Chronicles of Civilization
Chronicles of Civilization Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
- Game Components
- Game Setup
- Solo Game Flow
- Playing an Action Card
- Using Resources and Workers
- Resources
- Covering Costs
- Military Costs
- Enemy Troop Movement
- Chronicle Action
- Resource Card and Resources
- Worker Actions
- Population – Population Happiness
- Development Cards – Overview
- Development Track
- Development Card A
- Development Card B
- Map
- Worker
- Chronicle Card
- War Track
- Event Track
- Relations Track
- War
- Recruiting Troops
- Player Troop Movement
- Battle
Game Components
Solo Mode
To play, we need:
- A deck of Action Cards (12x)
- A Resource Card
- Development Card A
- Development Card B
- A Map
- A Chronicle Card
- A Writing Tool
- 8 worker meeples
- Population Happiness Marker
- Population Marker
- 3 Player Troops Markers
- 6 Resource Markers
- 3 Enemy Troops Markers
- Relations Marker
- 1 K6 Die
- 3 Crisis Markers
- Bonus Marker
Game Setup
Shuffle the deck of 12 Action Cards and place it in the designated spot, face down.
Place the six Resource Markers at the values marked with a green triangle, which represent the starting values.
Place four meeples on the symbols below; these are your starting workers. Place the remaining four off the board.
Place the Happiness Marker and the Population Marker on their designated spaces, at the starting values indicated by the green triangle.
Choose any Map Card. No markers are placed on the map initially. Before starting the game, designate the starting location of your civilization by choosing the site of the first settlement – capital. Choose any empty space and draw the capital symbol there.
Choose any Chronicle Card. Place the Relations Marker on the middle space of the Relations Track.
Place the Player Military Markers and Enemy Military Markers, one K6 die, and three Crisis Markers off the board in their designated areas.
Development Cards do not require an initial setup; you will only draw on them during the game, and they do not need any markers.
Solo Game Flow
Your goal in the solo game is to meet one of the victory conditions specified on the current Chronicle Card. You have 15 turns to accomplish this. Each subsequent turn follows the same pattern:
- Playing an Action Card
- Using Resources and Workers
- Covering Costs
- Enemy Troop Movement – if you are at war, all enemy troops move one space.
- Chronicle Action – a Chronicle action takes place at the end of each turn. It represents the consequences of events occurring at this time in your civilization's history. Depending on the card and the chosen track, one of three possible events occurs, which you must resolve.
Your goal is to fulfill any one of the victory conditions indicated on the Chronicle Card before the end of 15 turns.
Playing an Action Card
Take an Action Card and place it in one of the two possible spots on the Resource Card. You may place it in a spot that has the same development domain symbol.
At the start of each turn, the player draws a new card from the deck and must place it in one of the two spaces on the Resource Card. They can choose two out of three spots that match the development domains shown on the card.
The Action Card is divided into two tracks. Each track consists of three parts:
- The resources you receive at the start of the turn.
- The domain that will be boosted this turn.
- The event that will be triggered on the Chronicle Card.
- The action your worker can additionally perform.
Example: The player uses an Action Card on a space that boosts agriculture. They receive certain resources, which they mark by moving markers on the respective tracks. The action on this track of the card boosts agriculture. This means the player can use the Bonus Marker as an extra worker, but only for this domain. This choice also triggers a specific event on the Chronicle Card, which will occur at the end of this turn during the Chronicle Action phase. By choosing this space on the card, the player also gains access to an additional action. By using a worker here, they can gain an extra work point, or 2 points if they use 2 workers.
Example: By using this Action Card, the player can choose between boosting agriculture or production. They cannot place the card in the third option because there are none of the symbols shown there on the card.
Any resources that exceed the maximum limit are converted into gold. If gold is already at its maximum level, the surplus is lost.
Using Resources and Workers
At the start of your turn, you have a certain number of workers. Initially, this is 4, and you can unlock more by increasing your population. You can use any number of them at any time during this phase of your turn, but any unused workers will not carry over to the next turn.
You use workers in four ways:
- To perform actions on the map. You can find everything on this topic in the Worker section on page 23.
- As the cost of developing domains on Development Cards. In some cases, besides resources, you must also use a worker to develop a particular domain. In that case, you place a meeple in that spot.
- For moving troops on the Chronicle Card. Each movement of your unit will require the use of a worker. For more information, see the War section on page 28.
- To activate actions on Development Cards. Each space marked with a worker icon in the top-left corner can be activated if the boundary condition is met or if there is no boundary at all. Place a meeple on this space to activate the action described there. When you see the symbol "+1 worker" on a space, it means you can add one more worker (place a meeple on top of one already there) to gain an additional resource that is produced here – always +1, regardless of the base amount. Larger, hex-shaped spaces refer to actions that can be performed on the map. You do not place a meeple there; it simply indicates the conditions under which a worker can perform that action on the map (in this case, building a farm). For more on this subject, see the Development Cards section on page 15.
Unused workers do not carry over to the next turn as a bonus.
Example: The player starts the turn with 4 free workers. They send the first one onto the map. It appears in the capital space. Then they use its 4 movement points to move elsewhere and collect resources. This turn, they chose an Action Card that boosts production. They place a free worker there. Then they add another worker there to produce a total of 2 work points, which they mark on the Resource Card. They use another worker as the cost of developing the next stage of religion, along with 3 work points. They use the last worker to move their army by 1 space.
Resources
At the beginning of the turn, you have the resources gained from the Action Card as well as those left over from the previous turn. During the current turn, you can also acquire additional resources that can be used immediately. You may use them in any amount and order, and those you don't spend will carry over to the next turn.
You use resources in three ways:
- For developing domains. By spending the required resources, you will unlock subsequent stages of development. You cross out unlocked development stages on the card. You can find everything on this topic in the Development Cards section on page 15.
- For activating actions. Some actions require using resources in order to perform them. In this case, you must spend 1 work point for your worker to chop down a tree. When using actions, you do not cross it out. They can be used multiple times, including within the same turn.
- For covering costs. You will lose resources at the end of the turn to support your population (food) and your army (gold and food), as well as due to events on the Chronicle Card. You cannot avoid this. See Covering Costs below.
Covering Costs
Each turn, the player must cover certain costs.
Feeding the Population
At the end of the turn, you must provide enough food for your population. This value depends on its size. Initially, your population is at level 1 and requires 2 units of food.
If the required food is lacking, you mark the missing resources on the Chronicle Card's hunger space. Each missing food unit moves the marker 1 space to the right (for example, if 2 are missing, you move it 2 spaces). If the marker reaches the last space, the game ends in defeat: your civilization collapses.
If the marker is already on the hunger space, it remains there. The only way to move it back is to spend 8 food to shift it one space to the left. Moving it from the first space removes it from the board until the next famine occurs.
Example: At the start of the turn, the player gained resources from the Action Card and added them to the ones left over from the previous turn. They use 2 wood and 1 gold to unlock a segment of the development track. They gain 1 work point this way and cross out the completed segment. Next, they use 2 ore and 2 gold to recruit a unit into their army. Nothing is crossed out; they mark the presence of the new unit in one of their divisions. Write down the strength of this unit in the chosen squad, starting from the left side. They have a population at level 1 and one military unit. In total, at the end of the turn, they must pay 3 food and 1 gold.
The population track lists the food required at the end of the turn for each population level: level 1 requires 2 food, level 2 requires 3 food, level 3 requires 4 food, level 4 requires 5 food, and level 5 requires 6 food.
Happiness and Bankruptcy
Each time there is a shortage of food at the end of the turn, the population happiness marker moves one space to the left – always by 1, regardless of the amount of shortage.
If you lack the required gold, mark the missing resources on the Chronicle Card's bankruptcy space. Each missing gold shifts the marker 1 space to the right (for example, if 2 are missing, move it 2 spaces). If the marker reaches the last space, the game ends in defeat: your civilization collapses.
The bankruptcy space works exactly the same way as the hunger space. To move the marker back, you must pay 8 gold.
Example: At the end of the turn, the player has a population at level 4, which means a cost of 5 food. They have a military unit at the second cost threshold, which means a cost of 2 food and 2 gold. In total, they must pay 7 food and 2 gold. However, they only have 5 food and 1 gold. This means those resources first drop to 0, and then the missing 2 food raises the hunger marker by 2 positions. Happiness decreases by 1 position due to a shortage of food. The bankruptcy level increases by 1 due to a shortage of gold.
Military Costs
Feeding and Paying the Army
If you have an army, you must pay for it at the end of each turn. The cost is an amount of food and gold determined by the number of units, set by thresholds. All units in the first threshold have a total cost of 1 food and 1 gold, and in the second threshold, 2 each.
Example: In this case, you must pay 1 food and 1 gold. In this case, you will pay 2 food and 2 gold.
This cost is calculated separately for each of the 3 units you can have:
- The first one costs 1 food and 1 gold.
- The second one costs 1 food and 1 gold.
- The third one costs 2 food and 2 gold.
With such an army, its total upkeep cost per turn is 4 food and 4 gold.
Enemy Troop Movement
When the enemy civilization has troops and is at war with you, at the end of the turn it will move each of its units one space to the left.
Example: The player is at war, and the enemy civilization has an army. They therefore move the enemy troop marker one space to the left.
You can find everything on this topic in the War section on page 28.
Chronicle Action
At the end of each turn, a Chronicle action takes place. It represents the consequences of events occurring at this time in your civilization's history. Depending on the card and the chosen track, one of three possible events occurs, which you must resolve.
Events are crossed out in each of the 15 turns. In each turn, you resolve one of the three events in the column; the other two that weren't used are lost. In the next turn, you resolve the next column.
You can find everything about these events in the Chronicle Card section on page 24.
Example: The player chose one side of the card. They gained the specific resources shown on that side (2, 4 and 3 units of the three resources printed there), gained an additional space for a worker action, gained a free worker for a chosen domain, and triggered an end-of-turn event. The player places a worker on the map, in the capital space. They use a work point to activate road building. The worker moves 3 spaces and builds a settlement on a special space, earning a reward from the Chronicle Card. They use the free worker on a production action and add another one to generate 2 work points. Having a settlement, they upgrade it to level 1. Then they use a worker to perform a food production action. At the end of the turn, they resolve event 2. They meet the boundary condition – having a settlement at level 1 – so they receive a reward of 2 gold.
Resource Card and Resources
The main function of the Resource Card is to manage the available pool of resources and workers. The Resource Card has the following parts:
- Resources
- Action Card Connectors
- Worker Pool
- Worker Movement Range
- Worker Actions
- Population
- Population Happiness
Resources
- Wood: A basic material needed for construction and development. Apart from obtaining it via Action Cards or as a bonus, wood can only be obtained by having a worker cut down trees.
- Ore: An advanced material needed for construction and development. Besides obtaining it from Action Cards or as a bonus, ore can also be acquired by operating mines and destroying deposits.
- Food: A key resource for the survival of your population. Required every turn, and demand increases as the game progresses. Apart from obtaining it via Action Cards or as a bonus, you can also produce food in farms, by fishing, or by destroying crops.
- Work: A resource that enables many actions. It is essential for most worker activities and development. Besides getting it from Action Cards or as a bonus, you can mainly gain Work Points by using Production actions.
- Science: An essential element for the technological development of your civilization. Apart from Action Cards or bonus gains, you can mainly obtain Science Points by using Education actions.
- Gold: The most important resource in the game, essential at every stage of development. Apart from Action Cards or bonus gains, you can mainly obtain Gold by using the Finance action and the related Taxes.
Action Card Connectors
On the Resource Card, there are three connectors where you can place Action Cards at the start of your turn.
- You can only place a card that has that domain symbol.
- If that domain is developed to the appropriate level, you get a free bonus.
- Placing the card on this connector also means choosing an event from the Chronicle Card, which will activate at the end of the turn.
Example: The player placed an Action Card on the first connector. They gain certain resources (2 food, 3 gold and 4 ore). They get an additional worker, which can be used on the agriculture space (and only there). The player has agriculture at level 3. Therefore, they get an additional 1 food point. The active end-of-turn event forces the player to pay 2 units of wood.
Worker Pool
At the start of each turn, you receive your pool of workers, whose markers you place in this section. Initially, you have four workers, which you place on the green symbols.
You get another worker when your population reaches level 2.
You will gain additional workers when you unlock further thresholds determined by your population level.
Worker Movement Range
Each worker placed on the map has its own movement range – that is, the number of spaces it can move in a turn.
- Initially, a worker's movement is 4 spaces.
- After discovering invention 5, each worker's movement range increases to 7.
- After discovering invention 9, each worker can move an unlimited distance on roads without using up movement points.
- After reaching Marine level 3, your workers (and your army) can move over water spaces just as they do over empty land spaces (nothing can be built on water).
Worker Actions
When your workers are on the map, they can perform any of the available actions. Each of these actions has the same cost of 1 Work Point and can be done any number of times in a turn (as long as its conditions are met). The actions on the card are merely markers; we don't place any tokens on them or cross them out.
Actions halt a worker's movement; the worker loses any remaining movement points for that turn, but may perform an unlimited number of actions from the space where it stopped.
Cutting Down Trees
Action available from the start. Actions available after reaching production levels 2 and 3.
A basic action performed to obtain wood. To do this, your worker must stand next to a space with a tree and spend 1 Work Point. Then the tree space is crossed out, and you gain 1 unit of wood, or 2–3 if you've unlocked higher production levels. A worker can cut down multiple trees in their vicinity, paying separately for each action.
Example: The worker moved onto a space adjacent to the trees. They end their movement here, even though they only used 1 of their 4 available spaces. Then the player spends 2 Work Points to use the tree-cutting action twice. The trees are crossed out, and the player gains 4 units of wood because they have unlocked production level 2.
Building a Road
A very important action is building roads. Farms, mines, settlements, and ports cannot perform actions if they're not connected to the capital by a road, so constructing roads is a must.
To build a road, pay the cost of 1 Work Point before the worker moves on the map. They will build the road on empty spaces along the entire path of their movement. From the starting point to the destination, draw a line there.
Example: The player paid 1 Work Point, then their worker moved 4 spaces on the map. The road was built on 5 spaces – the first one where the worker started, and the last one where they stopped.
Example: The player paid 1 Work Point, then their worker moved 4 spaces on the map. They started from a space that already had a road, so a new road was built on 4 spaces – the first empty space they stepped onto from the road, and the last one where they stopped.
A road cannot be built on a rock field, water, ruins, or a forest with trees (once the trees are cut down, it is possible), nor on a crop field (after it is destroyed, it is allowed). On all other spaces, you may build.
Destroying Deposits and Croplands
On the map, you'll find spaces near which you can build mines or farms. However, instead of doing so, you can destroy these spaces to immediately gain 3 units of that resource from each one. Of course, once destroyed, a mine/farm can no longer be built there. Also, destroying these spaces if they were already used by existing mines/farms makes them inoperable.
Example: The player spent 1 Work Point and used the deposit-destruction action, gaining 3 ore points. Then they used another Work Point so their worker could destroy a field, thus gaining 3 food. Neither of these spaces can now be used to build farms or mines.
Fishing
On the same principle as destroying deposits, you can have a worker fish. To perform this action, you must have Marine at level 2. By spending 1 Work Point when the worker is on a space adjacent to a fish, you gain 6 food (the fish space is then crossed out).
Population – Population Happiness
Population
Population is a value that indicates the size of your civilization's population. Each level requires a different amount of food at the end of the turn. Increasing your population affects the number of workers and is crucial for developing certain domains.
You increase your population by developing settlements and the capital. The maximum level is 5; unlocking further levels once it's reached has no effect.
Population Happiness
Population happiness is a marker that indicates population happiness. It starts at position 3. Reaching level 5 is required in some scenarios and is a prerequisite for certain actions.
Dropping to level 1 will trigger a rising rebellion marker each turn. If it reaches the red space, the game ends.
Happiness can be increased through actions in two domains: religion and education.
Development Cards – Overview
One of the most important elements of the game are Development Cards. They represent your civilization's progress in various domains. Most of them are based on very similar rules.
Each domain has its own icon, which is also used in other places where connections to that domain appear.
Some domains require building structures on the map in order to develop. In this case, developing agriculture requires building a farm. You can do this using the action marked in this way.
The legend printed on the Development Card explains the symbols used in the actions:
- A diagram showing the building process. A worker, if standing on a space adjacent to crops, can build a farm by drawing its symbol on an adjacent empty space.
- The number of this type of structure. After creating such a structure on the map, mark it by circling this symbol. You can have up to three built structures of this type.
- Building cost (do not cross it out).
- A boundary that defines which condition must be met in order to trigger this action. In this case, you must own a farm.
- To use the action, you must place a worker on it, and you can add another one to increase the action's result by +1.
An action marked in this way refers to a worker's activity on the map. You do not need to place a worker marker on it.
An action marked in this way requires placing a worker marker on it to activate it. The result of using this action is that you gain 1 food point for each level of this domain's development.
Example: The player has agriculture at level 3. They used 2 workers for this action. The first worker activates the action, producing 3 food, and the second increases that amount by an additional 1, for a total of 4 food.
An action marked in this way lets you produce food in an amount depending on how many farms you own.
Example: The player has agriculture at level 3 (which is also the requirement to use this action). They also have 3 built farms. They use 1 worker (you cannot add a second one for this action). The amount of produced food is multiplied by the number of farms (each farm produces an amount depending on the agriculture level). This way, the player produces 9 food.
In order to perform actions, structures (farm, mine, port, settlement) must be connected by a road to the capital or be adjacent to it (or to another structure connected by a road).
Each mine and farm requires its own deposit/field; you cannot build several around just one.
Development Track
Development is a key element of every domain.
The development track consists of segments separated by boundaries. Each segment is built in the same way, consisting of 2 parts:
- Cost. The resources you must pay to unlock this element. Costs are always shown in a yellow rectangle. They are divided into two types:
- Split costs – marked with circular fields. You can pay them in installments, even across different turns, by marking off successive fields.
- Full costs – they have no circular fields, only a total cost that must be paid in full during a single turn.
- Reward. Benefits you gain immediately after paying the cost. There are several types of rewards:
- Development level – increases that domain's level. You mark this on the symbol below that domain's icon.
- Resource – you immediately gain the specified resource in the stated amount.
- Increase population – you increase your population by 1 (move the marker).
You cross out both costs and rewards after using them.
Some segments also require using a worker. When you do so, you cross out its symbol.
Boundaries
Boundaries are conditions that must be met to access the further development track or perform an action. Until this condition is met, you cannot cross out any field beyond that boundary, even if you have the required resources. There are four types of boundaries in the game:
- You must reach the required level of that domain.
- You must build at least one object of that type.
- You must have the relevant scientific discovery unlocked.
- You must construct the specified special building in the capital.
Example: The player is developing settlement D (that's its name). To start developing the settlement, they must first build it on the map (boundary 1). The next threshold is reaching Education level 1 (boundary 2). The last boundary in further development is the scientific discovery 3.
Development Card A
Development Card A holds six domains: 1 Agriculture, 2 Mining, 3 Marine, 4 Settlements, 5 Capital and 6 Religion. Domains carrying the printed "Draw it this way on the map" stamp are the ones whose build action is drawn on the map.
Agriculture
By developing this domain, you gain a steady source of food.
- Build up to 3 farms on spaces adjacent to crop fields.
- Gain 1 food point for each level of Agriculture you have. Increase the total by 1 point with an additional worker. Boundary: owning at least 1 farm.
- Gain 1 food point for each level of Agriculture you have, multiplied by the number of farms. Boundary: Agriculture level 3.
Mining
By developing this domain, you gain a steady source of ore.
- Build up to 3 mines on spaces adjacent to ore deposits.
- Gain 1 ore point for each level of Mining you have. Increase the total by 1 point with an additional worker. Boundary: owning at least 1 mine.
- Gain 1 ore point for each level of Mining you have, multiplied by the number of mines. Boundary: Mining level 3.
Marine
Thanks to Marine, you can acquire many resources at once, but it's harder to develop.
- Build up to 3 ports on spaces adjacent to water.
- Gain 1 food point for each level of Marine you have. Additionally, you get 1 point for every port you own (for example, with 1 port and level 1, you get 2 food points).
- Gain 1 science point for each level of Marine you have. Additionally, you get 1 point for every port you own (for example, with 1 port and level 1, you get 2 science points). Boundary: Marine level 3.
- Gain 1 gold point for each level of Marine you have. Additionally, you get 1 point for every port you own (for example, with 1 port and level 1, you get 2 gold points). Boundary: Education level 3.
After building a farm, mine, port, or settlement, circle this symbol (found next to their build action). This way you mark how many of these objects you own.
Settlements
By building and developing settlements, you can increase your population. In addition, each settlement lets you acquire a different resource.
- Build a settlement on any empty space. You can build up to 4 settlements, each labeled with a different letter (A, B, C, D). When building, indicate which one you've built.
- Settlement A: Gain 1 food point for each level of development of that particular settlement.
- Settlement B: Gain 1 work point for each level of development of that particular settlement.
- Settlement C: Gain 1 gold point for each level of development of that particular settlement.
- Settlement D: Gain 1 science point for each level of development of that particular settlement.
Capital
This is your civilization's starting point, determined at the very beginning. In addition to development similar to settlements and increasing population, it also has its own unique actions and enables the construction of special buildings.
- Use a worker and pay 2 Work Points to gain 2 gold. Increase the total by 1 point with an additional worker.
- Use a worker to reduce the required amount of food this turn by 2. Increase the total by 1 point with an additional worker. Boundary: owning building 5.
- Use a worker to increase the amount of happiness boosted by any other action. You cannot use this action without using another one; it only serves as an enhancement. Boundary: owning building 3.
- Use a worker and 3 gold to strengthen the combat unit you're creating. You can only use this action at the moment you form a unit in the War domain; it's only an enhancement. It can't be used for an existing unit. Record the strengthened value of the unit on the army card. Boundary: owning building 6.
Special Buildings
In the capital, you can construct 6 special buildings. Each of them is part of the boundaries of various domains or actions. You gain 1 victory point for constructing each building.
The six buildings are numbered 1 to 6 on the Development Card: 1 Cathedral, 2 University, 3 Theater, 4 Grand Library, 5 Grand Market, 6 Fortress. Note: the per-building requirement figures printed on the building art are not transcribed here; they are shown on the card.
Religion
Religion differs from other domains in that it doesn't let you gain any resources, but it allows you to influence population happiness.
- Increase population happiness by 1 using 3 workers. Boundary: Religion level 1.
- Increase population happiness by 1 using 2 workers. Boundary: Religion level 3.
Victory Points
They are a victory condition in many scenarios. You obtain them by fully developing domains and constructing special buildings.
Development Card B
Development Card B holds seven domains: 1 Inventions, 2 Education, 3 Production, 4 Military, 5 Diplomacy, 6 Finance and 7 Taxes.
Inventions
This domain differs significantly from the others. It presents three invention tracks you can develop by meeting specific requirements. They are a very important boundary element and form the key to many development paths.
Each path consists of five inventions. To unlock the next one, you must also have met the boundary requirements and unlocked the previous invention.
The three invention tracks, as printed on the card:
- Track 1: 1 Tools, 2 Metallurgy, 3 Construction, 4 Engineering, 5 Fortresses.
- Track 2: 6 Farming, 7 Mills, 8 Animal Husbandry, 9 Navigation, 10 Trade Routes.
- Track 3: 11 Writing, 12 Philosophy, 13 School Education, 14 Chemistry, 15 Gunpowder.
Example: The example illustrates a correct order (marked with a tick) and an incorrect one (marked with a cross).
All three tracks are independent from each other. This means you can develop them separately, only following the order within each track. For example, you might invent 1 and 2 from the first track, then 6 from the second, and 11 from the third.
You unlock subsequent inventions according to the exact same principle as domain development. You pay the specified resource cost and can only do it if you meet the boundary requirement. After meeting the requirements, you cross out the invention's icon.
Example: The player plans to discover invention 4 – Engineering. In order to do so, they must have Education developed to level 3. To achieve that, they must discover inventions 11 and 13. Invention 11 (Writing) can be discovered without prerequisites. Philosophy (12) requires Education at level 2. And to discover Schooling (13), they need to develop Settlements to level 3.
Education
This domain is the main source of Science Points.
- Gain 1 science point for each level of Education you have. Increase the total by 1 point with an additional worker.
- Additionally, gain 1 science point for each level of Education. Boundary: invention 12.
- Increase population happiness by 1. To do so, you must use 2 workers and spend 2 science points. Boundary: Education level 4.
Production
This is where you can earn work points.
- Gain 1 work point. Increase the total by 1 with an additional worker.
- Gain 1 work point for each level of Production you have. Increase the total by 1 with an additional worker.
- Gain 1 work point for each level of Production you have. Increase the total by 1 with an additional worker. Boundary: Production level 3.
Military
The place to manage our civilization's military forces.
In the game, we can recruit 6 different types of units, which we then place in our divisions.
- Each subsequent unit becomes available once you reach the specified Military level according to that boundary.
- Once it is available, you can purchase any number of those units, paying the specified cost for each.
- Every purchased unit must be immediately assigned to one of your divisions on the Chronicle Card. You do this by recording its Strength in the chosen division. Enter the unit's strength from the left into the selected unit.
For more on this subject, see the War section on page 28.
You reach subsequent Military levels in the same way as developing other domains.
Diplomacy
This domain does not produce any resources; its main purpose is to affect relations with the enemy civilization.
- Improve your relations with the enemy civilization by 1 space to the left. In addition to a worker, you must pay 5 gold. Boundary: Diplomacy level 2.
- Improve your relations with the enemy civilization by 2 spaces to the left. In addition to a worker, you must pay 5 gold. Boundary: Diplomacy level 4.
- Exchange gold for any other resource. Boundary: peace status on the Relations Track of the Chronicle Card.
Finance
Here you can control gold acquisition and trade.
- Gain 1 gold for each level of Finance you have. Increase the total by 1 point with an additional worker.
- Exchange 3 resource points (wood, food, or ore) for 1 gold. You can use any set of these resources (e.g. 2 wood and 1 food).
- Exchange gold for another resource (3 for 1) among wood, food, or ore.
- Exchange gold for another resource (2 for 1) among wood, food, or ore. Boundary: Capital level 2.
- Exchange gold for another resource (1 for 1) among wood, food, or ore. Boundary: Owning building 5.
- Pay 2 gold to be able to freely exchange gold, wood, ore, and food. Boundary: invention 10.
Taxes
A domain linked to Finance, allowing you to acquire extra gold.
- Using 1 worker, gain 1 gold for each population level. Decrease population happiness by 1.
- Using 2 workers, gain 2 gold for each population level. Decrease population happiness by 1.
- Using 3 workers, gain 3 gold for each population level. Decrease population happiness by 2.
- Using 1 worker, gain 1 gold for each population level. Boundary: Finance level 4.
Example: The player decided they needed more gold. They decided to use the Taxes action. They have population at level 4. They use the tax-collecting action with three workers. This way, they gain 12 gold. But population happiness decreases by 2 levels.
Example: The player summons a worker at the settlement space. Then, by building a road, they head toward the water and construct a port on the shore. Then they develop Marine to gain its first level. They use a worker to perform a Marine action, thus gaining 2 food.
Map
The map is an interchangeable component. Choose any map before starting the game.
- Empty Field: Your worker can move freely here and build all structures.
- Forest: Your worker can move freely here, but can only build roads.
- Tree: After using the tree-cutting action (see page 13), you gain wood from that space with your worker. Once cut, you cross out the tree icon and treat that space as a Forest. If the tree is not cut, a worker cannot enter that space.
- Crop field: A worker can destroy it to immediately gain food, or build a farm next to it (see page 17). A worker can move over it as if it were an empty space, but can't build anything on it (roads – when the crop field is destroyed).
- Water: A worker can only move through this terrain after you've reached Marine level 3. Before that, it's a blockage.
- Ruins: If a worker is on an adjacent space, you can spend that worker's action plus another worker from your pool to gain the reward described on the Chronicle Card.
- Fish: A worker can gain as many as 6 food from such a space. To use this action, you must have Marine level 2. You can move on this space under the same rules as water. It's a single-use space (see Fishing, page 14).
- Discovery: When a worker enters such a space, you cross out the symbol on the map and gain a specified reward. This does not require an action or stop the worker's movement; you only need to pass through or end on that space. Once collected, you can build a road there.
- Mountains: This terrain is an obstacle you cannot pass through or stand on in any way.
- Deposits: This terrain is a blockage just like mountains. You can extract ore from it using the deposit-destruction action (see page 14) and build a mine on an adjacent space (see page 17).
Worker
The core element of the game is managing workers. In addition to the actions described on page 13, a worker can also move around the map.
Summoning a Worker
A worker begins its presence on the map by appearing in the capital space (place the meeple there). After building settlements, you may also summon a worker in any of them.
There is no limit to the number of workers on the map. You may deploy all the workers you have. Summoning is free and doesn't use up the worker's movement.
At the end of the turn, you decide whether a given worker remains on the map or returns to the worker pool.
By using another worker from the pool, you can give that worker's turn to a worker who is already on the map. You place the worker from the pool aside, and the worker on the map gets a full set of moves and actions again.
Movement
Each worker, once placed on the map, has a set number of moves. Initially, this is 4. After you develop invention 5, that number rises to 7. This means the worker can move that many spaces on the map.
There is no limit to the number of actions a worker can perform.
A worker's movement ends when:
- the player decides to stop it;
- the worker uses up its entire movement pool;
- the worker performs any action other than building a road (that action is performed along with movement). They can still perform any number of actions at the space where they stopped.
In each of these cases, we lay the meeple down (instead of standing) to show that the worker's move pool is exhausted.
Example: The player summons a worker in the capital space. Then, using that worker's pool of 4 moves, they move south on the map. Before moving, they spend 1 Work Point and build a road along the entire path. They gather one wood on the way. Then they build a farm next to a crop space. It can no longer move, but can still perform actions. They spend 2 Work Points to cut down two trees. Since they have Production at level 2, they gain 4 wood from this. The player uses another worker from the pool to reactivate the worker on the map, giving them another turn. They move south and build a mine next to the ore. The mine is adjacent to a farm that is connected by road to the capital, so it is also connected.
Chronicle Card
The Chronicle Card is an interchangeable component; choose any one before starting the game. The Chronicle Card serves as a scenario presenting an era in the history of your civilization.
The Chronicle Card has the following parts:
- Victory conditions
- Defeat conditions
- Rules of troop movement
- Chronicle name
- Battle rules summary
- Special terrains
- Enemy treasury
- War track
- Event track
- Relations track
Victory Conditions
Each Chronicle Card has its own victory conditions. To finish the game, you must meet one of them before the end of turn 15.
The victory conditions that can appear on a Chronicle Card are:
- Gain a certain number of victory points.
- Create certain military units in a specified quantity.
- Build a Wonder of the World (cross out successive stages while building).
- Achieve peace with the enemy civilization by maximizing the relations level.
- Investigate a certain number of ruins.
- Defeat the enemy civilization.
- Reach the required level.
- Pay certain resources.
Defeat Conditions
Most Chronicle Cards have the same defeat conditions. Another way to lose is always being defeated in war.
Hunger. Whenever you must pay food (for the population, the army, or an event), and you have less than required, each missing unit moves the Hunger marker by 1 on its track. A red space means the game ends.
- Initially, there is no marker on the Hunger track; the value 1 means placing the marker on the first space.
- To move the marker 1 space back on the Hunger track, you must spend 8 food.
When the Hunger marker moves to the right, population happiness decreases by 1. It always decreases by only 1 position per turn, regardless of how far the marker moved, and the happiness drop due to hunger happens only once per turn.
Example: At the end of the turn, the player must pay 7 food: 4 for the population, 1 for the army, and 2 from an event. They only have 5, so they move the Hunger marker to the second space. Because of the Hunger marker's movement, happiness also goes down.
Bankruptcy. It works similarly to the Hunger track. Whenever you must pay gold (for the army or an event), and you have less than required, each missing unit moves the Bankruptcy marker 1 space. A red space means the game ends.
- Initially, there is no marker on the track; a value of 1 indicates that the marker is positioned on the first space.
- To move the marker back by one space on the track, you must spend 8 gold points.
If an event requires a resource you don't have, the missing amount is taken from your gold pool. The only exception is food, which if lacking is immediately marked on the Hunger track.
Rebellion. In the case of Rebellion, the marker moves 1 space each turn in which your population happiness is at level 1. It can move further due to an event or hunger.
To move the marker back by 1 space, you must use a happiness-boosting action 3 times in one turn.
Losing the War. In every Chronicle, there is a hidden defeat condition: losing a war against the enemy civilization.
More on this subject in the War section on page 28.
Rules of Troop Movement
In this section of the Chronicle Card, you'll find a summary of the rules for moving the player's units.
- Spend 1 worker to move 1 unit 1 space.
- Spend 2 workers to move up to three units 1 space.
More on this subject in the War section on page 28.
Chronicle Name
Each Chronicle has its own unique name. The Chronicle Card shown in the rulebook's component illustrations is named "Conquer or Fall."
Battle Rules Summary
More on this subject in the War section on page 28.
Special Terrains
On each Chronicle Card, they function in the same way, though they may offer different rewards.
- Ruins: You will obtain a specific reward by using 2 worker actions (while having an adjacent worker, sacrifice an additional one from the pool). This is a one-time effect and is crossed out after use.
- Special space: You will gain a specific reward if you build a settlement on this terrain (it must be connected by a road to the capital).
Enemy Treasury
The reward you receive when you conquer an enemy civilization by winning the war against it.
War Track
Here, the player's forces and those of the foreign civilization are displayed. All battles in solo mode also take place on this track.
More on this subject in the War section on page 28.
Event Track
At the very start of your turn, by choosing which side of the Action Card you use, you decide which event will be resolved at the end of the turn. These events reflect the historical events of that time period.
When choosing an event, check if it is marked with the disputed territory frame. If the current event is within such a frame, actions taken this turn on disputed territories on the map will move the relationship indicator one space toward war. All other aspects of the event are resolved at the end of the turn.
The event symbols are read as follows:
- Pay the specified cost (if you don't have the resource, you must pay with gold – this does not apply to food).
- You receive the specified reward.
- Enemy gains a new unit. Add the unit's strength to the enemy battalion in the row corresponding to the event's row. An event from track 1 corresponds to the topmost unit, and so on.
- You receive the specified reward if you meet the border requirements. Pay the specified cost, or face the consequence if you do NOT have the given level of development/invention. If you meet the condition, the described action will not occur.
- Move the relationship marker one space toward war.
- Move the population happiness marker one space to the left.
Permanent Events
There are also several events above the track that you cannot avoid, regardless of your Action Card choice. They will definitely be considered at the end of the given turn (before the event from the track).
Permanent events generally rely on actions performed on the map. They are always presented in the same format: a condition, followed by an effect.
- If 4 or more trees have been cut down, relations worsen by 1 space.
- If 2 or more deposits have been destroyed, relations worsen by 1 space.
- If 1 or more fish have been collected, you get 8 gold, but relations worsen by 1 space.
- If you search 3 ruin spaces, you will receive 9 gold, and relations will worsen by 1 position.
- If you build 3 settlements on special spaces, you gain 1 victory point.
Example: The player chose the side of the card that will trigger event number 3 at the end of the turn. At the end of the turn, they have invention 1 discovered, so they receive a reward of 2 science points. The enemy civilization recruits a new unit in its 3rd division. In one of the previous turns, the player built a farm in a contested area. Now, each time an event activates contested areas, they move the marker on the Relations Track toward war.
Relations Track
This track represents the relationship with the foreign civilization. Initially, the marker is positioned at the spot marked with the ▼ symbol, usually in the middle.
When the marker is moved as far left as it can go, it reaches the peace symbol. This provides certain benefits:
- All enemy troops return to base (their markers are removed, but they still exist).
- You may use the trading action on the Diplomacy track.
- In some scenarios, it is a victory condition.
When the marker is moved as far right as possible, it reaches the war symbol. More on this subject in the War section on page 28.
You influence the relationship track through diplomacy. When you reach Diplomacy level 2, you gain access to this action. By spending a worker and 5 gold, you move the marker on the Relations Track one space toward peace.
This is how you can stop the war. All enemy units halt in their positions.
War
A state of war can occur in two ways:
- When the marker on the Relations Track moves to the war space.
- When any of the player's divisions crosses the middle space on the War Track.
At that moment, each enemy division appears on the War Track. Place their markers on the first spaces of the track, corresponding to wherever the enemy has units. (On the card art, the enemy divisions are labeled "Division of strength 1", "Division of strength 2" and "No division".)
At War
- At the end of the turn, each enemy division moves 1 space to the left (top to bottom).
- Any action that would worsen relations, while at war, triggers another move by all enemy divisions (actions on contested areas, Chronicle Card events). If contested areas are violated, this happens immediately, but only once per turn.
Example: On the Relations Track, the marker is on the war space. This turn, the event worsens relations upon entering contested territory. The player enters such a space, and because war is in effect, instead of worsening relations, the enemy armies move again (immediately, not at the end of the turn) by 1 space. A troop movement takes place during the turn. At the end of the turn, there is also troop movement due to the war state.
Resolving the War
- When any division reaches the end with no defenders in its path, its next move results in victory in the war.
- If the enemy reaches the player's field, it means defeat and the game is over.
- If the player's division reaches the enemy's end of the track, the player receives a reward by looting the enemy's resources (see Enemy Treasury on page 25). This ends the enemy civilization's actions in this playthrough (none of its event-based activity applies anymore).
- If that is a victory condition, it means an immediate win.
Recruiting Troops
The enemy civilization can only recruit new units through Chronicle Card events.
If the current event has that symbol, it means the enemy has recruited a new unit. You record its strength in the first free slot of the division in the same row as the event.
Some Chronicle Cards give the enemy civilization starting units.
If a given division already has a full roster, additional units go to the next one in order (from 1 to 2, from 2 to 3, and from 3 back to 1).
The player can recruit units they have access to (i.e., meeting the boundary requirement). The six unit types are shown on the Development Card art with their costs and Military level boundaries.
After paying the cost, the player writes the unit's strength in any of the three divisions, on the first free space from the left. They do not cross anything out when paying.
There is no limit to the number of units recruited in one turn.
Example: The player has Military at level 4. First they spend resources to build a catapult, placing it in division 1. Then they recruit 2 infantry units for the cost shown, putting them in division 3.
Player Troop Movement
Military Movement
When the player has any divisions, they can decide to move them toward the enemy.
They have two orders available:
- Use 1 worker to move one division by 1 space (including backward).
- Use 2 workers to move all of their divisions by 1 space (including backward).
Even if your division has units, that doesn't mean it's automatically placed on the track. You must use an order action to deploy it onto the track.
The marker on the track represents the entire division, regardless of its size. There can only be one player marker and one enemy civilization marker on each track.
Reduce Divisions
Having an army is very expensive. At the end of each turn, in the cost-covering phase, you must pay a specified amount of food and gold. See the Feeding and Paying the Army section on page 9.
To avoid these costs, you can reduce the size of your divisions. You can do this at the end of the turn, after covering costs. That is, you still have to pay the unit one last time; otherwise, you can't remove it.
You remove units starting from the rightmost one in the division.
Example: The player wants to reduce their division. At the end of the turn, they still have to pay the full cost. The division is in the second threshold, so they pay 2 food and 2 gold for it. Then they remove the last unit by crossing it out, so they'll drop out of the second cost threshold in subsequent turns.
Battle
When one division enters a space where another division is located, or reaches the end of the track but defenders are present, a battle begins.
Its outcome is determined by rolling a K6 die. The attacker rolls, and we check the result for the outcome of the clash.
- A roll of 1 reduces the attacker's division strength by 1.
- A roll of 6 increases the attacker's division strength by 1.
- Other results do not change its value.
Considering that modifier, we compare the strength of both divisions. Taking this modifier into account, we compare the strength of both units. The result is applied as follows:
- Tie: Both divisions remain in place, each losing 1 unit.
- Advantage of 1 strength: Both divisions move one space toward the loser. The loser loses 1 unit.
- Advantage of 2 or 3: Both divisions move one space toward the loser. The loser loses 2 units.
- Advantage of 4 or more: Both divisions move two spaces toward the loser. The loser loses 3 units.
Units are destroyed in order, starting from the rightmost (last) one.
Each of the player's divisions can attack once per turn (support does not count as an attack).
The flag colors do not indicate Player vs. Automa here; they just represent sides of the battle.
Battle Support
If opposing units are vertically adjacent, they automatically participate in the battle that the enemy will wage against the ally. This is only possible as support – a solo vertical attack is not allowed.
Example: The strengths of units 1 and 2 are combined for the duration of the battle. Unit 3 does not participate, resulting in a total strength of 4 versus 2.
Example: This time, both sides of the conflict receive support. Unit 1 supports unit 3 and unit 4 supports unit 2, resulting in a combined battle strength of 6 versus 5.
All battle consequences apply only to the main divisions; support units simply add their strength for the battle's duration.
Unit Limits and Rosters
Each division is limited to 5 units. Units are crossed out, not erased, meaning that a lost unit closes off that slot permanently. Once a unit is complete, there is no option to change its composition.
A division's roster can grow even if it is already moving along the War Track, both for the player and for the automa (enemy).
Even if a division is not on the track, if it has units, the attacker must defeat them all to win the war.
Battle Examples
Example: The player is at war. An enemy division with strength 3 has arrived on the first track on their side. The player has no units there, so they decide to recruit one infantry unit. The player pays 2 gold and 2 ore, then places it (the new unit) in the first division. Then they spend a worker to deploy a division onto the War Track. However, they don't do this with the new division, but with the one from track 2, which they already had. They do not perform any further actions on the War Track this turn. The enemy unit makes another move at the end of the turn.
Example: In the next turn, the player uses a worker and, by bringing a new division onto the track, triggers a battle. In that battle, they have support from a division adjacent to the enemy's. This gives them an advantage of 4 to 3. They roll a K6 die. Unfortunately, they get a 1, which is –1 to their strength. The confrontation is 3 vs. 3. A tie means both divisions lose 1 unit.
Example: The player used a worker to move their division. They crossed the neutral boundary, starting a war. Due to the state of war, enemy units appear on the track. The player has a powerful division with strength 10, which they built by constructing a cannon and enhancing it with the capital's action. The player uses another worker to attack. The die roll did not change the attacker's strength. Ultimately, the battle is fought between divisions of strength 10 vs. 7. The player has an advantage of 3, meaning the enemy loses 2 units. The divisions cannot move because they are already at the boundary and the enemy still has defenders. After the battle, the division's strength is only 4. Because the state of war continues, at the end of the turn the enemy attacks the player's division. The die roll adds 1 to the attacker's strength. Finally, the player has a 10-to-5 advantage. The enemy division is completely destroyed, and the player's army enters enemy territory, which is no longer defended. The player has won the war and receives a reward in the form of war spoils from the enemy treasury.