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example and the strategy tips; they will help!
The game turn begins with a Aristo- phanes card drawn and implemented, then the game splits in two parts: polit- ical and strategic.
For the political part, each player starts with nine cards which will gener- ally include their faction leader. Based on these cards issues – games, diplo- matic, league, oracle, or military – will be chosen for debate. Whoever is the controlling faction selects the first issue, his opposition selects the next, with these placed on their side of the debate track, then the controlling fact selects three and the opposition two more that go in the center of the debate track – neither side “owns” these issued as yet. Six “debates” will be resolved, with each side alternat- ing picking an issue.
The goal here is “win” the issue which means having it on your side of the debate track. The difference in card values, plus any issue advantage, moves the issue marker on the track. Example, the Agiad faction selects a League issue to debate, which is in the center. He places a 4 value card which gives +2 on a league issue; Eurypontid has only one league issue card in his hand and plays it: a 2 value giving +3 on the issue. Agiad total league value is 6 (4 + 2) while Eurypontid’s is 5 (2 + 3), so the issue would move one onto the Agiad side of the debate track. Both cards, since they align with the issue being debated, gain their individual fac- tions two strategos each. Eurypontid now selects the Oracle issue and places a 1 value card with a +4 on the issue. Agiad has no oracle cards so place a 3 card with +1 league bonus. Eurypontid wins the debate 5 to 3, moving the issue two spaces to his side, also gaining one strat- egos. Agiad, since he didn’t play an oracle oriented card, gets no strategos.
At the end of the six debates, the fac- tion which has won the most issues is the new (or continuing) controlling fac-
tion and gains an honor point while the non-control- ler loses one. In
addition to this, what’s called Oration value – adding where
the issues are
on the track –
is calculated, the difference becomes plus
or minus oration h h
Note that one issue, ostracism can win maximum oration honor and controlling faction.
That’s the political part of the game. Pretty easy to understand, with a few wrinkles (like entourages and brain trusts) – think, cards set aside. Play cards as you are dealt them, collect strategos and, hopefully – issues to move onto the Theater part of the game. Basically all issues that were “won” by any faction are eligible to be placed for action on the the- ater map.
In order to make sense of the theater map and strategies involves you need to know two things: what constitutes victory and what do these issues translate into on the map.
I Resolving issues
on the map
First, City State Victory. Most scenar-
ios have their own victory conditions, but the basic is: If Sparta takes Athens, they win; if Athens takes Sparta they win. Those are automatic victories – difficult but possible. In addition there is the gra- nary vulnerability, as noted above, that Athens has that provides Sparta with another target. If a City State wins, then the “winner” of the game, is the faction with the most Honor.
Second the issues are resolved on the map as follows:
Games: at peace, playing faction wins three Honor; at war, received three strat- egos if available.
League: in a controlled or contested Theater, you can build a base for four strategos, and get two Honor or; you can convert an allied base to yours for two strategos, and get two Honor or; you can build military units (two land or one naval per base) or; or remove a treachery marker (more on this later)
Oracle: you can gain three Honor or; gain one honor and remove one enemy unit from a Theater or; place a treachery marker in three Theaters.
Diplomatic: In a contested theater (both sides present) you can use up to three strategos, plus any treachery markers to compare to enemy strength,
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base, otherwise place treachery markers for each strategos played.
In a friendly Theater (no enemy pres- ent) use up to three strategos to remove treachery markers
In a neutral Theater, active faction and controlling faction of the other side commit strategos up to five and foour respectively, each draw a card and add its value; if active side is twice the other total, place a base.
Military Raid: in a contested Theater, commits three strategos, gains three honor and pull a card: opposing city state loses the card’s value in strategos.
Military Expedition: All factions can commit strategos, one to five for the active faction, zero to four for everyone else; military units move and a battle can be generated – more on this later.
Each City State also has some issues of their own.
Athens has Citizenship which allows a Delian League base to be converted to Athenian (which allows Athenian military to be built there.) They also have
Colony to be used once during peace to place a Delian base and military units in a con- trolled or contested theater.
Sparta has Krypteia which allows six Athenian treach- ery markers to be removed once pert game, and they have Agoge, which provides three Spartan military units immediately.
That’s how issues are resolved, placing them in the theaters is a game in itself.
All the “won” issues are placed with their winning faction, along with two “rumor” (dummy) markers – these are separate markers showing the issue and its controlling faction on one side and a Spartan or Athenian symbol on the back. In Honor order (highest to lowest) each faction places one issue in a theater of his choice, and the issues keep getting placed until all factions have placed every issue/rumor they have all are placed.
Then in the same Honor order issues are resolved – with an interesting caveat.
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