Constantinople (2016)
Constantinople (2016) Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
- [1.0] Using These Rules
- [2.0] Introduction
- [3.0] Game Equipment
- [4.0] Setting Up The Game
- [5.0] Sequence of Play
- [6.0] The Game Turn
- [7.0] Victory & Defeat
- [8.0] Event Card Phase
- [9.0] Opponent Phase
- [10.0] Administration
- [11.0] Action Phase
- [12.0] Resolve Events Phase
- [13.0] Optional Rules
- [14.0] Historical Notes
[1.0] Using These Rules
Important Information is in red text. References to examples of a Rule or Case are in blue text. Text in shaded boxes, like this, provides the voice of the game's designer, who is addressing you to explain an idea or concept that is not, itself, a Rule or Case.
[2.0] Introduction
Constantinople is a solitaire game simulating the history of the Byzantine Empire from AD330 to AD1453. The player abstractly controls the administration and military forces of the Byzantine Empire against ten separate opponents. Random events, the actions of the opponents, and options for you, the Byzantine player, are determined by revealing Event cards. If you can keep Constantinople from destruction or collapse by the time the Draw Pile is exhausted, then victory has been achieved. Although designed for solo play, Constantinople can also be played as a team game, with one team working together as the Byzantines to determine what actions to take.
Constantinople is not a highly detailed, historically accurate simulation of the history of the Byzantine Empire, but is historically based and gives a sense of the real situation of the Byzantine Empire throughout its existence, and provides some insights into the history surrounding Constantinople and the Byzantine Empire.
[3.0] Game Equipment
The Game Map: The game map shows the area around the Byzantine Empire. It has been superimposed with spaces for the opposition nations as they encroach on Roman territory, plus boxes for various housekeeping functions.
The Administrative Board contains tracks for the six Resources used to manage the Byzantine Empire. Together, the lower three Resources (Dynasty, Economy and Religion) are referred to as Developments.
The Playing Pieces: The game pieces represent the ten opposition forces, hereafter referred to as units, and the seven markers for use on the administrative tracks. The information on units is read as follows:
Opposition Nation is the national identity of that unit. Strength is the number that you must exceed on a die roll in order to "push back" that opponent or to increase that resource. Event Cards: Thirty Event cards are also included in the game. They drive the action on the board as they are revealed, one at a time, during play.
[4.0] Setting Up The Game
The five starting opponent pieces (Armenia, Persia, Vandals, Goths and Huns) appear of in the "4" space of their corresponding tracks. The remaining opponents will arrive as the game progresses. The six resource pieces (Walls, Armies, Monuments, Dynasty, Economy and Religion) appear in their starting spaces of the corresponding Resource track on the Administrative Board. The Event Cards are sorted into three ages, each age shuffled together in the Draw Deck.
[5.0] Sequence of Play
A complete game of Constantinople consists of a number of Game Turns up to 30, the number of Event Cards in the deck.
[6.0] The Game Turn
You, the Byzantine Player, conduct each Game Turn through a series of "Phases" in the exact order listed below:
-
Event Card Phase: Reveal the top card in the Draw Pile by clicking the deck which flips over the next card. As the top card in the Action Pile, that Event card becomes the new "Current Event" that will be resolved that turn.
-
Opponent Phase: Opponent armies are moved forward one space as indicated on the card. If any opponents advance from their #1 space to Constantinople, a siege is immediately resolved (see 9.3).
-
Administration Phase: Resources are adjusted on your administration tracks in accordance with the instructions on the Event Card.
-
Action Phase: You may now perform up to the indicated number of actions in an effort to build up your resources and push back neighboring nations according to the rules of combat (see 11.0).
-
Resolve Events Phase: If instructed by the card and according to the game situation, change the Activity Status of opponents (active, inactive or pacified) in accordance with the rules on Activity Status (12.0).
At the conclusion of the Resolve Events phase, begin a new Game Turn by repeating these five steps and continue to do so until the game is won or lost (see below).
[7.0] Victory & Defeat
Losing the Game: The game ends in defeat if the last wall of Constantinople is destroyed by a besieging opponent or either a siege or an event card requires a reduction in a resource already in the #0 box.
The losing score is calculated as follows: Number of cards drawn + 2 per level of monument resource + 6 per pacified opponent
Winning the Game: The game ends in victory at the end of the turn in which the final Event Card is played.
The winning score is calculated as follows: 30 + 2 per level of monument resource + 6 per pacified opponent + the current Box # location of each opponent nation still in play + the current Box # value of the highest development resource.
| Score | Level of Defeat | Level of Victory |
|---|---|---|
| 1-10 | Crushing defeat | |
| 11-20 | Decisive Defeat | |
| 21-30 | Substantial Defeat | |
| 31-40 | Marginal Defeat | Marginal Victory |
| 41-50 | Stalemate | Marginal Victory |
| 51-60 | Stalemate | Substantial Victory |
| 61-70 | Stalemate | Decisive Victory |
| 71-100 | Stalemate | Crushing Victory |
The table is transcribed as printed in the source, including the Marginal Victory entries on both the 31-40 and 41-50 rows.
For example: Historically, the Byzantines "lost the game" with 44 points (a Stalemate), thus: The Vandals and Bulgarians were pacified (12 points). The Turks besieged and took Constantinople on Turn 30 with the Gunpowder event (30 points). Constantinople had one monument, the Hagia Sofia (2 points).
[8.0] Event Card Phase
Each card's title and flavor text are provided to help "tell the story" through events from the history of Byzantium. The Age of each Event Card indicates the present Age of the game. As soon as an Event Card is played the corresponding Age is considered to be in progress.
You should read each card as it is revealed and resolve its Opponents Advance, Administration, and Actions as explained in Rules 9.0, 10.0 and 11.0.
Any special rules are noted on the card itself and apply only during the Game Turn when it is the Current Event Card. The only exception to this rule is the Gunpowder event (#30) which persists after the turn in which it is drawn. When Gunpowder is played, place the Gunpowder token on the Walls resource track to indicate that the walls are more easily destroyed during sieges.
[9.0] Opponent Phase
The card indicates which, if any, opponent nations that will advance one space that Game Turn. Advancing armies move to the next-lower Box along their respective tracks (e.g., from Box #4 to Box #3). Retreating armies are moved to the next-higher Box, but never past their Box #4.
For example: The Armenians and Vandals are in their respective "3" boxes, while the other active opponents are in their "1" or "2" boxes. If all slowest opponents are ordered to advance, both the Armenians and Vandals would advance to their respective "2" boxes.
[9.1] Speed Limit: An opponent nation never advances more than one space in a single Game Turn.
[9.2] All Slowest: Two Event Cards in each Age state that "All Slowest" opponents advance. All the opponent armies that are higher on their tracks than the lowest army will move forward one space.
[9.3] Sieges: If one or more advancing opponents start the Game Turn in their #1 Box, they besiege Constantinople. For each opponent besieging Constantinople, you will pick one Development of your choice to lose. The besieging armies then attack the Walls of Constantinople.
Siege Procedure
A die is rolled and the result compared with the strength of the opponent. If the Gunpowder (Event Card #30) is in effect apply a -1 Die Roll Modifier ("DRM"). No other DRMs affect sieges.
If the modified die roll result is greater than (>) the strength of the opponent, the siege is over and the opponent retreats to its #1 Box.
If the modified die roll result is less than or equal to (<=) the strength of the opponent, the walls have been breached. Reduce the Wall Resource by 1, and immediately perform the siege procedure against the next wall. If the Wall Resource is reduced to #0, the game is over and ends in defeat, see section [7.0].
[10.0] Administration
Resources on the Administrative Board are raised and lowered in accordance with the instructions on the Current Event card. Where an option is given, you choose which resource to gain or lose.
If there are insufficient Resources available to lose when required, Constantinople collapses to internal revolt and the game ends in defeat (see 7.0).
Note that the maximum level of any Resource is #6. Any increase in a Resource already in the #6 Box is lost.
[11.0] Action Phase
During your Action Phase you may conduct a number of actions up to the amount shown on the Current Event Card. You need not conduct all the actions that you are allowed that Game Turn. Campaigns are conducted against opponent nations on the Game Map. Administration actions are conducted to gain resources on the Administrative Board.
Campaign Procedure
Each Campaign action is conducted separately. Click on one opponent nation to be the target of each Campaign and click on the die icon to attack. The die roll may be modified by a DRM on the Current Event card, or by spending one Army resource point before the die roll. Die rolls less than one are treated as "1," and die rolls greater than six are treated as "6."
If the modified die roll result is less than or equal to (<=) the Strength of the designated opponent, there is no effect other than the loss of one of your Actions.
If it is greater than (>) the target opponent's Strength, that opponent is retreated one space along its track (see 11.0).
[11.2] Failed Campaigns: Opponents never advance as the result of a failed Byzantine campaign. They simply remain in place. After a failed Campaign, you can use 1 Religion to launch another attack instead of an Action.
[11.3] Protracted Campaigns: A single opponent can be the target of multiple campaigns during a single Game Turn so long as you still have actions available.
Administration Procedure
Each administrative action is conducted in a similar way to Campaigns. The "strength" of the administrative resource is printed on the corresponding marker. This gives the target (greater than >) number to advance the resource by one space along its track. You may attempt the same administration action or perform different administration actions with each available action.
The Resources are used as follows:
Walls: Used to defend against sieges by opponents. Decreased by Sieges.
Armies: Army reserves spent prior to a Campaign action die roll to gain a +1 DRM to that roll.
Monuments: Used to gain points for final scoring. Note that the cost to build monuments increases with each passing age. In Age I Monuments are "strength" 2, in Age II Monuments are "strength" 3, and in Age III Monuments are "strength" 4. Note that Monuments cannot be built on turn 30.
Dynasty: Spent at any time to take a look at the following turn's Event Card. Note that this does not trigger an advance to that card's Age. Dynasty is also used to pacify opponents, see [12.1]
Economy: Spent prior to an Administration action die roll to gain a +1 DRM to that roll. (Not available in game yet.) Economy is also used to Retreat opponents using the Tribute Payment Event Card.
Religion: Spent after conducting a failed Campaign. Allows you to re-roll that Campaign die roll, retaining any DRMs from Event Cards and Armies already expended.
[11.3] Expending Multiple Resources: Note that while you are allowed to spend more than one different Resource on a single Action, you cannot spend more than one of a single Resource on a single Action.
For example: You are determined to push back the Arabs. You may spend one Army Resource point to gain +1 DRM versus the Arabs, but you may not spend two Resource points to gain +2. However, if the Campaign fails, you may spend a Religion Resource point to re-roll the Campaign die roll, retaining the +1 DRM for the army already spent.
[12.0] Resolve Events Phase
After your last Action, the game will update the Activity Status of opponents as instructed by the Current Event card and depending on the game situation. You may have opportunities to affect the opponent armies during this Phase.
[12.1] Pacification: The Special Rule on some Event Cards can cause an opponent nation to be "Pacified." Specifically, if that opponent army is in its #4 Box during the Resolve Events Phase, you are entitled to spend an amount of development points (Dynasty or Religion) specified on the Event Card equal to the strength of that opponent in order to Pacify them.
The opponent unit is removed and placed in the "Pacified Opponents" box. Any future advances by that army are simply ignored.
For example: The Current Event card is Conversion. The Religion Resource is on the 5 Box. Since the Persians are in the 3 Box you use your final Action to launch a Campaign to Retreat them to the 4 Box. You roll a "3" and the Campaign fails. Looking at the Game Map you see that only the Vandals and Goths are in the 4 space. You decide to Pacify the Goths, reducing the Religion Resource by 3, the Strength of the Goths, and place the Goths unit in the "Pacified Opponents" box.
[12.2] Inactive Opponents: At the start of the game there are five inactive opponents. During Age II and III these opponents can be activated by the Special Rule on Event Cards. When one of these Event Cards is drawn, the new opponent appears in its correct starting Box. In Age II opponents start in the #3 Box, in Age III opponents start in the #2 Box. If an Event Card specifies an Inactive Opponent to advance, that advance is ignored.
[12.3] Tribute Payment: The Special Rule on the Tribute Payment event allows you to reduce your Economy Resource by one point in exchange for Retreating one opponent by one space. Note that you may not retreat an opponent any further than the #4 Box. Note that there is one pacification by Religion, one pacification by Dynasty and one tribute payment Event Card per Age.
[13.0] Optional Rules
The Table of Contents lists section [13.0] Optional Rules, but no body text for it appears in the source document. None is transcribed here.
[14.0] Historical Notes
In AD330 Emperor Constantine moved the Roman capital from Rome to Byzantium, thereafter known as Constantinople. He instigated a massive building and redevelopment project in the city, officially transferring the Roman capital six years later. After Constantine, successive emperors developed the city further, building walls and monumental structures while trying to retain the glory that was once the Roman Empire. Barbarians assailed the Empire from all sides, with the Western Empire finally succumbing to the Goths and Vandals. The Eastern Roman Empire (known to history as the Byzantine Empire) held the barbarians at bay, with protracted war against the Persians and shorter conflicts with the Huns, Bulgarians and Armenians.
In the late 7th Century the Muslims burst out of Arabia, seizing former Roman provinces in Egypt, Africa and Syria, eventually besieging Constantinople itself, but unable to penetrate the capital's mighty walls. For the next three centuries Constantinople remained the Eastern-most shore of Christendom against the crashing tide of successive waves of Islamic assaults.
Unable to reconcile the Eastern Orthodox church with the Catholic papacy in Rome, the Byzantines sent a call to on the West to recover Jerusalem for Christendom, prompting the Crusades. The Kingdoms of Western Europe sent their most rapacious knights and noblemen to fight the Saracens, briefly recovering the Holy Land and founding the Crusader states, but eventually sinking, during the shameful fourth Crusade, to sacking and plundering Constantinople itself.
Byzantine strength never recovered and the next two centuries were a woeful tale of retreat and tribute payment to one assailant after another. Clever emperors played foe against foe, forging an alliance here, pointing out a richer target there, but eventually the so-called Empire's treasury was depleted, as was its luck. An 80,000 strong Ottoman Turk army, wielding the latest in siegecraft technology, the cannon, besieged and captured Constantinople.
Standing for more than a millennium, if Constantinople, the greatest city in Christendom, had not withstood the many opponents who challenged her through the ages, Europe would likely have been overrun by Muslims, and the course of world history, for better or worse would have been altered beyond all recognition.