Disease E Destroy Troop
Early Death E Destroy Leader
Barbarians E Destroy All Troops in Play
Golden Age E Gain 5 VT
Music A C+1
Architecture A C+1
Code of Laws A S+1
Irrigation A R+1
Animal Domestication A R+1
Metal Working A R+1
Mysticism A C+1
Mythology A C+1
Monotheism A C+1
Seafaring A V+1
Coinage A V+1
Alphabet A V+1
Medicine A S+1
Astronomy A S+1
Philosophy A V+1
Mathematics A S+1
Engineering A S+1
Pottery A R+1
Invasion X PV=6 MB+1
Annexation X PV=5 MB+2
Attack X PV=3 MB+4
Conquest X PV=6 MB+1
Incursion X PV=2 MB+5
Occupation X PV=5 MB+2
War X PV=4 MB+3
Expansion X PV=4 MB+3
Raiding X PV=2 MB+5
Domination X PV=3 MB+4
MEDIEVAL DECK CARD LIST
Name Type Notes
Martin Luther LR V+1 C+1 B: Reformation
Charlemagne LP M+1 S+1
Ivan the Great LP S+1 M+1 B: Red Square
Genghis Khan LP M+2 J: Kublai Khan
Mohammed LR V+1 C+1 B: Dome of the Rock
Marco Polo LX V+1 C+1 B: Silk Road
Christopher Columbus LX V+1 R+1 B: The New World
Leonardo da Vinci LS V+1 C+1
William the Conqueror LP M+1 S+1
Cortez LX M+1 R+1
Shakespeare LA C+2
Joan of Arc LP M+1 C+1 J: Charlemagne
Roger Bacon LS V+1 R+1 B: Shakespeare
Kublai Khan LP C+1 R+1 B: Forbidden City
Machiavelli LA M+1 C+1
The Medici LP V+1 S+1 B: Trade Empire
Sistine Chapel W C+2 V+1 B: Renaissance
Dome of the Rock W C+1 S+1 V+1
Notre Dame Cathedral W C+2 S+1
Red Square W C+1 S+1 R+1
Forbidden City W C+1 S+1 M+1
Trade Empire G V+1 R+1
Electoral Empire G S+1 V+1
Theocracy G M+1 C+1B: Mohammed
Feudalism G S+1 C+1
Monarchy G S+1 R+1
Knights T M+1 MB+2 B: Feudalism
Crossbowmen T M+1 MB+2
Longbowmen T M+1 MB+2
Pikemen T M+1 MB+2
Crusaders T M+1 MB+2
Harquebusiers T M+1 MB+2
Artillerists T M+1 MB+2
Mounted Archers T M+1 MB+2 B: Genghis Khan
Armada T M+1 MB+2
Conquistadors T M+1 MB+2
Viking Raiders E Destroy Troop
Black Plague E Destroy All Troops in Play
Dark Ages E All players discard their Hand
Excommunication E Destroy Leader
Magellan’s Journey E Gain 5 VT
Reformation A C+1
Renaissance A V+1
Printing Press A V+1
Crop Rotation A R+1
Windmills A R+1
Chivalry A C+1 B: Knights
Universities A V+1
Credit & Banks A R+1
Monasticism A S+1
Gothic Style A C+1
The New World A R+1
Gunpowder A M+1
Silk Road A R+1
Caravels A R+1
Paper Manufacture A R+1
Alchemy A V+1
Magnetic Compass A V+1
Crusade X PV=8 MB+3
Jihad X PV=7 MB+4
Religious Strife X PV=6 MB+5
Reconquest X PV=5 MB+6
Invasion X PV=9 MB+2
Capture X PV=2 MB+9
Colonization X PV=4 MB+7
Conquer X PV=10 MB+1
Great Siege X PV=1 MB+10
Long War X PV=3 MB+8
REVOLUTION DECK CARD LIST
Name Type Notes
Napoleon Bonaparte LP M+1 C+1
Mozart LA C+2
Rembrandt LA C+2
Newton LS V+2 B: Galileo
Galileo Galilei LS V+1 S+1
Voltaire LA C+1 V+1
Frederic the Great LP M+2 J: Bismark
Bismark LP M+1 S+1
Abraham Lincoln LP C+1 V+1
Ben Franklin LS V+1 C+1 B: Lincoln
Darwin LS V+1 C+1
Taj Mahal W S+1 C+2
Suez Canal W R+2 S+1
Transcontinental Railroad W R+2 V+1
Statue of Liberty W V+1 S+1 C+1
Eiffel Tower W S+2 C+1
Representative Democracy G V+1 R+1 C+1
Dynastic Regime G S+2 R+1
Colonial Empire G R+2 V+1
Constitutional Monarchy G S+2 C+1
New Republic G V+2 C+1
Musketeers T M+1 MB+2
Ships of the Line T M+1 MB+2
Frigates T M+1 MB+2
Riflemen T M+1 MB+2
Ironclads T M+1 MB+2
Cavalry T M+1 MB+2
Hussars T M+1 MB+2
Dragoons T M+1 MB+2
Cannons T M+1 MB+2
Gun Ships T M+1 MB+2
Steam Engine A R+1
Trading Companies A R+1
Slave Trade A R+1
Baroque Era A C+1
Nationalism A V+1
Microscopes A V+1
Telescopes A V+1 B: Galileo
Sea Power A R+1
Hot Air Balloons A V+1
Scientific Revolution A V+1 B: Newton
Pendulum Clock A S+1
Enlightenment A V+1
Phonograph & Photography A C+1
Telegraph A R+1
Industrial Revolution A R+1
Light Bulb A V+1
Romanticism A C+1
Impressionism A C+1
Victorian Age A S+1
Dynamite A R+1
Gilded Age E Gain 5 VT
Reform E Destroy Government
Mutiny E Destroy Troop
Revolution X PV=8 MB+3
Civil War X PV=4 MB+7
Great Game X PV=6 MB+5
Balance of Power X PV=6 MB+5
Imperialism X PV=5 MB+6
Overseas Possessions X PV=7 MB+4
Little Wars X PV=4 MB+7
Continental War X PV=8 MB+3
Dynastic Rivalries X PV=7 MB+4
Unification X PV=5 MB+6
MODERN DECK CARD LIST
Name Type Notes
Albert Einstein LS V+1 C+1 B: Nuclear Arsenal
Hitler LP M+1 R+1 B: Fascism
Stalin LP M+1 R+1 B: Communism
Churchill LP R+1 V+1 J: Roosevelt
Roosevelt LP V+1 R+1
John F Kennedy LP V+1 C+1 J: Roosevelt
Freud LS V+1 C+1
Gandhi LP V+1 S+1
Picasso LA C+2
Nuclear Arsenal W M+3
Panama Canal W R+2 S+1
Hoover Dam W R+2 V+1
Moon Landing W V+2 C+1
Pentagon W M+2 S+1
Empire State Building W R+1 C+1 S+1
Fascism G S+1 M+1 R+1 V+1
Communism G S+1 R+2 V+1
Parliamentarianism G S+2 V+1 C+1
Modern Democracy G S+1 V+1 C+1 R+1
Dictatorship G M+1 S+2 R+1
Socialism G S+3 R+1
Artillery T M+1 MB+2
Infantry T M+1 MB+2
Tanks T M+1 MB+2
Mechanized Infantry T M+1 MB+2
Fighter Planes T M+1 MB+2 B: Airplanes
Bombers T M+1 MB+2 B: Airplanes
Missiles T M+1 MB+2 B: Rocket Science
Air Cavalry T M+1 MB+2
Submarines T M+1 MB+2
Aircraft Carriers T M+1 MB+2
Internal Combustion Engine A R+1 B: Tanks
Airplanes A R+1
Oil Economy A R+1
Radio A V+1
Radar A M+1
Computers A V+1
Antibiotics A S+1
Plastics A R+1
Mass Production A R+1
Television A C+1
Civil Rights Movement A C+1
Rock and Roll Music A C+1
Professional Sports A C+1
Green Revolution A R+1
Abstract Art A C+1 B: Picasso
Rocket Science A V+1 B: Moon Landing
Sexual Revolution A C+1 B: Freud
Great Depression E All Other players lose 3 VT
Global Warming E All Other players lose 3 VT
Holocaust E Target Player loses 5 VT
Revolution E Destroy Government
Assassination E Destroy Leader
New World Order E Steal 2 VT from each other Player
World War X PV=10 MB+5
Great War X PV=10 MB+5
Police Action X PV=7 MB+8
Cold War X PV=9 MB+6
Civil War X PV=7 MB+8
Regional War X PV=6 MB+9
War on Terror X PV=6 MB+9
Invasion X PV=8 MB+7
Insurgency X PV=8 MB+7
Occupation X PV=9 MB+6
CARD NOTATION
LP = Political Leader
LR = Religious Leader
LS = Science Leader
LA = Art Leader
LX = Explorer Leader
T = Troops
X = Conflict
A = Advance
W = Wonder
E = Event
G = Government
M = Military
V = Vitality
C = Culture
S = Stability
R = Resource
B = Boon: Gain 3 VT if you also play the indicated card
J = Join: You may have both of these cards in play at the same time
MB = Military Bonus: Adds to Military Value in Conflicts if Discarded
PV = Prestige Value
Destroy = Discard Target Card in Play
OPTIONAL RULES
PLAYER MATS
Players may find it useful to create record keeping mats:
A Mat would have a track for each of the 5 Attributes.
Each Track would also have demarcations indicating when an
Attribute would give its additional benefits and how much.
Each player would also need 5 markers, one for each track.
VISIONARY RULE
You may discard a Leader card at any time from your hand to look at the
next 7 cards in any pile.
