Condottiere
Condottiere Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
- 118 Cards
- 30 Control Markers (6 colors, 5 of each)
- 1 Game Board
- 1 Battle Marker
- 1 Favor Marker
Setup
- Place the board in the center of the table.
- Return all 8 cards marked with the classic version icon (fruit) to the box. Shuffle the remaining cards and deal 10 facedown to each player. Place the deck facedown near the board.
- Each player chooses a color and takes the six control markers of that color.
- The youngest player takes the battle marker. He or she initiates the first battle and takes the first turn of the game.
Playing the Game
In Condottiere, players compete in numerous battles over the different regions of the board. In each battle, players fight over a contested region, taking turns playing cards to increase their strength and trigger special effects.
At the end of each battle, the player who has the highest strength based on the cards he or she played wins the battle and gains control of the contested region. The game ends when a single player controls either three adjacent regions or a total of five regions anywhere on the board.
Redrawing After Battle
You might play several cards in a given battle, but you do not automatically draw new cards after the battle ends. Instead, after all players are out of cards, the deck and all player hands are reset.
This can happen after a single battle or several; carefully managing cards and keeping aware of how your opponents are managing their own cards is critical to claiming victory.
Battle
To initiate a battle, the player with the battle marker chooses an empty region (a region with no markers on it) and places the battle marker in that region. This marks the region as contested, and the winner of the battle will gain control of it.
Player Turn
Player turns are taken in clockwise order starting with the player who initiated the battle. When you take your turn, you can choose to either play a card or pass.
Play a Card
Playing a card allows you to increase your strength, hinder opponents, or trigger other effects. There are two types of cards: mercenary and special cards.
Mercenary cards form the backbone of your army and are marked by a shield icon and value (top left). Each mercenary you play contributes its value to your strength. If you have the highest strength among all players at the end of the battle, you win the battle and gain control of the contested region.
Special cards affect the battle in powerful ways, such as forcing an early end to the battle or multiplying a player's strength. Each special card is marked with a unique icon (top left) and a scroll (bottom) that indicates the card's effect. For each card's full effect, see "Special Cards" below.
When you play a card, place it in your row (faceup in front of you). If you played a special card, resolve its effects.
All cards in your row remain visible to all players until the battle ends.
Pass
If you do not wish to play a card, or if you are out of cards, you pass. For the rest of this battle, you cannot play any more cards, and your turn is skipped.
Any cards you already played during the battle stay in your row, and their values and effects still apply; regardless of when you pass, you can still have the highest strength at the end of the battle.
If all players except you have passed, you can take as many consecutive turns as you wish, playing cards until you also pass.
Strength and Mercenaries
After you play a card, add up your current strength (the total value of the mercenaries in your row plus any modifications from special cards) and say it aloud to the other players. This keeps everyone aware of the state of the battle.
The deck contains 58 mercenaries: 10 of the 1-value mercenaries, and 8 each of the 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 10-value mercenaries.
End of Battle
After all players have passed, the battle ends.
Determine Winner
Players compare the strength of their armies, and the player with the highest strength wins the battle. The winner gains control of the contested region, placing one of his or her control markers in it. The winner also takes the battle marker (and will initiate the next battle).
If there is a tie for highest strength, no one wins the battle, and a control marker is not placed. Randomly decide among the tied players who takes the battle marker.
Note that the Spy special card can change who takes the battle marker (see "Special Cards" below).
Cleanup and Reset
After the winner is determined, discard all cards in player rows faceup to the discard pile. Also, if a Winter or Spring special card is on the board, discard it.
Then, follow all of these steps in order:
- If you have no mercenaries in your hand, you can choose to discard your remaining hand of cards. Players each make this choice in clockwise order starting with the player who has the battle marker.
- If you are the only player with cards in hand, you must discard your hand even if you still have mercenaries.
- If all players have no cards in hand, reset the deck and player hands. Shuffle the discard pile into the deck, then deal each player 10 cards plus one bonus card for each region he or she controls.
Hand Management
Always carefully consider how much you wish to commit to each battle, including when you want to discard your hand.
- If you play too much in the first battle or two, you might have minimal influence in future battles until the deck is reset.
- If you conserve your hand across too many battles, you might be the last player with cards: forced to discard everything you have saved.
- If you do not discard your hand after a battle (or are unable to do so because you still have mercenaries) you might give an opponent who still has numerous cards a significant advantage in the next battle.
Initiate the Next Battle
After resolving all "End of Battle" steps, the player with the battle marker initiates the next battle.
Winning the Game
If you control three adjacent regions or a total of five regions anywhere on the board, the game ends, and you win!
In the rare case that a battle cannot be initiated because there are no empty regions, the game ends, and the player who controls the most regions wins. If there is a tie, the tied players share victory.
Special Cards
Each special card has a unique effect that can change the state of the battle. These effects are summarized by a group of icons on the bottom of each card. Each card (and its quantity in the deck) are explained in greater detail in the following section.
Bishop (6)
When you play a Bishop, check which mercenary has the highest value among all player rows. Discard all copies of that card from all player rows.
Then, take the favor marker (from the board if necessary). Choose and place it in an empty region on the board; it remains on the board (even across multiple battles) until another Bishop is played. Battles cannot be initiated in the favor marker's region.
Scarecrow (16)
When you play a Scarecrow, take one of the mercenaries from your row back into your hand (if possible). The scarecrow cannot be used to take back special cards.
Turncoat (3)
When you play a Turncoat, the battle immediately ends. The rules for who wins, who takes the battle marker, etc., are all resolved as normal.
Winter (3) & Spring (3)
The seasons of Winter and Spring alter the mercenaries' effectiveness for all players, but only one season can be in play at a time.
When you play Winter or Spring, place the card on the season space of the board. If there is already a card in that space, discard it and replace it with the new card. After a battle ends, if Winter or Spring is on the board, discard it.
Winter: While Winter is in play, the value of each mercenary in all player rows is "1."
Spring: While Spring is in play, check which mercenary has the highest value among all player rows. Add "3" to the value of all copies of that card in all player rows. Note that the mercenary affected by Spring can change during the battle.
Winter and Spring affect only mercenaries and not any special cards (not even those that increase overall strength, such as the Heroine and the Spy).
Drummer (6)
While you have a Drummer in your row, double the value of each mercenary in your row. You can play additional Drummers, but they have no effect.
Spy (12)
For each Spy in your row, add 1 to your strength.
Also, after each battle, the player with the most Spies takes the battle marker instead of the player who won the battle. If players are tied for most Spies, the battle marker is taken as normal.
Heroine (3)
For each Heroine in your row, add 10 to your strength.
Strength and Special Cards
Special cards whose effects relate to mercenary values are resolved in this order:
- Bishop
- Winter
- Drummer
- Spring
- Spy and Heroine
This means that the Bishop affects mercenaries at their normal values (before calculating Winter, Spring, or the Drummer).
The Drummer doubles values after Winter (each mercenary is effectively worth 2 instead of 1), but before Spring (the increase of 3 is not doubled).
The Heroine and Spy are not mercenaries, so their values are not affected by the Bishop, Winter, the Drummer, or Spring, but their added strength is applied last to avoid any confusion.
Classic Version
Included in this edition of Condottiere are the components and rules to play the original version of the game.
Setup Changes
Before shuffling the deck, modify it as follows:
Remove all 22 cards marked with the new version icon (flower) from the deck: all Spring cards, Bishops (new version), and Spies, and one Scarecrow.
Include all 8 cards marked with the classic version icon (fruit): five additional 1-value mercenaries and three Bishops (classic version).
Bishop (3) — Classic Version
When you play a Bishop (classic version), the battle ends immediately with no winner. Randomly decide who takes the battle marker, then resolve the remaining "End of Battle" steps as normal.
2-Player Game
When playing Condottiere with two players, each player uses an identical deck, fighting several battles head to head to determine who can achieve supremacy.
Setup Changes
Create two identical decks using only the cards marked with 2-player game icons. Each deck contains 14 mercenaries (2 of each, values 1–6 and 10), 3 Scarecrows, and 1 each of the Bishop (new version), Drummer, Heroine, Turncoat, Winter, and Spring.
Each player takes one of the decks (23 cards), shuffles it, and draws eight cards. Gather five control markers of any color. Randomly determine which player takes the battle marker.
Return the board, the favor marker, and all unused cards and control markers to the box. They are not used in the 2-player game.
Rule Changes
There are a few rule changes:
- When a battle ends, the winner takes a control marker. Then, players return all played cards to the box (players cannot look at them) and draw back up to eight cards (if possible).
- The first player to win three battles (have three control markers) wins the game.
- If you are completely out of cards (both your deck and hand are empty), your deck is not reset; you are forced to pass in the remaining battles.
- If both players are out of cards after a battle ends and neither player has won three battles, whoever has won more battles wins the game. If you are tied, the game is a draw.
- The favor marker is not used. Ignore the related effect of the Bishop (new version).
- If Winter or Spring is played, place it in the middle of the play area instead of on the board. Resolve its effects as normal.
Special Card Quick Reference
Bishop (New) — Discard all copies of the highest-value mercenary in play. Place the favor marker in an empty region.
Bishop (Classic) — The battle ends with no winner. Randomly decide who takes the battle marker.
Scarecrow — Take 1 mercenary from your row back to your hand.
Turncoat — The battle ends immediately with the winner determined as normal.
Winter — The value of each mercenary in play is "1." This card replaces the current season.
Spring — Add "3" to all copies of the highest value mercenary in play. This card replaces the current season.
Drummer — Double the value of each mercenary in your row.
Spy — Add 1 to your strength. At the end of the battle, the player with the most Spies takes the battle marker.
Heroine — Add 10 to your strength.
Credits
Game Design: Dominique Ehrhard 2-Player Game Design: Justin Kemppainen Producer: Justin Kemppainen Editing: Andrea Dell'Agnese & Julia Faeta Graphic Design: Samuel R. Shimota Cover and Card Art: Tomasz Jedruszek Board Art: Samuel R. Shimota Art Direction: Bree Lindsoe with Samuel R. Shimota Publisher: Steven Kimball Playtesters: Beth Erikson, Dan Gerlach, Monica Helland, Kate Kemppainen, Alexandar Ortloff, Jasmine Radue, Michael Silsby