Campaign Trail (Second Edition): Green Party Expansion
Campaign Trail (Second Edition): Green Party Expansion Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Contents
4th Party:
- 45 Action Cards
- 6 Candidate Cards
- 2 Green Party Candidate Pawns
- 1 Green Party Debate Track
- 1 Green Party Turn Order Token
- 1 4-part Green Party Electoral College Track
- 15 Money Cards (5 x $10M, 10 x $20M)
- 2 Green Party Home State Markers
- 60 Green Party Voter Tokens
- 20 Green Party Three-count Voter Tokens
- 30 Green Party Five-count Voter Tokens
Breaking News:
- 20 Breaking News Cards
Election Day:
- 18 Exit Poll Cards and 12 State Return Cards
Items used by all 3 modules:
- 9 Region Tokens
4th Party Rules
With the Green Party expansion, Campaign Trail can now be played with 4 different parties in a 4-player game or with up to 8 players in a team game. You can also play 1, 2, or 3 player games using the Green Party instead of one of the other parties. This guide will focus on setup for a 4 party/4 player game and for games using the Green Party.
Follow the setup of the base game with the following changes:
- Use the Green Party expansion board (printed on the reverse side of the board included with your base game).
- Place the Green Party Electoral College track between the 3-party Electoral College track and the game board.
- The electoral counters do not have the green party tiebreaker banners on the back. Refer to the board to determine which party is the starting party (first tiebreaker) for which state.
- Refer to the banner icons in the states to determine those states in which the Green Party has starting tiebreakers. The new tiebreaker banner will have the first tiebreaker on the top of the banner, the second tiebreaker to the left and the third tiebreaker to the right.
- First tiebreaker: Green Party
- Second tiebreaker: Republican Party
- Third tiebreaker: Libertarian Party
- Here is a list of the starting states for the Green Party and which party they belong to in the base game.
| State | Previous Tiebreaker |
|---|---|
| Alaska | Libertarian |
| Hawaii | Democrat |
| Idaho | Republican |
| Nevada | Libertarian |
| Utah | Libertarian |
| New Mexico | Libertarian |
| Iowa | Republican |
| Kansas | Republican |
| Louisianan | Republican |
| Wisconsin | Libertarian |
| Michigan | Libertarian |
| Tennessee | Republican |
Note: the table prints "Louisianan" for the state of Louisiana; it is transcribed as printed.
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Add the extra money cards to each money deck.
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Shuffle the expansion candidate cards in with the base game candidate cards.
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Shuffle the expansion action cards in with the base game action cards before dealing. Note, this will make the game longer than the base game. For a shorter game, replace the base game action cards with the expansion action cards. Each card is numbered in the base game and in the expansion. It is designed such that you can do a one-for-one swap of cards.
For games over 3 players we recommend adding the new action cards to the existing deck. For 2-player or 3-player games, you can do a substitute if you want to play with the new action cards.
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If you are playing with any of the new action cards, new candidates, or the Breaking News module, place the region tokens next to the board, face-up and within easy reach of all players.
Gameplay
Gameplay with the Green Party is the same as the base game. If you are playing with Dirty Politics, note that the Green Party has 5 ethically minded states as well. They are South Carolina, Tennessee, Louisiana, Wisconsin, and Michigan.
The only real difference in gameplay is the new politick actions and the new candidate abilities. They are described in detail on the following pages.
Politick Actions
Relocation (instant) - Move up to 3 committed voters from any state(s) to any adjacent state(s).
Moving the Base (ongoing) - Instead of moving your candidate pawn with a travel action, you may move 1 of your committed voters with a travel action.
All bonuses that affect your travel actions affect movement of this committed voter as well.
Absentee Ballot (ongoing) - Place any number of registered voters on this card; and place a card from your hand face down under this card. At game end place the registered voters from this card into the reference state of the face down card.
This works exactly like October Surprise or Recount. The difference is that you can choose how many voters will go in the reference state at the end of the game. It's only limited by your registered voters you have on hand when you play this card.
Party Collaboration (instant) - Pick a state you are behind in. Place 3 voters (from the Undecided Supply) in that state. Pick an opponent. They place up to 2 voters in any other state(s) in that region.
The opponent's voters must come from their registered supply.
Post Debate Bump (response) - Play immediately following a debate before the first turn is taken. Place 2 voters (from Undecided Supply) in the state where the debate was held.
Limited Reach (response) - Play when an opponent declares an advertising action. They must choose 1 state from each issue to not place voters in (if they would place no voters in an issue because of this they don't pay for that issue).
Example: An opponent advertising in taxes would have to choose either OH, GA, or SC to not place a voter in. An opponent advertising in gender equality would not be able to place voters at all since it is only found in CA. The player would not have to pay for that issue though.
Strong Base (ongoing) - When you take a support action from the first card you play on your turn, you may take an additional support action from that card (different than the first).
Virtual Campaigning (instant) - Play another card from your hand. Take the campaign action from that card even if you are not located in the campaign states shown on the card.
You must still pay the $60M associated with taking a campaign action, and voters still come from your registered supply.
Whistle Stop (ongoing) - Whenever you take a travel action you may place 1 voter in the state in which you end your travel action.
Regional Influence (ongoing) - Place a region token on this card. When you take a campaign action in this region you pay $50M and place 7 voters.
Voter Registration Drive (ongoing) - Place a region token on this card. At the beginning of your turn if you control the most states in this region gain 2 registered voters.
Even the Score (instant) - Pick up to 2 states in your current region in which you are behind. Place enough voters (from Undecided Supply) to bring you to a tie with the leader in each state.
Hit the Trail (ongoing) - If you take an action that places voters on the board gain 1 registered voter and $10M at the end of your turn.
This includes any action that places voters on the board and can be combined with other politick actions (ongoing) or candidate abilities.
Example: You choose a travel action and have Whistle Stop in play. You place a voter in the final state of your travel action with Whistle Stop. That counts as taking an action that puts a voter on the board so you may also gain 1 registered voter and $10M at the end of your turn.
Exchange Ideas (instant) - Trade any number of cards with your running mate (no matter where you are located) OR discard any number of cards and draw that many cards to replace them.
Predictable Outcome (response) - Play at the beginning of an opponent's turn. Pick a region token (hidden from opponent). If that opponent ends their turn in this region gain 2 registered voters and $20M.
Temporarily (until the end of that opponent's turn, leave all unpicked region tokens face down so that your opponent does not know which one you picked. If your opponent needs to use a region token on this turn, have them finish any movement they are doing first so their "location of where they end their turn" is set, then they can flip over the region tokens to do the rest of their action.
Candidates
The Dirty Candidate (starting resources: $60M, 5 registered voters)
- Advantage: Once per turn you may take 1 card at random from an opponent in the region you are in. You must then give that opponent a card from your hand.
- Disadvantage: You start with no voters in ethically minded states. You must pay $30M per issue if your advertise action includes your ethically minded states and you must pay +$20M if your campaign action includes your ethically minded states.
For the disadvantage, you still have to pay the penalty even if you intend to put no voters in those ethically minded states. If the action you are taking has your ethically minded states colored on the card, you pay the penalty.
The Military Officer (starting resources: $50M, 5 registered voters)
Issues of influence: National Security & International Relations
- Advantage: Place 1 additional voter (from undecided supply) in these states during advertise actions. Choose 1 issue from these topics to start on space 2 of your debate track (1 debate only).
- Disadvantage: When you take a fundraise action, gain $20M less than is stated on the card.
For this candidate and the next 2 candidates (The Military Officer, The Economist and The Activist), they each have 2 issue topics they do better in. All 3 follow the same pattern. The advantage gives them the ability to place an additional voter in states with their issues of influence that they advertise in. So, the Military Officer could place 2 voters in each state that contains the Military issue when they advertise on Military. Additionally, they get to start 1 of these issues on space 2 of the debate track. They may choose this right before whichever debate they wish to use this ability on.
The Economist (starting resources: $50M, 7 registered voters)
Issues of influence: The Economy & Polices and Programs
- Advantage: Place 1 additional voter (from undecided supply) in these states during advertise actions. Choose 1 issue from these topics to start on space 2 of your debate track (1 debate only).
- Disadvantage: All voters you place on the board must always come from registered voters (excluding debates and voters mentioned above).
The disadvantage here means that any politick action that says "from undecided supply" does not apply to the Businessperson. You must have the voters in the registered supply to take those actions. Voters for debates still come from undecided and the voters for the Businessperson's advantage also still come from undecided.
Note: this sidebar refers to "the Businessperson", the name not used for this candidate elsewhere in the rulebook; it is transcribed as printed.
The Activist (starting resources: $60M, 5 registered voters)
Issues of influence: National Security & International Relations
- Advantage: Place 1 additional voter (from undecided supply) in these states during advertise actions. Choose 1 issue from these topics to start on space 2 of your debate track (1 debate only).
- Disadvantage: You cannot play any ongoing politick actions.
You may still benefit (if applicable) from any ongoing politick actions played by your running mate that affect party resources or other types of ongoing politick actions that affect the party as a whole.
Note: the candidate's card art prints the issues of influence as "Social & Human Rights/Domestic Affairs" and its advantage as "1 additional unregistered voter"; the rulebook text above is transcribed as printed.
The Celebrity (starting resources: $30M, 6 registered voters)
- Advantage: Add 1, $10M, and 1 to each travel, fundraise, and register action respectively.
- Disadvantage: When you take an advertise action, you may only advertise on half (rounded up) of the issues on the card.
The Regional Power (starting resources: $40M, 3 registered voters)
- Advantage: Choose a region token and place it on this card. Select your home state from this region. Start with 1 extra voter in each state in this region. Whenever your opponents place voters in this region, gain 2 registered voters and $20M.
- Disadvantage: If you take an advertise or campaign action and your pawn is located outside this region, pay +$20M OR discard 2 registered voters (before the action).
For the advantage, the home state rule here supersedes the traditional home state selection process. You will start with 1 extra voter in every state in this region, including the states you would normally not start with any voters.
Note: the advantage text above is printed as "@20M"; it is transcribed as $20M.
Breaking News Rules
You will only use a total of 9 of the Breaking News cards for each game. Three will be shuffled into the draw decks for each month. All of the following steps can be completed after base game setup.
Setup
- Shuffle the Breaking News cards and draw the top 9 off the deck. Place them next to the board somewhere face down. Return the rest of the Breaking News cards to the box.
- Take the top 3 of those Breaking News cards that were set aside and shuffle them into the August deck (this should be done after all cards for player hands have been dealt and after the deck has been split into the 3 draw decks).
- Leave the other 6 Breaking News cards where they are for now. They will be shuffled into their draw decks during the game.
Gameplay
Breaking News adds 9 global events to the game that affect all players. These will show up randomly throughout the draw decks. When you draw a Breaking News card, immediately reveal it, place it next to the board face up, and draw to replace it. Then carry out whatever the Breaking News card says.
Most Breaking News cards will have some ongoing affect while they are in play. When a new Breaking News card is drawn, replace the current one with the new one. The former one is no longer in affect and any advantage or disadvantage it gives is no longer valid.
After the first debate and after all players have drawn cards to replenish their hands, shuffle the top 3 Breaking News cards from the set aside pile into the September deck. Shuffle the last 3 Breaking News cards into the October deck after all players have refreshed their hands after the second debate.
Breaking News Cards
The rulebook shows four sample Breaking News cards. Each card's news text is shown in italics, followed by its rule.
BREAKING NEWS: TERRORIST ATTACK KILLS 3 IN ROME
At least 3 confirmed dead and many more injured as a truck runs over tourists in Rome today. Terror alerts around the globe have risen.
On your turn, if you discard a card containing an issue in the National Security category under the advertising action, you gain 3 registered voters.
BREAKING NEWS: TRACKING HURRICANE IN THE GULF
Hurricane Ray is a category 3 storm approaching the southeastern US. Evacuation orders for FL have been issued. Other states may follow.
No player may travel to or campaign in FL. If you are already in FL, you must immediately move to the closest adjacent state.
BREAKING NEWS: CANDIDATES ASSURE PUBLIC OF ETHICS
Accusations of sexual harassment in congress continue. Candidates are working hard to assure the public that they are not affiliated with this behavior.
Each candidate must immediately move to one of their ethically minded states. They may place a voter from their registered supply there.
BREAKING NEWS: RISING COSTS HAVE AIRLINES IN CRISIS
The airline industry financial situation is having severe economic repurcussions. Many smaller airlines have declared bankruptcy and others have laid off thousands.
You must pay an additional $20M when you take a travel action with a plane icon. When you advertise on any issue in The Economy category, place 1 additional voter in each of the state you advertise in with these issues.
Note: the rulebook does not print the other 16 Breaking News cards; they are not reproduced here.
Election Day Rules
Setup
Election Day offers each party a chance to get some end of game voters into states where they may need a little extra to win. Each party will be able to try to achieve 1 of 3 end game goals and will get voters in specific states if they do so. Follow these steps after all other setup actions are complete.
- Shuffle the Exit Poll cards and give 3 to each party. They keep these hidden from their opponents but may discuss openly between running mates. Note: Exit Poll cards are shared amongst the party. The party as a whole is trying to accomplish these end game goals.
- Shuffle the State Returns cards and give 3 to each party. They keep these hidden from their opponents but may discuss openly between running mates. Note: State Return cards are shared amongst the party.
Gameplay
The Exit Poll card
The Exit Poll card gives the end game goal a party is trying to achieve and the bonus if they do so. Exit polls are divided into 2 columns for various player/party configurations. When you get your cards you only need to care about the column that apply to your player/party configuration. The Exit Poll cards also use a tiered approach for goals. If you achieve the first tier you will get a small reward; if you achieve the 3rd tier you will get the biggest reward. See below for an explanation of where everything is on the Exit Poll card.
Player/Party Configurations
- The column on the left shows the goal amount for 2-party games with 2 or 4 players and 3-party games with 5 or 6 players.
- The column on the right shows the goal amount for 3-party games with 3 players and all 4 party games.
- The value of the objective for the 3 tiers. These are typically greater or equal to this number thresholds for Maximize goals. Although they may be less than or equal to this number for Minimize goals.
- The reward a party will get for completing the objective. For completing tier 1 (row 1) they get 3 voters, for tier 2 they get 6 voters, and for tier 3 they get 9 voters.
- Goal shows the objective the party is trying to complete.
- An icon to give some kind of graphical representation of the goal.
The rulebook shows three sample Exit Poll cards, reproduced here with their goal tables:
| Exit Poll card | 2-party (2 or 4 players; 3-party with 5 or 6 players) | 3-party (3 players; all 4-party games) |
|---|---|---|
| How much does a party's consistent campaign practices affect your vote? | 3 voters: 70 / 6 voters: 62 / 9 voters: 54 | 3 voters: 70 / 6 voters: 62 / 9 voters: 54 |
| How much does a party's political apparatus affect your vote? | 3 voters: 4 / 6 voters: 5 / 9 voters: 6 | 3 voters: 4 / 6 voters: 5 / 9 voters: 6 |
| How much does a party's ethical campaign practices affect your vote? | 3 voters: 20 / 6 voters: 24 / 9 voters: 28 | 3 voters: 16 / 6 voters: 20 / 9 voters: 24 |
Goals on the sample cards:
- Consistent campaign practices card: Goal: Minimize the highest number card in your hand.
- Political apparatus card: Goal: Maximize the ongoing politick actions you have in play.
- Ethical campaign practices card: Goal: Maximize the number of your voters in your ethically minded states.
The sample card for appeal to high EV states:
| Exit Poll card | 2-party (2 or 4 players; 3-party with 5 or 6 players) | 3-party (3 players; all 4-party games) |
|---|---|---|
| How much does a party's appeal to high EV states affect your vote? | 3 voters: 42 / 6 voters: 48 / 9 voters: 54 | 3 voters: 34 / 6 voters: 40 / 9 voters: 46 |
Goal: Maximize the number of your voters in CA, TX, NY, FL, IL, & PA.
The State Returns card
Each State Returns card has 2 or 3 states highlighted on it. These are the states a party will be allowed to place their voter rewards for completing their Exit Poll objective in.
The rulebook diagram shows a State Returns card highlighting NE, NJ and AL, with the note "State Returns cards showing Nebraska, Alabama, and New Jersey".
During Play
During play of the game, players will not do much with their Exit Poll cards and State Returns cards. They will be trying to complete the objective(s) throughout the game. However, parties will only be able to get the reward for 1 Exit Poll card at the end of the game and will only be able to put that reward into the states shown on 1 State Returns card. They will have to narrow down what they want to do from the 3 they start with to 1 of each by the end of the game.
They will do this after each debate. At the end of the first debate, after each player has refreshed their hand, each party must discard 1 Exit Poll card and 1 State Returns card. These cards are discarded face down. At the end of the second debate each party must discard 1 Exit Poll card and 1 State Returns card. This will leave each party with only 1 Exit Poll card and 1 State Returns card for the month of October. These are the cards they will use at the end of the game.
Note some of the goals require the party to maximize something and some require the party to minimize something. This will be clearly identified in the Goal text at the bottom of a card. For a maximize goal, the party achieves the objective if their value is greater than or equal to the number shown. For a minimize goal, the party achieves the objective if their value is less than or equal to the number shown.
See the section on Game End for an explanation and example of how these work in the game.
Game End
After all turns in October have been taken and all ongoing politick actions (Recount, October Surprise, etc) have been resolved, each party evaluates their Exit Poll card. They will count up the value of whatever the Goal on the cards says to maximize or minimize. If their value is greater than or equal to the value given in tier 1, they receive 3 voters (from undecided supply). If their value is greater than or equal to the value given in tier 2, they receive 6 voters (from undecided supply); and if their value is greater than or equal to the value given in tier 3, they receive 9 voters (from undecided supply. Remember to only compare the party's value to the value for the column of your specific player/party configuration. Also, remember for a minimize goal, the party's value must be less than or equal to the given value.
Parties will then take these voters and distribute them among the states showing on their State Returns card. They can be distributed in any amount among those states. Be sure to adjust the tokens on the electoral college track if these voters change majorities in states.
After all voters for Election Day have been placed, the game is over and the party with the most electoral votes is the winner.
Example: The Republicans and Democrats are playing a 2-party, 4-player game. Therefore they are looking at the left column for their goal amount.
- The Republican party has the "Minimize the highest number card in your hand" exit poll card and the MA/AZ/AR state returns card. They look through each of their hands and discover that card 62 is the highest card in their hands. It barely fits into tier 2 (less than or equal to 62) and so they get 6 voters. They place 4 in MA and 1 each in AZ and AR.
- The Democrat party has the "Maximize the number of voters in your ethically minded states" exit poll card and the PA/KY state returns card. They count the number of voters in the 5 democrat ethically minded states and come up with 32. They get 9 voters since their 32 is greater than the tier 3 threshold of 28. They place all 9 voters in PA and none in KY.