Age of Reason Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• 1.0 Introduction
• 2.0 Components
  • 2.1 The Game Board
  • 2.2 The Country Control Discs
  • 2.3 The Country Cards
  • 2.4 The Empire Markers
  • 2.5 Gold
  • 2.6 The Game Turn and Game Segment Markers
  • 2.7 The Dice
  • 2.8 The Bag
• 3.0 Starting the Game
• 4.0 General Course of Play
  • 4.1 Place Empire Markers
  • 4.2 Determine Alliances
  • 4.3 Player Actions
    • 4.3.1 Placing Control Discs on the Action Display
    • 4.3.2 Attack Action
      • I. Convert an "Aktion" Empire Marker
      • II. Attack another Control Disc
      • III. Attacking an Empire Marker
  • 4.4 Income
  • 4.5 Victory Points
  • 4.6 End of Game Turn
• 5.0 Winning the Game
• 6.0 The Action Boxes
  • Advancements (for the rest of the turn)
  • Support (for the rest of the turn)
  • Trading (immediate effect)
• Lexicon

1.0 Introduction

Age of Reason can be a two-player struggle without any special rules. However, we do not recommend this setup.

2.0 Components

Each copy of Age of Reason contains:

• 1 large game board (in two parts)
• 175 wooden control discs (25 per country)
• 77 country cards (one set of 10 influence cards and 1 Ally card per country)
• 65 Empire markers (9x Deutsche Staaten, 5x Ostseeraum, 6x Mitteleuropa, 6x Mittelmeerraum, 4x Osmanisches Reich, 3x Afrika, 7x Indien, 6x Ostindien, 6x Nordamerika, 7x Karibik, 6x Südamerika)
• 87 gold coins (65 x 1 gold; 22 x 5 gold)
• 1 game turn marker
• 1 game segment marker
• 6 dice (3 each in 2 colours)
• 1 bag
• ziplock bags
• 1 rule booklet

2.1 The Game Board

The game board covers Europe, America (North America, the Caribbean, South America), a part of Africa, India, and the East Indies. The seven players' countries (Great Britain, the United Provinces, Spain, France, Prussia, Austria and Russia) are all located in Europe. Other, non-player areas in Europe are the Ostseeraum (the Baltic Sea), the Deutsche Staaten (the German States), Mitteleuropa (Central Europe), the Osmanisches Reich (the Ottoman Empire), and the Mittelmeerraum (the Mediterranean Sea). All of the latter contain three victory point numbers. The Baltic Sea and the Mediterranean Sea both depict a ship symbol: a player must play a card with a ship to add influence to these areas.

Important: The German States and the Ottoman Empire both have a coast. However, a player does not need to use a ship card in these areas (although one may). All the other areas on the game board are termed "the colonies." The colonies are the America, Africa, India, and the East Indies. Each of these areas depicts a ship symbol. Colonial regions always depict two victory point numbers.

The lower part of the game board shows the action boxes, divided into three sections: advancements, support, and trading. Furthermore, the game board shows a game turn track, a game segment track, an Alliance Display, a victory point track, and an Unrest Track.

2.2 The Country Control Discs

Each country possesses 25 wooden discs: one disc for the Alliance Display, another one for the victory point track, and another one for the Unrest Track. We use the other 22 control discs to record, in an abstract way, the presence and strength of a country in the different areas of the game board. In addition, these discs show advancements, supports, and trading partners a country possesses (action boxes).

Note: The 22 discs (for the board) are the absolute limit. Moreover, a player may not voluntarily remove a disc from the game board and place it to another area (a player cannot move a disc).

Colour allocation: Great Britain red, the United Provinces orange, Spain yellow, France blue, Prussia black, Austria white and Russia green.

2.3 The Country Cards

Each country has a set of 11 cards. The country sets are not identical! Great Britain has more "ship cards" than Prussia which is mainly a land power. Each country has one Ally card, see 4.3.2. The other ten cards are played when a country is involved in combat. They depict the costs (to play the card), a soldier symbol, and, sometimes, a ship symbol.

Note: Each country has one Blank card, used primarily for bluffing.

2.4 The Empire Markers

Age of Reason contains 65 Empire markers. When drawn out of the bag they are placed in their designated area, see 3.0 and 4.1.

2.5 Gold

The game contains gold coins. They come in two denominations: 1 and 5.

2.6 The Game Turn and Game Segment Markers

These markers are used on the turn and segment tracks.

2.7 The Dice

Age of Reason contains six dice - three red dice and three blue dice. Two dice are rolled by each the attacker and the defender during a combat, and a single die is rolled when determining a reduction in victory points due to unrest.

2.8 The Bag

During the game, the Empire markers are randomly drawn out of the bag.

3.0 Starting the Game

Each player selects a set of coloured control discs and a set of matching country cards (one set per country). Independent of the number of players, a player may choose any country at the start of the game. Each player places one of its control discs on the "0" space of the victory point track and another disc on the -4 space of the Unrest Track. Additionally, each player starts with 14 gold.

For each country, including those countries not chosen by players (called the "non-player countries"), draw five Empire markers from the bag (35 in total for seven players). For each Empire marker drawn for a country, place one of the country's control disc on the matching area. These Empire markers are no longer used for the game and are returned to the game box. No victory points or gold are collected for the markers drawn (even if the marker says so).

Example: Austria draws five Empire markers from the bag. They are: Deutsche Staaten (twice), Indien, Karibik, and Mittleeuropa [sic]. For each marker, the player places one Austrian control discs on the corresponding area of the map. Those Empire markers are removed from the current game.

Randomly determine who will be the first player. Place one control disc per country next to the Alliance Display, including non-player countries's discs. Place the game turn marker on the first game turn track space. Place the game segment marker on the first game segment track space. Put the country cards and remaining control discs of non-player countries back into the box. Sort the gold and put it next to the game board: it forms the "bank." Set the dice aside the board, within reach.

4.0 General Course of Play

Age of Reason is played over three turns. Each turn consists of the following segments:

1. Place Empire Markers
2. Determine Alliances
3. Player Actions
4. Income
5. Victory Points
6. End of Turn

Important General rule: Players will run short of gold - this is intentional. However, whenever a player runs out of gold, the latter can levy two coins from the bank. However, by doing so, the player goes down one space on the Unrest Track - levying taxes is unpopular, and minting coins or issuing money generates price inflation, also unpopular! This levy can be done as many times as required. However, a player can only do it when one actually needs to pay for something and does not have the required amount of gold. A player cannot simply pay gold to lose unrest points.

The -22 space is the maximum level to which unrest may drop. If a player is already at -22 on the Unrest Track, one may no longer levy gold coins.

Age of Reason uses dice. We know that several strategy gamers will find this strange. However, we do not see this is as "luck" but "risk management." Even the best plans of the players will fail from time to time! A player has to take this into account.

4.1 Place Empire Markers

Randomly draw 10 Empire markers from the bag and put them in their respective areas on the map. Keep Empire markers from previous turns; therefore, there may be more than 10 Empire markers in play in the second or third turn.

4.2 Determine Alliances

The players must divide all seven countries into two alliances for the turn. All countries in the upper row of the Alliance Display (spaces 1, 3, 5, 7) belong to one coalition while all countries in the lower row (spaces 2, 4, 6, 8) belong to the other coalition.

This is done via an auction process (3 phases). In the first game turn, the game starting player also makes the first auction bid. Subsequent bidding starts with players to the left of the player who made the previous bid. In the second and third game turn, the first player to bid is the one with the least number of victory points. In case of a tie, the tied players randomly decide who will make the first bid. The next player to start the bidding will again be to the left, etc. The first bid may be "0" gold coin. Afterwards, the players bid in clockwise order can either raise or pass. If a player chooses to pass, the latter can still bid in a later round of the same bidding. The bidding phase ends when all players pass in succession.

Whenever a player makes a bid, the latter displays what the result would be if one had won the bid. The player place a pair of unallied country's control disc: one in proposal box A and another one in proposal box B of the Alliance Display. The player can either place its own control disc or someone else's disc (another player's or a non-player disc).

When another player raises a bid, the latter may set up the discs in any manner one wishes, as long as they are two unallied discs. Discs already in place (space 1 to 8) are already allied or part of one of the two coalitions.

The player who wins the bidding pays the amount of gold to the bank. Place the disc in proposal box A, into the top alliance row, in the first empty box (either 1, 3, 4 [sic] or 7) going from left to right. Place the disc in proposal box B, into the bottom alliance row, in the first empty box (either 2, 4, 6 or 8) going from left to right. Coalitions take shape.

Afterwards, a new bidding phase takes place. The player to the left of the player who started the previous bidding phase begins the new bidding. There is a last bidding for the seventh disc, placed alone.

Note: A player may still bid (and win the bidding phase) even if the player has already taken its side during a previous bidding phase. Non-player countries must end up as part of an alliance. These countries play a part in the game.

Optional rule: In their first game, players may determine alliances randomly during the first game turn. First, place one of each player's control discs into the bag. Place the first draw onto space 1, the second one onto space 2, the third one onto space 3, etc. Afterwards, place non-player's control discs into the bag and draw them out one by one. They are placed into the unoccupied spaces, starting with the first empty space (numerical order). The upper alliance will have one more ally.

4.3 Player Actions

With two, three or four players, each game turn consists of six segments, with five or more players each turn consists of five segments. The Alliance Display shows the order of play. The player with the leftmost position of the top alliance row starts (space 1), followed by the second place, etc. Non-player countries are skipped. We play all segments this way.

In the example above, Prussia begins the game turn, followed by Great Britain, Russia, Spain, Austria, the United Provinces, and France. In each segment, one after the other, each player first places one of its control discs in an available empty action box on the game board and, afterwards, plays a card for an attack.

Note: Instead of acting, a player may pass. It is also possible to partially conduct the segment (only placing a disc or attacking). In some occasions, passing makes sense in Age of Reason!

After all players have completed their actions, the segment marker is moved one space up, and the next segment begins. After five (or six) segments, the game progresses to the Income Phase.

4.3.1 Placing Control Discs on the Action Display

The active player places one of its control discs in an empty action box. Each box may only contain one control disc. There may be a cost in gold for placing a control disc in some of the action boxes (e.g.: Sweden or Portugal).

There are three types of action boxes: Advancements, Support, and Trading.

• By placing a disc in an advancement box, a player receives the benefit of that advancement for the rest of the turn (Exception: the Reserve boxes, see 6.0).
• By placing a disc in a support box, that country is now supporting the player for the rest of the game turn.
• By placing a disc in a trading box, a player immediately collects two gold coins for each control disc one has in the stated area.

See 6.0 for more details on the action boxes.

4.3.2 Attack Action

A player may perform one attack per segment (Exception: See the War Office advancement, 6.0). One can either:

I. Convert an "Aktion" Empire marker. II. Attack another country (another control disc). III. Attack an Empire marker with a number.

I. Convert an "Aktion" Empire Marker

A player may only convert one Empire marker with the action symbol. All 'Aktion' Empire markers are located in the colonies. The player has to play one of its cards depicting a ship symbol (it does not matter how many ships the card actually depicts) and pays two gold coins to the bank (and not the regular costs shown on the card).

Afterwards, the player removes the Empire marker and replaces it with one of its control discs. The played card is placed face down, on the player's discard pile.

Note: If an attacker does not have any more cards with ships (and only then!), the latter may choose the Blank (but not the alliance card). In this case, the Blank card "does have" a ship!

II. Attack another Control Disc

Preparation: A player may attack another country, either another player or a non-player country by playing one of its cards (not the Ally card! For more restrictions, see below.). If the attack is successful, the player removes the opponent's control disc and replaces it with one of its own discs.

Important: A player may never attack an allied country - see the Alliance Display!

Attack in Europe: A player may attack a single enemy control disc in any area where one has one or more control disc(s) or in an area adjacent to an area where one has one or more control disc(s). A player may always attack an enemy control disc in an area adjacent to its home country.

Note: A player may always attack into the Baltic Sea or Mediterranean Sea if one plays a card with a ship symbol during the combat. A player has to play a card with a ship symbol in these areas or the Blank card if one is out of "ships". De facto, the Blank card does count for a ship!

Attack in the Colonies: A player may attack a single enemy control disc in a colonial area where one has one or more control disc(s). A player may only attack if one plays a card with a ship symbol or the Blank card (see above).

Note: The defender may always play a card (incl. the Blank card) without a ship symbol in the Baltic Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Colonies.

Attack procedure: Both the attacking and the defending player secretly select one card. They may use all their cards but their Ally card.

Any other player with at least one control disc in the combat area may join the side one is allied with. It is not sufficient to be merely adjacent to the combat area. Players may also act as allies for non-player country control discs that are being attacked.

If a player intends to join the combat and help its attacking or defending allies, one must select either its Ally card or its Blank card, and places it face down in front of oneself. If the Ally card was chosen, the player has to pay one gold coin to the bank after flipping it over, and adds one point to the military strength (see below, Resolving Combat). If the player flips over the Blank card, one was bluffing and does not contribute anything to the combat.

Note: Army-, Navy-Training, and Support (see 6.0) do not increase allies' strength. Allies can only increase combat strength by one point.

Non-player countries may play their part in combat too. Both the attacker and the defender may use non-player countries as allies. After the other players decided to join the combat and before it is resolved, the attacker first pays one gold coin to the bank to add one point to its military strength (for its ally). A player may use more than one non-player Ally, as long as each country in question has at least one control disc in the combat area and the player pays the bank. Afterwards, the defender may spend money the same way.

The cards represent the country's military might: both armies and navies. The dice rolled in combat represent the 'local' forces and the fog of war. A player selecting the blank card simply trusts its local forces and its fortunes of war.

Resolving combat

Players now reveal all their cards. All players involved in the combat pay their combat costs to the bank: the attacker and defender have to pay the costs printed on their chosen cards while allies only pay one gold coin for their Ally card. Blank cards do not cost anything to play. The attacker or defender must spend gold for participating non-player countries. Both the attacking and the defending player roll two dice.

Each player computes its combat strength separately:

• The difference between the two dice (e.g.: a 5 and a 3 result in a 2), plus
• One point per soldier depicted on the card (the number), plus
• One point per ship* depicted on the card (the number), plus
• One point for each supporting allied country, plus
• One point (or more) per control disc in the relevant action boxes, plus

*Each ship on a card adds one point in combats in the Colonies, the Baltic Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea.

Note: The players' control discs do not have any inherent strength (no matter how many are in the area). They only show the influence and presence of a player!

Attack non-player country control discs: If a non-player control disc is being attacked, its defence strength is always four. Another player rolls the dice for the non-player country during combat.

Outcome: If the attacker winds [sic] out with the highest strength, the latter removes the defender's control disc and replaces it with one of its own. If the result is tied or the defender prevails in combat, the attacking player immediately gets one unrest point, but does not lose its control disc.

Additional unrest points: Depending on the result, a player may get additional unrest points:

• The side with the lowest strength (either the attacker or defender, not the allies!) gets one unrest point (yes, this is the second unrest point for a losing attacker).
• In case of an overwhelming victory (one side having 3 points and over), the losing side gets another unrest point.
• In case of a minor or Pyrrhic victory (having exactly 1 point over), the winning player also gets an unrest point.
• In case of a tie, all involved players (attacker, defender, and allies) get an unrest point.

Examples:

1. In a 7-player game Prussia attacks Austria in Central Europe. Prussia has Army Training and the support of Bavaria. Austria is supported by Saxony. Prussia is allied to Great Britain, Spain and the Netherlands; Austria is allied to France and Russia. Prussia decides to play its card with 4 soldiers (no ships) and puts it face down. Austria also secretly selects the card with 4 soldiers (no ships). The other players each put down one card, face down (either the Ally or the Blank card). Then all players flip over their cards. Prussia pays 5 gold coins to the bank, Austria 7. Among the other players, only France has played its Ally card and pays 1 gold coin to the bank. All other allies wanted to save money and played their Blank card. Now, the strength is computed. Both Prussia and Austria roll their dice. Prussia rolls a 4 and a 1, Austria rolls a 3 twice. Prussia therefore gets the following strength: Difference of 3 plus 4 for the card plus 1 for Bavaria plus 1 for Army Training = 9. Austria has 0 (difference) plus 4 (card) plus 1 (France) plus 1 (Saxony) = 6. So Prussia wins an overwhelming victory because its strength is 3 points higher than Austria's strength. Prussia replaces Austria's control disc with one of its own control discs. Because of the overwhelming victory Austria gets two unrest points.

2. In the same game turn Russia attacks Prussia in the Baltic Sea. Russia has no supporter but Navy Training. Russia plays a card with 2 soldiers and 2 ships face down. It costs 5 gold coins. Prussia selects a card with 3 soldiers, costing 2 gold coins. The allies either play their Ally or their Blank card. All cards are flipped over and their costs are paid to the bank. Prussia is not supported by any ally (they probably do not want to see Prussia getting too strong...); Russia is supported by France and Austria. Both Russia and Prussia each roll two dice. Russia gets a 3 and a 2; Prussia a 5 and a 2. Russia therefore has a difference of 1 plus 4 for the card plus 2 for its two allies plus 1 for Navy Training = 8. Prussia has a difference of 3 plus 3 (card) plus 1 (Bavaria) plus 1 (Army Training) = 8. Because of the tie, Russia immediately gets one unrest point. Afterwards, all participating players (attacker, defender, and allies) get one unrest point.

Move the countries control disc one space down on the Unrest Track for each point received. After combat resolution, players take back in hand their Ally and Blank cards. They may be selected again in the next combat. Any other cards chosen by the attacker and/or defender are placed face down on their personal discard piles. Players can never peek at the other players' discard piles, but can ask how many cards they still have in hand. A player may always take a look at its own discard pile.

Note: If a player involved in a combat has only the Ally and Blank cards left in hand, the player can only play these cards for the remainder of the turn!

III. Attacking an Empire Marker

A player may attack an Empire marker depicting a number (defence strength). If the player wins the combat, the latter replaces the Empire marker with one of its own control discs. If the player loses the combat, one gets unrest points.

All combat rules of paragraph II above are in effect, with the following modifications:

• The Empire marker may not be supported by other players or non-player countries acting as allies (Empire markers are neutral, they not part of any coalition).
• The number on the Empire marker is its defence strength.

Note: There are two Osmanisches Reich markers earning the victor one victory point, to be recorded immediately. Two Indien markers give the victor gold (paid immediately by the bank).

Remember: Empire markers which read "Aktion" may only be converted - see I above.

4.4 Income

Each player receives one gold coin from the bank for each control disc the latter has on the maps at this time (not in the action boxes).

4.5 Victory Points

Each player records victory points for the areas they control. The player with the most control discs in an area scores the highest value in the area. The player with the second highest number of discs scores the second highest value, etc. In case of ties, all tied players score the same victory points for their rank. Note that if two or more players tie for the first place, then the player or players in second place still score the victory points for being second.

Example: Let's score victory points for the Deutsche Staaten. Austria has three control discs, Prussia and France have two each, and the United Provinces have one disc. Therefore, Austria immediately receives eight points. Prussia and France get five points each. The United Provinces receive three victory points.

Players record their victory points with their control disc on the victory point track.

Note: Non-player countries may "block" victory point ranking.

Example: Non-player country Great Britain has two control discs in Africa, France and the United Provinces (led by players) have one disc each. The latter each get two victory points each for their second rank. Great Britain do not record any point.

Next, each player checks for victory point losses due to unrest. A player rolls a single die a number of times until the sum of its individual die rolls equals or exceeds its unrest level. The number of rolls equals the victory points immediately lost.

Example: Austria has an unrest level of seven. The Austrian player takes a single die and rolls it. The first roll is a 3. The player rolls again, this time resulting in a 2. The third die roll is a 5. 3 plus 2 plus 5 is more than its unrest level of seven; The player may stop rolling. The player has to subtract three victory points from the victory point track (for having rolled three times).

4.6 End of Game Turn

Advance the turn marker to the next space. Move the segment marker back to the first space. All players take their discarded cards back in hand (so that they are all available for the next turn). Remove all control discs from the action boxes and give them back to players. Finally, each player halves its unrest levels (rounding up, e.g.:, -5 becomes -3). A new turn starts. At the end of turn three, the winner is determined, see 5.0.

5.0 Winning the Game

The game ends after completion of game turn three. The player with the most victory points is the winner. In case of a tie, the player with the least unrest points wins. If there is still a tie, then the player with the most control discs on the maps wins. If there is still a tie, then the tied players win together.

6.0 The Action Boxes

Advancements (for the rest of the turn)

• Army Training: Add +1 in combat. If you have control discs in both spaces, you get +2. The second space is only available with 5 or more players.
• Banking: Take five gold coins from the bank. The second space is only available with 5 or more players.
• Government Reform: Reduce Your Unrest points by two immediately. The second and third spaces are only available with 5 or more players.
• Militias: Take back in hand one card that only depicts soldiers but no ships from your discard pile. The second space is only available with 5 or more players.
• Navy Training: Add +1 in combat. If you have control discs in both spaces, you get +2. The second space is only available with 5 or more players. This bonus can be used only in the Baltic Sea, the Mediterranean Sea or the Colonies.
• Pressgangs: Take back in hand any card from your discard pile. The second space is only available with 5 or more players.
• Reserves: You may re-roll the dice for a battle. Both the attacker and the defender can disregard any previous rolls. You can only use Reserves if you are the primary attacker or defender, not an Ally. Once used, you remove the disc from the action box. You or another player can place another disc in the boxes during another segment and used the effect for another combat.
• War Office: During the segment, you can attack twice. The attacks must be two consecutive combat actions after placing a disc in the action boxes (see 4.3.1). Thus, you may carry over one or two attacks (see 4.3.2). The second space is only available with 5 or more players.

Support (for the rest of the turn)

• Bavaria: +1 in combat in the German States.
• Cipoys: +1 in combat in India.
• Denmark: +2 in combat in the Baltic Sea. Placing a control disc in this box costs one gold, payable to the bank.
• Gauchos: +1 in combat in South America.
• Naples: +1 in combat in the Mediterranean area.
• Native Americans: +1 in combat in North America.
• Ottomans: +2 in combat in the Ottoman Empire and the Mediterranean area. Placing a control disc in this box costs one gold, payable to the bank.
• Portugal: +2 in combat in South America, in India, and in the East Indies. Placing a control disc in this box costs one gold, payable to the bank.
• Saxony: +1 in combat in the German States.
• Sweden: +2 in combat in the Baltic Sea. Placing a control disc in this box costs one gold, payable to the bank.

Trading (immediate effect)

• Baltic Company: Take two gold coins from the bank for each control disc you have in the Baltic Sea.
• East Indies Company: Take two gold coins from the bank for each control disc you have in either India or the East Indies.
• Gold Mines: Take two gold coins from the bank for each control disc you have in South America.
• Levant Company: Take two gold coins from the bank for each control disc you have in either the Ottoman Empire or the Mediterranean area.
• Slaves: Take two gold coins from the bank for each control disc you have in Africa.
• Sugar Plantations: Take two gold coins from the bank for each control disc you have in the Caribbean.
• Tobacco Plantations: Take two gold coins from the bank for each control disc you have in North America.

Lexicon

German	English
Afrika	Africa
Aktion	Action
Aktionsfelder	Action Boxes
Aktionsrundenskala	Game Segment Boxes
Allianzbereich	Alliance Display
Armeetraining	Army Training
Bankwesen	Banking
Bayern	Bavaria
Dänemark	Denmark
Deutsche Staaten	German States
Fortschritt	Advancements
Frankreich	France