Davos Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
  • Base game
  • Extra components
• Base phases
• The world
• Setup
  • Setup part 1
  • Setup part 2
• Turns
  • 1 NEW CORP
  • 2 PLACED CORP
  • 3 PARTY
  • 4 GOAL
  • Passing
• Bills
  • Effects
  • Profit
  • Loss
  • Bankruptcy
  • Bill examples
• Politics
  • 1 ASSETS
  • 2 Party voting
  • 3 Factions
  • 4 Bill order
  • 5 The deal
• Goals
  • 1 Requirements
  • 2 Goal phase
  • 3 Count
  • Goal examples
• Phases (base game)
  • Reset
  • Final
• Count
• Modules
• Mean game
  • Mean game setup
  • Mean game rules changes
• Big game
  • Big game setup
  • Big phases
  • Big game examples
• Control cards
  • Sector
  • Bloc
  • Parties
• Teams mode
  • Teams setup
  • Special rules
• Dissidents mode
  • Dissidents setup
  • Dissidents special rules
  • Dissidents count
• Phases (all modes)

Components

Base game

• 1 board (dual-sided)
• 12 CORP (corporation) cards
• 250 ASSETS (the white ASSETS are the DISSIDENT assets)
• 12 BILL cards
• 5 MEMBER cards
• 3 token trays
• 24 GOAL cards
• 8 PLAYER AID cards
• 1 START PLAYER card

Extra components

For the additional modules there are special cards (see the second compartment) and extra tokens:

• 50 VICTORY TOKENS
• 15 CONTROL cards
• +5 MEMBER cards
• +9 CORP cards
• +19 BILL cards
• +12 GOAL cards

Base phases

• SETUP (pages 6-9): Establish the world's state.
• TURNS (pages 10-11): Play in turns and place your ASSETS.
• BILLS & POLITICS (pages 12-15): Negotiate, vote, and process BILLS.
• GOALS (pages 16-17): Check who reached their GOALS.
• RESET (page 18): Update the world's state.
• FINAL (page 18): Spend remaining ASSETS.
• COUNT (page 19): Count scores.

The world

• BLOCS: The world is divided into 4 BLOCS. These are the vertical columns. We have: AMERICA, EUROPE, GLOBAL SOUTH and CHINA.

• Each BLOC has:

  • CORP positions
  • a PARLIAMENT
  • a BILL position

• CORPS: Make PROFIT through CORPS. There are 3 per SECTOR. In the base game we have:

  • BIG BANKING
  • BIG ENERGY
  • BIG PHARMA
  • BIG TECH

  Each CORP also has a unique brand and image, but within a SECTOR their effects are identical.

• PARLIAMENTS: Our CORPS, of course, need favorable legislation. The PARLIAMENTS consist of a number of PARTIES: 2 in AMERICA, 3 in EUROPE and the GLOBAL SOUTH, and 1 in CHINA. Each PARTY has a L (left), C (center), or R (right) IDEOLOGY.

• BILLS: If passed by PARLIAMENT, BILLS create PROFITS or LOSSES for CORPS in the specified SECTORS and BLOCS.

• ASSETS: We play individually, taking turns as we invest our ASSETS strategically in CORPS and PARTIES. We compete with each other and against the DISSIDENT ASSETS. These non-player characters are annoying in our way!

Setup

Setup part 1

1. Place board. For the base game, turn the "BASE" side face up (see top left of the board).
2. Exclude cards. For the base game, do not use any cards listed under EXTRA COMPONENTS on page 3. These cards have triangles at the bottom on their backs.
3. Place decks. Shuffle and place the following cards on their designated spots on the board:
   • 3a. CORPS
   • 3b. BILLS
   • 3c. GOALS
4. Provide players.
   • 4a. Each player gets a PLAYER AID card. One side shows the Turns overview. The other side explains the GOAL icons.
   • 4b. Each player gets a GOAL card. Keep it secret from the others. (Option: keep it open in year 1 to learn the game).
   • 4c. Each player chooses a MEMBER card. Place the QR code side face up (in base game). It represents your color ([red], [gold], [blue], [black]). Only pick [white] with 5 players.
   • 4d. Place the token trays. Place the trays next to the board, between the players with the corresponding colors — but not too close, to prevent (accidental) stealing. Also place the tray with the [white] ASSETS (the DISSIDENTS) on the table (including with 2-4 players).
   • 4e. Each player gets 5 ASSETS in their color. The amount of ASSETS a player has is public. Place them in front of you.
5. Start player. Throw the card spinning. Whoever it points to is the start player and gets the card for the first year.

Setup part 2

We're not done yet, now it's time to establish the world's state.

6. Bills.

   • 6a. Draw a BILL and place it face up in AMERICA (follow the spotlight).
   • 6b. Repeat this step for the other 3 BLOCS.

   BILLS have an L/C/R IDEOLOGY. This determines where CORPS and DISSIDENTS go (steps 7 & 8).

7. Corps.

   • 7a. Draw a CORP and place it face up in AMERICA's L/C/R position matching the BLOC's BILL L/C/R IDEOLOGY. See the example: AMERICA has an R BILL, so a CORP is placed in the R position.
   • 7b. Repeat step 7a for the other 3 BLOCS.
   • 7c. Then place a card face up to form the CORPS discard pile.
   • 7d. And turn the top card of the CORPS deck face up too.

   The CORP L/C/R positions determine where CORPS are placed in the setup and where DISSIDENTS are placed in setup and resets, but have no further effect.

8. Dissidents (for 4 players or less, or TEAMS mode). Place 1 of the DISSIDENT ASSETS in the PARTY and CORP, matching the BILL's L/C/R IDEOLOGY in all BLOCS. See examples (follow the spotlights). Skip if there is no PARTY or CORP (in RESET) with that IDEOLOGY.

   • Example: The GLOBAL SOUTH has an R BILL, so a DISSIDENT is placed in the R PARTY and another is placed in the R CORP.
   • Example: CHINA has an L BILL, but there is no L PARTY, so nothing is placed there. However, a DISSIDENT is placed in the L CORP.

9. Goals.

Good, we're ready! Now, onto the TURNS phase: the core of the game where we perform our actions.

Turns

It's time to position our ASSETS!

In the TURNS phase, we begin with the START PLAYER and take turns clockwise in rounds.

On your turn, add any number of ASSETS to 1 of the following:

1. NEW CORP
2. PLACED CORP
3. PARTY

OR buy or swap a:

4. GOAL

This continues until players must or choose to pass.

See all TURN options on your PLAYER AID.

1 NEW CORP

Choose 1 of 3 options:

• 1a. Pick the open card on top of the deck:
  • place it in any open position
  • add 1 or more ASSETS to it
  • turn a new card face up
• 1b. Or pick the top card from the discard pile:
  • place it in any open position
  • add 1 or more ASSETS to it
• 1c. Or pick 1 of 2 closed cards:
  • move the open card on the deck to the discard pile
  • draw the 2 top closed cards
  • choose 1 and place it in any open position
  • add 1 or more ASSETS to it
  • place the other card face up on top of the deck

When the deck runs out, shuffle the discard pile and place the cards again as in the SETUP.

2 PLACED CORP

Add 1 or more ASSETS to a placed CORP. Even if you or anyone else already has ASSETS there.

3 PARTY

Add 1 or more ASSETS to a PARTY. Even if you or anyone else already has ASSETS there.

4 GOAL

Buy or swap a GOAL:

• 4a. Pay 2 ASSETS to the bank (your token tray).
• 4b. Next, choose a card via the same method as for a new CORP in STEP 1 and place the card of your choice face down in front of you.
• 4c. Next, optionally discard one of your current GOALS (not the new one) onto the GOAL discard pile (face up). Note that others can now buy it.

Passing

• Pass voluntarily or if you don't have ASSETS at the start of your turn.
• Passing is a separate turn. You cannot take a turn and pass immediately afterward.
• Once you pass, you can't come back during the current TURNS phase.
• First player to pass becomes the START PLAYER and immediately receives the START PLAYER card and 1 ASSET.
• Once all but one player have passed, the remaining player takes one final normal turn. After that, they may continue, but must pay 1 ASSET to the bank for each turn.

Now we know what you can do in a turn, but not quite why. The BILLS are key to our strategy. Let's see their impact next!

Bills

Our stakes in CORPS can generate us PROFITS, but we can also lose it all... Without good legislation we are nowhere! It all comes down to the BILLS.

Assess the BILLS before placing ASSETS in CORPS.

See PAGE 14 to learn how to strategically position ASSETS in PARTIES and sway BILL votes. First, we'll learn to read the BILLS and see their effects.

See examples below and on the next page. You can scan any BILL's QR code for examples and more.

Effects

A BILL has an effect on:

1. CORPS. The center of the card shows what it affects:

   • All types of CORPS.
   • Or all CORPS within a specific SECTOR.

   In the BASE GAME, we have:

   • BIG BANKING
   • BIG ENERGY
   • BIG PHARMA
   • BIG TECH

2. PER BLOC. The BILL's effect on CORPS (in that SECTOR) depends on its location. There's an effect:

   • within the BILL's BLOC, and
   • within other BLOCS.

3. PER STAKE. Inside a CORP, PROFITS and LOSSES are shared between the BIGGEST player and the STAKEHOLDERS:

   • The BIGGEST is the one player with more ASSETS than any other single player in the CORP (including the DISSIDENT). If there is only one player there, they are the BIGGEST.
   • STAKEHOLDERS are the (other) players invested in the CORP. If there is no single BIGGEST (for example, a tie between several players) everyone is a STAKEHOLDER.

Profit

Most BILLS generate PROFIT. The orange ASSET icons show how much the BIGGEST player and each STAKEHOLDER earns when the BILL passes.

We should be rewarded swiftly and PROFITS are paid directly to our personal reserves (not the CORP).

DISSIDENT PROFITS can be ignored.

Loss

Gray ASSETS indicate LOSSES. These, of course, aren't our fault, and we would never pay them personally. Instead, remove LOSSES directly from the CORP.

Even if the LOSS is larger than what the CORP can cover, players never pay from their personal reserves.

Bankruptcy

If all ASSETS are removed from a CORP after a LOSS, it goes BANKRUPT and is placed face up on the CORP discard pile.

A CORP can have 0 ASSETS only if it is placed during SETUP of a NORMAL 5-player game or in DISSIDENT mode.

Bill examples

• Drill Down Deeper (EACH big energy CORP):
  • In AMERICA: the BIGGEST of each BIG ENERGY CORP gets 3 ASSETS. STAKEHOLDERS each get 1 ASSET.
  • In OTHER BLOCS: the BIGGEST of each BIG ENERGY CORP gets 2 ASSETS.
  • The PROFITS are divided as follows per CORP:
    • (A) In Smell, blue gets 3 and gold gets 1 ASSET.
    • (B) In EXXHAUST, there is no BIGGEST, as gold and red have the same number of ASSETS, so they both are STAKEHOLDERS and each get 1 ASSET.
    • (C) Abroad, in GreenWhoosh, gold gets 2 ASSETS (and blue and the DISSIDENT get nothing).
• Stimulate Strength & Sportiness (EACH big pharma CORP):
  • In the GLOBAL SOUTH: the BIGGEST of each BIG PHARMA CORP loses 3 ASSETS. STAKEHOLDERS each lose 1 ASSET.
  • In OTHER BLOCS: the BIGGEST of each BIG PHARMA CORP loses 1 ASSET.
  • The LOSS is divided as follows per CORP:
    • (D) In O'BAY, blue loses up to 3 ASSETS. In this case 2, because that's all he has, gold loses 1. So, all ASSETS are drained and the CORP goes BANKRUPT.
    • (E) Abroad, in SWALLOW, INC (AMERICA) and in Pill & Bill (CHINA), blue loses 1 ASSET.
• Moderate the Market (EACH CORP):
  • In CHINA: the BIGGEST of each CORP gets 0. STAKEHOLDERS each get 1 ASSET.
  • There is no effect in other BLOCS.

Politics

To take effect, BILLS must first be voted into law in their respective parliaments. During the BILLS & POLITICS phase, we vote, process, and then dismiss the BILLS in the following order: America, Europe, the Global South, China.

1 ASSETS

PARTIES are populated by two kinds of ASSETS, who vote in different ways:

• DISSIDENT ASSETS don't fall in line and don't listen to reason! Instead, they vote stubbornly along their ideological lines. This can be good or bad. See the example below.
• OUR ASSETS are great! No matter which PARTY they are in, they always vote exactly how we want them to, as illustrated below.

Example 1a: In an L PARTY, DISSIDENTS vote:

• in favor of any L BILL
• but against all other BILLS

The same logic applies to other IDEOLOGIES.

Example 1b: The blue ASSET in the R PARTY votes whatever blue wants, on any kind of BILL.

2 Party voting

Votes are cast per PARTY. The number of votes is not equal to the number of ASSETS. Instead:

• The largest PARTY has 1.5 votes. This is the PARTY with the most ASSETS in total. The half vote serves as a tiebreaker.
• Other PARTIES with 1 or more ASSETS have 1 vote each.
• Empty PARTIES do not vote.
• If a vote results in a draw or if no vote occurs, the BILL does not pass.

Example 2: See this PARLIAMENT, with initially only a DISSIDENT in the L PARTY. It will vote in favor of this L BILL. The other PARTIES are initially still empty and don't vote, so the BILL would pass.

• 2a. Now gold infiltrates the C PARTY with 1 ASSET. She can now block the BILL by forcing a 1 vs 1 voting draw with the L PARTY.
• 2b. Then blue infiltrates the R PARTY to push the BILL through. Together with the DISSIDENT in the L PARTY, they have a 2 vs 1 vote against gold in the C PARTY.
• 2c. Even if gold adds more ASSETS to the C PARTY to get an overall ASSET majority, she still loses with 1.5 vs 2 votes against the L-R alliance.
• 2d. However, she could decide to join another PARTY instead, as explained in STEP 3.

3 Factions

Politics aren't just played between PARTIES, but also within them:

• If 1 player is the BIGGEST (more ASSETS than any other) in a PARTY, they decide the vote.
• If the DISSIDENTS are the BIGGEST, the PARTY votes along ideological lines.
• If there is no single BIGGEST, everyone (including the DISSIDENT) must unanimously agree. If they don't, the PARTY doesn't vote.

Example 3a/3b: The image below continues the previous example. To win the vote, gold joins the L PARTY. The DISSIDENT already in the L PARTY is still in favor of the BILL. As there is no PARTY consensus now, it doesn't vote. So only the C and R PARTIES still vote. With C being largest, it wins 1.5 vs 1.

To overrule this, blue now takes over the L PARTY with 2 ASSETS. As the largest player of the now largest party, he decides what they vote. Together with the R PARTY he can now outvote gold in the C PARTY 2.5 vs 1.

4 Bill order

As indicated, we vote from left to right: AMERICA first, EUROPE second, then the GLOBAL SOUTH, and CHINA last!

The order can affect your PROFIT.

Example:

• 4a. If the PROGRESS PRIVACY PRIVILEGES BILL passes, the BIGGEST in each CORP in that BLOC loses up to 3 ASSETS.
• 4b. Therefore, GIGABRO and zombAI would go BANKRUPT.
• 4c. So, the DASH TO DIGITIZE BILL that comes later won't have any effect on those CORPS, as they are already discarded.

5 The deal

Luckily, we can negotiate! All players can bring up and negotiate offers at any point during the game.

Payouts from CORPS can be made in other colors than yourself to allow for good deals. See the example below.

Example: As we saw before, gold will lose the vote to blue, so she decides to bribe him into voting against the PROGRESS PRIVACY PRIVILEGES BILL. In this example, gold and blue strike a deal: if blue votes against the BILL, gold shares the PROFIT: 2 of her 4 PROFIT from the DASH TO DIGITIZE BILL go to blue, as illustrated below.

You've mastered the tools. Now discover their purpose. Time to look at our GOALS!

Goals

Making the world a better place essentially comes down to taking over specific CORPS and PARTIES...

Check your GOAL. The icons in the middle of the cards describe how you accomplish them. The icons on the GOAL card specify where you need to be the BIGGEST. Let's go over them one by one.

1 Requirements

For every GOAL you need to be the BIGGEST player in the specified place. Being the BIGGEST means having more ASSETS than any other individual player there, including the DISSIDENT.

Find all the GOAL requirement icons on your PLAYER AID.

• A. CORP IN SECTOR: Be the BIGGEST in 1 CORP in the specified SECTOR in any BLOC.

  OR, based on the BLOC shown by the BLOC icons (AMERICA, EUROPE, GLOBAL SOUTH, CHINA):

• B. CORP of any type: Be the BIGGEST in 1 CORP inside the specified BLOC.

• C. CORPS combined: Be the BIGGEST in the CORPS combined inside the specified BLOC. You don't need to be BIGGEST in any specific CORP, only in the overall CORP ASSET count.

• D. PARTY: Be the BIGGEST in 1 PARTY inside the specified BLOC.

• E. PARTIES combined: Be the BIGGEST in the PARTIES combined inside the specified BLOC. You don't need to be the BIGGEST in any specific PARTY, only in the overall PARTY ASSET count.

You can scan any GOAL's QR code for examples and more.

2 Goal phase

At the end of each YEAR we check our GOALS. If you have reached one or more, you can reveal them one by one for the others to check. Turn and keep them face up until the final COUNT.

Completing 1 GOAL reduces your yearly income by 1 ASSET (see page 18, RESET). You can choose to keep a reached GOAL face down, but be aware that in a later YEAR you might not meet the requirement anymore.

Keep unachieved GOALS face down. You still have the remaining YEARS to complete them.

Do not check your GOALS after the TURNS phase in YEAR 3. Instead, we'll play a FINAL TURNS phase after the BILLS, to spend all remaining ASSETS (page 18, FINAL).

3 Count

In the final COUNT we check who earned the most VICTORY POINTS:

• +1 for every reached GOAL.
• +1 for every unique CATEGORY. See the bottom of the cards.
• -1 for every failed GOAL.

See PAGE 19 for an example.

Goal examples

• A. Save Humanity: BLUE achieves this GOAL by being the BIGGEST in 1 BIG PHARMA CORP and 1 BIG ENERGY CORP.
• B. Own the East: BLUE achieves this GOAL by being the BIGGEST in 1 CORP in the GLOBAL SOUTH and 1 CORP in CHINA.
• C. Own China: RED achieves this GOAL by being the BIGGEST in CORPS in CHINA combined.
• D. Dominate the West: RED achieves this GOAL by being the BIGGEST in 1 PARTY in AMERICA and 1 PARTY in EUROPE.
• E. Dominate the South: GOLD achieves this GOAL by being the BIGGEST in PARTIES in the GLOBAL SOUTH combined.

With these GOALS in mind, let's recap all phases next and have a look at our yearly RESET, before we finish with the COUNT.

Phases (base game)

We play out 3 YEARS with these phases. Note the RESET phase which we haven't discussed yet.

• SETUP (page 6-9)
• TURNS (page 10-11): Starting with the START PLAYER, we play in TURNS until passing. First one to pass gets the START PLAYER card and 1 ASSET. Once all but one player have passed, the remaining player takes one final normal turn. After that, they may continue, but must pay 1 ASSET to the bank for each turn.
• BILLS & POLITICS (page 12-15): Negotiate, vote, and settle PROFITS & LOSSES [1].
• YEAR 1 & 2 continues to GOALS (page 16-17): Then we check who already reached their GOALS. Keep reached GOALS face up in front of you until the final COUNT, and keep unfinished ones face down.
• RESET (page 18)
• YEAR 3 continues to FINAL (page 18).
• COUNT (page 19)

Reset

Each year, the RESET phase:

• Place 4 new BILLS.
• Place new DISSIDENT ASSETS [2].
• All players get 1 new GOAL.
• Players get ASSETS depending on how many GOALS they have reached:
  • ASSETS = 5 - total reached [1] [3]
  • For example, at the end of YEAR 2, if you reached one GOAL in YEAR 1 and another in YEAR 2, you get 3 ASSETS.

Final

Leverage all means! In the FINAL TURNS phase (using the same turns rules), we spend our last ASSETS in rounds on anything we want, before doing the final GOAL COUNT (see next page).

Footnotes from the page 18 flowchart:

• [1] Each color has 50 ASSETS. When running out, you can still add them to your personal reserve, but you need to release them from CORPS or PARTIES of choice. You can release and pick them right after the BILL has been voted on and stakes were determined.
• [2] Except in NORMAL 5-player or DISSIDENT modes.
• [3] The amount can't be negative. If you reach 5 or more GOALS, you gain no ASSETS, but don't have to pay either.

Count

After the FINAL in YEAR 3 it's time to COUNT!

• +1 for every reached GOAL.

• +1 for every unique CATEGORY.

  Because overlapping GOALS are easier to score, they are categorized. You get 1 additional VICTORY POINT for every unique CATEGORY you score. So if you have two of the same, the CATEGORY only counts as one.

• -1 for every failed GOAL.

= VICTORY POINTS

Example: Say, you reached 3 GOALS, but failed 1:

• +3 reached GOALS
• +3 unique CATEGORIES
• -1 failed GOAL
• = 5 VICTORY POINTS

Ties:

• If it's a draw, the player with the most ASSETS on the board wins the game.
• Still tied? Each contestant draws a GOAL card and reveals it simultaneously. Continue until someone wins.

You're more than ready to learn about the extensions. Read on, my friend!

Modules

Play the BASE, MEAN, or BIG game in NORMAL, TEAM, or DISSIDENT mode:

Game	Page	Mode	Page	Players	Time
BASE GAME	6	NORMAL	6	2-5	40-90 min
MEAN GAME	20	TEAMS	25	4, 6, 8	60-120 min
BIG GAME	21	DISSIDENTS	26	3-8	60-120 min

Mean game

Let's turn it up a notch! MEAN GAME follows the same rules as the BASE game but adds new components and a different board, which introduces a few differences in gameplay.

Mean game setup

1. Place board. Use the "BIG" side (see top left corner of the board).
2. Select cards. In the MEAN GAME, use all CORP, BILL, and GOAL cards: mix in all cards that show a triangle at the bottom of their backs. Shuffle them in thoroughly: +9 CORPS, +19 BILLS, +12 GOALS.

Mean sectors. The following SECTORS are added:

• BIG ARMS
• BIG FOOD
• BIG MEDIA

Mean game rules changes

• Goal deck. On the BIG side of the board, there's only 1 GOAL deck, so just 1 GOAL is placed face up. There is no discard pile to pick a card from, and discarded GOALS go to the bottom of the deck. For the rest the picking rules are as normal.
• C positions. On the BIG side of the board, each BLOC has 2 C CORP positions. So, during SETUP, if a C BILL is placed in a BLOC, place CORPS and DISSIDENTS in both positions. Do the same for DISSIDENTS during RESET.
• Control is only part of the BIG GAME. For MEAN GAME, ignore these positions.
• Some BILLS have an effect whether PASSED or REJECTED. Their effect applies in all BLOCS.
• A BILL that doesn't have an L/C/R IDEOLOGY: during the SETUP phase, no CORP or DISSIDENTS will be placed in this BLOC.
• DISSIDENTS always vote against this BILL.

Big game

Finally... Welcome to the BIG GAME!

Big game setup

1. Setup. Prepare like you would in the MEAN GAME, with these additions:
   • A. Member cards. Turn START PLAYER and MEMBER cards with the "BIG" side face up.
   • B. This shows their SPECIALTY.
   • C. Victory tokens. Place the tray with the VICTORY TOKENS next to the board.
   • D. Control. Place the CONTROL card deck on the board.
   • E. Flip 3 cards face up onto the CONTROL positions.
   • F. Flip the top card of the deck face up too.

Big phases

YEARLY phases have the following additions. See page 28 for the complete phases overview.

2. TURNS. You can now buy a CONTROL card as a turn action. See more details on the right.

   Buy control card:

   • Pay 1 ASSET.
   • Choose one of the 4 cards and place it face up in front of you. (You can't pick the top hidden cards in the deck.)
   • Reveal a new card so 4 are face up again.

3. CONTROL. Between the TURNS and BILLS & POLITICS phases, it's time to pull some strings. Starting with the (new) START PLAYER, we play in turns again. You can play one CONTROL card per turn if you meet the requirement. See more details on the right, and examples on the next page.

   • Each card can be played once per YEAR, but may be used again in the next.
   • Apply the same passing rules as in the TURNS phase (though START PLAYER stays the same).

   Control turn:

   • Check requirement. Each CONTROL card shows a domain on top. If you're the BIGGEST there, you're in control and you can play it. Note that in this example, CHINA is just the requirement. The action can be carried out anywhere in the world.
   • Perform its action. Follow the icons at the bottom. Find every card explained on PAGE 24 & 25.

4. SPECIALTY. After the BILLS phase, it's time to utilize our SPECIALTIES. You will gain 1 ASSET for each CORP you are now BIGGEST in. Depending on your card this is:

Big game examples

3. Control. Say, the gold player holds the CONTROL cards shown (Cozy Ties and Print).

• Check COZY TIES.
  • 3a. To play this card, he must have the most ASSETS in EUROPE combined.
  • 3b. See the board. He achieves this with 4 ASSETS in CORPS and PARTIES, which is more than blue and the DISSIDENTS, who each have 3.
• Play COZY TIES.
  • 3c. See the card again. He may now move any number of one player's ASSETS from one PARTY to one CORP.
  • 3d. He chooses to move all his 4 ASSETS from EUROPE's C PARTY to a BIG BANKING CORP in AMERICA.
• Check PRINT.
  • 3e. By doing so, he becomes the BIGGEST in BIG BANKING combined, beating blue, who has 3 ASSETS in the SECTOR. So, gold meets the requirement for the PRINT CONTROL card.
• Play PRINT.
  • 3f. He plays it on his next turn, gaining him 2 ASSETS.

4. Specialty.

• 4a. Gold also becomes the BIGGEST in 2 AMERICAN C CORPS, gaining him 2 more ASSETS.
• 4b. He is START PLAYER, so also gains 1 more ASSET for being the BIGGEST in 1 BIG BANKING CORP.

5. Rescoring goals.

• 5a. Gold now fulfills his GOAL of BRINGING STABILITY as well. He has already completed it once, so the GOAL is already face up. He rescores it by placing a VICTORY TOKEN on it.

Control cards

Sector

You can play these cards if you are the BIGGEST in the specified SECTOR combined. You don't need to be the BIGGEST in any single CORP, only in the overall ASSET count.

• "One player" can be yourself, someone else, or the DISSIDENT.
• Depending on the card, the action can be applied on CORPS, PARTIES, or BILLS in any BLOC or IDEOLOGY.

You can scan any CONTROL card's QR code for examples and more.

• COUP: BANKRUPT one CORP and move all its ASSETS to one PARTY.
• INFILTRATE: Move any number of one player's ASSETS from one CORP to one PARTY.
• MANEUVER: Move any number of one player's ASSETS from one PARTY to another.
• DECIMATE: Move all ASSETS in one PARTY back to the players' reserves.
• PRINT: One player gets 2 ASSETS.
• FAKE NEWS: Instantly play in response to a CONTROL card inside or outside your turn, even when passed: Block a CONTROL card that was just played.
• HYPNOTIZE: Instantly play in response to a CONTROL card inside or outside your turn, even after passed: Use a CONTROL card that was just played too / again.

Bloc

You can play these cards if you are the BIGGEST in CORPS and PARTIES in the specified BLOC combined. You don't need to be the BIGGEST in any single CORP or PARTY, only in the overall ASSET count.

• BOOT: Swap this CONTROL card with someone else's.
• COZY TIES: Move any number of one player's ASSETS from one PARTY to one CORP.
• FLEE: Swap two placed CORPS. ASSETS move with them.
• BAN: BANKRUPT one CORP and move all its ASSETS back to the players' reserves.

Parties

You can play these cards if you are the BIGGEST in PARTIES combined globally (in the specified L/C/R IDEOLOGY if indicated). You don't need to be the BIGGEST in any single PARTY, only in the overall ASSET count.

• PUSH OUT: BANKRUPT one CORP and move all its ASSETS to another.
• FUSE: Move all ASSETS from one PARTY to another.
• FAVOR: BANKRUPT one CORP and move all its ASSETS to a new one. Pick and place the new CORP according to the normal rules.
• CAUSE CRISIS: Draw the top BILL from the deck and replace a current one (discard it).

Teams mode

It's lonely in the 1% of the 1%. Time to make a friend! You'll be playing in teams of two.

Players: 4, 6, 8. Time: 60-120 min.

Teams setup

1. Set up the game as either BASE, MEAN, or BIG game, except:
   • Form teams of 2 players, sit (diagonally) across from your companion, and take MEMBER cards in 1 color per team (not white).
   • With 8 players, preferably use a round or square table with 2 players per side, so everyone can comfortably reach the board.
   • Each player receives GOALS and ASSETS individually during the SETUP and RESET (so not per team).

Special rules

2. Share profit. A CORP generates PROFIT for a team, so not for each player separately. Divide it amongst yourselves.

   • Example: If this CORP generates gold 3 PROFIT, the team needs to decide how to divide it. In this case, they choose 2 for Hugues and 1 for Greta.
   • No asset sharing. You can't give ASSETS directly to your companion.
   • Communication. Teams can communicate verbally or otherwise, but only openly at the table, with the others around.

3. Count. Teams first combine the GOALS, then count them together. So the GOAL CATEGORIES only count once per team.

   • Example: Hugues and Greta completed these GOALS respectively (Dominate the South and Own the World). The overlapping CATEGORIES only count once, so they completed 2 GOALS in 2 unique CATEGORIES, and earned 4 VICTORY POINTS in total.

Dissidents mode

People inside the building are trying to obstruct our GOALS. The least trustworthy among you must be DISSIDENT... Identify them! It will most likely be those who have played the game before.

Players: 3-8. Time: 60-120 min.

Dissidents setup

Set up the game as either BASE, MEAN, or BIG game, except:

With number of players:

• 3-5: There is 1 DISSIDENT.
• 6, 8: There is a DISSIDENT team, with 2 DISSIDENT players. The normal players also team up (see previous page).
• 7: There is 1 SUPER DISSIDENT. The normal players team up (see previous page). The SUPER DISSIDENT gets 10 ASSETS during SETUP and RESET.

DISSIDENTS:

1. Get a DISSIDENT MEMBER card.
2. Never receive GOAL cards.
3. In this mode, DISSIDENT players control DISSIDENT ASSETS. These are not added to the board during SETUP or RESET.

Dissidents special rules

• DISSIDENTS can't buy GOALS.
• Regular players can't swap GOALS (but can still buy them).

Dissidents count

2. The DISSIDENTS get all the failed GOALS of the others at the end of the game. For the others, these failed GOALS don't count as penalty points, but for the DISSIDENT these captured GOALS are counted as if they were their own and completed.

Example: In a 3-player game, both Givi and Mi each completed 2 GOALS and failed 1. The failed GOALS go to the DISSIDENT player. Counting the cards and CATEGORIES, the DISSIDENT player wins with 4 VICTORY POINTS versus 3 for the others.

Phases (all modes)

We play out 3 YEARS, with BIG GAME steps in black.

The page 28 flowchart runs: START, then SETUP (page 6-9), then TURNS (page 10-11), then CONTROL (page 22-25), then BILLS & POLITICS (page 12-15), then SPECIALTY (page 22-23). After SPECIALTY in YEAR 1 & 2 comes GOALS (page 16-17), then RESET, which leads back to TURNS. After SPECIALTY in YEAR 3 comes FINAL, then COUNT (page 19).

• TURNS: We play in turns to invest our ASSETS wisely, until we pass one by one.
• CONTROL (page 22-25): Change the state of the world right before the BILLS & POLITICS phase. We take turns playing our CONTROL cards, with the same passing rules as for the TURNS phase.
• BILLS & POLITICS (page 12-15): Negotiate, vote and settle PROFITS & LOSSES.
• SPECIALTY (page 22-23): Pay out extra PROFITS to those who are the BIGGEST in their SPECIALTY CORPS.
• GOALS (page 16-17): Rescore GOALS and add VICTORY TOKENS. Check who reached new GOALS. Keep reached GOALS face up in front of you until the final COUNT, and keep the ones you didn't face down.
• RESET: With 4 new CONTROL cards each YEAR the RESET has become a little greater:
  • Place 4 new CONTROL cards.
  • Place 4 new BILLS.
  • Place new DISSIDENT ASSETS [1].
  • Players get 1 new GOAL.
  • Players get ASSETS depending on how many GOALS they have reached: ASSETS = 5 - total reached.
• FINAL: Play a FINAL turns phase, spending your last ASSETS in rounds on anything, before proceeding to the final GOAL COUNT.
• COUNT (page 19).

Footnote [1] (page 28): Except in NORMAL 5-player or DISSIDENT modes.