Guerilla
Guerilla Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
The Cards
Central to the game is a deck of 128 cards.
Many cards take the form of a split card showing a Rebel soldier (hereafter a unit) or a leader (with rank and name) on one half and a Government unit or leader on the other. The number in the green square on a unit card represents the strength of the Government unit, the number in the brown circle the strength of the Rebel unit.
Leader cards have a Government command rating (a number of green squares) and a Rebel command rating (brown circles). This represents the number of units the leader is capable of leading. Leaders also have a command modifier, a positive or negative figure in a diamond shaped box. This represents their proficiency in battle.
The red cards represent either complexes - key institutions (the TV station, the Policia) or installations (the Port, the Presidential Palace) - or major events (Revolution, Bad Weather). Each is described in the Red Card Table. Complexes have a defence factor (DF) and a victory point value, the number in the hexagon.
Other cards represent specialists, weapons, tactics and events. Each is described in the Event Card Table. Cards with a black title portion can only be played during the holder's turn. Cards with a yellowy green title portion can be played out of turn.
Many event cards have a letter and a number in the top left corner. All cards played in the same turn must be played in alphabetical order. Hence, the UN card (C) could not be played before the Assassin (B) in the same turn. The number (0 or 1) is the number of actions that playing that card would cost.
The play of red or event cards can cause exceptions to many of the basic rules set out below.
When these rules speak of the owner of a card, they mean the player who played it or, in the case of a complex, whose forces now control it. When the rules speak of control, they refer to the faction which a unit, leader or complex belongs to.
Hand Capacity
A player may hold a maximum number of cards in hand at the end of his turn. This is eight cards if he has both factions deployed, or seven if he does not. If hand capacity is exceeded at the end of a turn then excess cards must be randomly chosen and discarded from the hand by another player.
Groups
Units, leaders and complexes are put into play (deployed) in groups. A group can consist of one leader and/or up to three units or one complex with a garrison of up to one unit and/or a leader.
Leaders must be deployed with a unit or a Complex, never alone.
A group does not require a leader.
All cards in a group must belong to the same faction.
When a group has a leader he is always deployed as the top card in the group.
When a group contains more units than its leader's command rating, any excess units are turned sideways and do not function as part of the group.
The cards within a group may be re-arranged following:
- any battle, deployment or withdrawal involving the group;
- after changing factions; or
- at the start of the owning player's turn.
Preparations For Play
Choose a dealer.
The dealer takes loyalty markers equal to the number of players. There should be an even number of Rebel and Government markers. If there is an odd number of players, a Mercenary marker must be used to make up the total. The markers are shuffled, and then each player takes one. Each player should look at theirs, but must not allow another player to see it.
There is an option to use two Mercenary markers in a four or six player games, reducing the Rebel and Government markers by one.
The dealer removes the Revolution and three Traitor cards from the deck and sets them aside.
The deck is shuffled and each player is dealt eight cards. Place the remaining cards face down in the centre of the table.
If any player has not been dealt a unit, then a misdeal may be called before Initial Deployment begins.
Each player takes a sequence of play tile.
Initial Deployment
Simultaneously, players must deploy all red complex cards (possibly with garrisons) from their hands face down on the table. Players may also deploy as many units and leaders as they wish face down into groups.
When all players have finished their initial deployment, all deployed cards are turned face up. The half of the card that will be in play must be at the top so that the image is right side up when it faces the owning player. Complexes must be under Government control when they are first deployed. A complex is deemed to be in Government control unless a Rebel Control marker is placed on it. The owning player may choose whether units and leaders will be Government or Rebel.
Each player then refills his hand to its maximum capacity. Any red cards drawn are returned to the dealer and another card is drawn.
The dealer then shuffles all the returned red cards plus the three traitors into the deck. The deck is cut into even halves and the revolution card is shuffled into one. The two halves are combined to form a draw pile with the revolution card in the bottom half.
An important point to note is that the player who draws the revolution card may exchange the loyalty markers of any two players. Exception: any player controlling the (undamaged, un-isolated) Presidential Palace is excluded from the exchange of loyalty markers. Players should be careful about displaying a strong bias towards either faction before this card is drawn.
Playing A Turn
Players take turns in clockwise order around the table, starting with the dealer.
In his turn each player may perform actions with a total cost of two or less.
Each player's turn is made up of the phases (labelled A to F) shown on the sequence of play tile. Phases must take place in the order shown in the sequence of play. Many actions are performed by playing cards which are coded with the phase (A to F) the card can be played in and action cost (0 or 1) in the upper left corner.
Withdrawal Phase (Phase A)
If Bad Weather card is in front of a player, roll for the weather to clear (see card description).
The player may withdraw any deployed units or leaders back to his hand. This costs one action per group or part of a group that is withdrawn. Hand capacity can be temporarily exceeded following withdrawal, but cards will be lost if the hand is still over capacity at the end of the player's turn. Note that once deployed, a complex may never be withdrawn. A complex whose garrison is withdrawn does not change faction.
Cards that have been withdrawn may be re-deployed later in the same turn.
Withdrawn cards do not have to remain loyal to a faction or go back to the same group. Withdrawing the garrison from a complex never changes the faction that controls the complex.
Attack Phase (Phase B)
Making an attack
Each group can attack once in a turn. The same group can be attacked more than once. Each attack costs one action.
Rebels must attack Government forces and vice versa.
A player may never attack one of his own groups.
An attack cannot be made if it has no chance of success.
Units in a group with a complex are its garrison and cannot attack. Some complexes have special attack capabilities. See the Red Card Table for details.
A leader is necessary to combine the strength of units in the same group in attack or defence. A leader may combine the strength of as many units in his group as his command rating.
Only one unit (owner chooses which) in a leaderless group can attack each turn. When attacking a leaderless group, the attacker decides which unit(s) will defend.
A deployed group can divide into two before attacking (sortie). One of the new groups must then attack. The two new groups can only recombine by withdrawal into the player's hand and redeployment.
When attacking a group with a higher number of units than its leader's command rating the attacker may choose to attack:
- only the sideways unit out of command control;
- the units under command control; or
- all units in the group.
When only part of a group is attacked, only the units under attack can defend and take losses.
Many cards allow special types of attacks to occur (see card descriptions).
Resolving an attack
To determine the result of an attack total the strength of all attacking units, add the group leader's command modifier and a die roll. (Isolated attacking units have their strength halved, fractions rounded down, and may suffer a negative isolation die roll modifier.) The defender totals the strength of all defending units, the DF of any complex, the group leader's command modifier, and a die roll. (Isolated defending units may suffer a negative die roll modifier.)
The player with the lowest total must eliminate units of his choice with a combined strength at least equal to the difference in the totals. If the totals are tied there are no losses. If a group contains a complex, any losses must first be taken by its garrison. A leader can be eliminated to fulfil one point of required losses.
A unit's actual strength may differ from its printed strength due to the effects of various event cards. Losses are always taken at the printed strength.
Any leader left alone after losses are taken is eliminated.
A player cannot choose to eliminate more units than is necessary to meet his losses.
Eliminated cards are placed face up on the discard pile. The victor decides the order in which they go there. This may be significant if the Barracks or Port complexes are in play as their owners can retrieve cards from the discard pile.
Capturing complexes
Normal attacks do not damage a complex. Only air strikes (see the red Airfield card) and demolition attacks using an Arms Cache event card can damage a complex.
Units and leaders garrisoning a complex must be the first to take losses when attacked. Whenever a complex would be required to take losses, it is instead captured by the attacking group. Mark a Rebel complex with a Rebel Control marker. The attacking group may immediately assign a unit and/or a leader to become its garrison. The complex's special ability is immediately available to its new owner.
A Rebel complex can be destroyed by its owner in his attack phase at the cost of one action. Destroying a complex counts as an attack, so a group which took control of a complex could not destroy it on the same turn unless an Arms Cache event card was played.
Ambush Preparation
A player may purchase the possibility of a defensive ambush by spending an action at any time in his turn. A point of ambush strength is gained for every action spent, to a maximum of 3.
Whenever a group belonging to a player with an ambush marker is attacked, he may roll the die. If the die roll is less than or equal to the number on his ambush marker, the effects are exactly the same as playing an Ambush card in defence (see Event Cards Table). The ambush marker can be used in conjunction with Ambush cards. The ambush marker die roll may be made before Ambush cards are played. Each time the ambush marker takes effect, reduce it to the next lower number.
The rules allow an option to increase the maximum strength of an ambush marker to 4.
Deployment Phase (Phase C)
Deployment can be either the placement of a new group or the reinforcement of an existing one. Each group deployed and each group reinforced costs one action. A group cannot be reinforced beyond the normal limitations (see Groups above).
A player can deploy reinforcements to a group owned by another player, with or without his consent. Cards deployed in this way immediately belong to the owner of the group they join. Deployment of a new group to another player is not allowed.
During this phase, special actions for Arms Cache, UN Intervention and Presidential Palace can also occur.
Trade Phase (Phase D)
A player can offer to trade cards from his hand (not deployed cards). Making the offer costs one action, whether or not a trade actually takes place.
The offering player places the cards he is offering before him. They may be face up, face down or a combination. He then says what he wants in return. In turn order, the other players may make offers in return. All trading must be done openly, with no secret negotiations or showing of cards. The offering player cannot change his offer once he has seen what is being offered in return, he can only accept one trade deal or reject them all.
No player can finish the trade with cards exceeding his hand capacity. If more are offered than can be taken, the receiving player may examine the offered cards and choose which to return to his trading partner.
Any promises made as part of the trade may be broken.
Discard and Repair Phase (Phase E)
A player may discard up to four cards from his hand at the cost of an action. He must reveal only the last card discarded because it will be visible on the top of the discard pile.
Damage to a complex can be repaired at the cost of one action. A die is rolled and damage equal to half the number rolled (rounded down) is repaired. Only one repair per turn is allowed.
Draw Phase (Phase F)
Special draws from the Discard Pile can be performed by the owner of the Port and Barracks cards in this phase.
At the cost of one action, a player may draw new cards from the deck until he reaches his hand capacity or draws a red card. If a red card is drawn it must be played immediately. The player's turn ends as soon as that is done.
When drawn, a complex may be added to any one unit Government group (not isolated) without a Complex that the drawing player has already deployed. If there is no such group, the Complex must be deployed on its own. Complexes must be under Government control when they are first deployed. A complex is deemed to be in Government control unless a Rebel Control marker is placed on it.
See the Hand Capacity rules, if the player ends up with more cards than his hand capacity.
At the end of a player's turn, increase the isolation markers on the player's isolated groups.
End Of The Game
In 3-4 player games, as soon as the draw pile is exhausted sudden death begins.
In 5-6 player games, go through the draw pile twice. When the draw pile is exhausted for the first time, shuffle the discard pile to create a second draw pile.
When sudden death begins no new cards can be drawn, although the Port and the Barracks can still retrieve cards from the discard pile.
Place the end of round marker on the 10 space of the sudden death tile. At the end of each player's turn, roll a die. If the number rolled is greater than or equal to the number beneath the end of round marker, the game ends immediately. If not, the marker is moved to the next lower number and play continues.
The game can be played over one or more rounds.
How To Win
The dealer keeps a running tally of the points scored by each player and by each faction in a round. This must be visible to all players. So, for instance, all points scored by a player's Government forces are added to his personal score and to the Government's score.
Scoring points
| Action | Points Scored |
|---|---|
| Eliminating a unit | Its printed strength |
| Eliminating a leader | Command rating plus command modifier |
| Complex destroyed by rebels | The complex victory point value (in hexagonal symbol) |
| Complex destroyed by the government | No points |
| Complex controlled at end of round | The complex victory point value less points of damage or modifiers due to isolation (minimum 0) |
At the end of a round, players loyal to the faction with the highest total score their personal points total. Players loyal to the losing faction score half their personal points total (fractions rounded down). A player with the Mercenary loyalty marker scores full personal points if the Government or the Rebels win by less than 25 points. Otherwise, his points are halved. On a tie, the winner is the tied player who took his turn most recently.
If the Rebels and the Government end the round with the same points total, the Government wins.
Guerrilla can be played in multiple rounds with each player's scores in all rounds totalled at the end. If playing multiple rounds, hand in all cards and loyalty markers to the dealer after scoring. Faction scores start at zero again. Begin again with the preparations for play (above). Player scores are totalled over the number of rounds to be played. Highest wins.
Event Cards
Air Assault — Cost: 1 action. Three options: 1) Deploy units or a whole group from hand in the attack phase and attack. 2) Combine the strength of two deployed groups for a single attack. 3) Re-enforce an isolated group. Use by Government groups only. Cannot be used in bad weather. Air Assault is the only way to reinforce an isolated group. The isolated group must then attack the group cutting its supply. Reinforcing units are not halved in the attack immediately following their deployment, but are subsequently. The isolation modifier is applied to the attack die roll. In combined strength attacks, if both groups have leaders, only the lowest command modifier applies. If only one group has a leader, his command modifier is not applied unless it is negative. A group can be deployed and make a combined attack in the same turn only by playing two air assault cards. Duration: Discard after use.
Ambush — Cost: no cost. Attacker may use to: 1) double the strength of one unit, or 2) select a single unit in the defending group as the only defender. Defender may use to: 1) double the strength of a defending unit, or 2) attempt to counter a Recon Patrol. Any number of ambush cards can be played by both the attacker and the defender, but no unit can multiply its strength by more than two. When used to counter a Recon Patrol, the defender may deploy a single unit Rebel group (with or without a leader) from his hand to attack the attacking group at double strength. The Recon Patrol fails unless the Rebel group is eliminated in its attack. Can only be played on the Armor Column in defence. Cannot be played on a complex. Duration: Discard after use.
Armor Column — Cost: 1 action for any number of attacks. Attacks a single Rebel unit or Complex at a time. If the attacked unit is with a leader, the leader's command modifier is applied. The leader may also take losses. An Armor Column may make multiple attacks on the same Rebel group. Must only stop when an attack fails to eliminate a defending unit or leader, or until the Rebel group refuses combat. A Rebel group may refuse combat with an Armour Column. The effects are exactly as if an Informant card had been played. Elite Government unit. Never changes faction. May not combine in a group with other units, leaders or complexes. The only exception is when an Air Assault card is played. Then the Armor may combine with an infantry group to make one attack. Rebels may not refuse an Armor/Air Assault without playing an Informant card. If attacking an Infantry Rebel group, the defender decides which unit is attacked. If attacking a group containing a complex, the Armor Column must eliminate the garrison before attacking the complex. A garrison may refuse combat by becoming a separate group. A complex may not refuse combat. Duration: Remains in play until eliminated.
Arms Cache — Cost: no cost for use 1 and 2, 1 action for use 3 and 4. Several options: 1) Attack with the same group a second time. 2) Double the strength of one unit for the present battle. 3) Relieve an isolated Rebel group (Deployment Phase). 4) Make a demolition attack on a complex. Use by Rebel groups only. A demolition attack on a complex costs one action. Can only be made against Government complexes. Attack total is six plus a die roll, defence total is complex DF plus a die roll. A complex's garrison does not defend against demolition attacks. Damage done is equal to the difference if attack is greater. If cumulative damage exceeds complex DF, it is destroyed. A damaged complex continues to defend at its full DF, but loses its special abilities. A unit cannot increase its strength by more than double by playing more than one Arms Cache or an Arms Cache and an Ambush. Duration: Discard after use.
Assassin — Cost: 1 action. The assassin attempts to kill a leader. Roll the die and subtract the target leader's command modifier (remember that a double minus is a plus). If the result is greater than 5, the leader is dead. Duration: Discard after use.
Atrocities/Press — Cost: no cost. Halves (fractions rounded down) or doubles the point value of any losses inflicted in battle. Any player may play immediately after a battle. Only one Atrocities and one Press card can be played per battle. Points earned by an assassination, demolition, propaganda attack or air strike are not affected by this card. Place the atrocities committed marker in the centre of the table after an Atrocity has occurred. Duration: Discard after use.
Bodyguard — Cost: no cost. Provides some protection against an assassin/Policia. For each bodyguard played, the assassin must make an additional die roll and use the lowest roll. Duration: Discard after use.
Informant — Cost: no cost. Two uses: 1) cancels the effects of an Ambush card, or 2) allows a Rebel group to retreat before combat is resolved. Any player can play the informant, not just the attacker or the defender. Play before combat is resolved. Attacker may not cancel the attack because of it. If played on a Rebel group, the owner of that group may choose whether to accept it. If a Rebel Group retreats, the attacker must still pay an action for the attack. If a Rebel group that is cutting supply retreats, supply is no longer cut. The informant card has no effect on a complex. If a Rebel group garrisoning a complex retreats, the complex is left behind to be attacked. If a leader is the sole garrison of a complex, he cannot withdraw, since a leader cannot be deployed alone. Duration: Discard after use.
Recon Patrol — Cost: no cost. Allows another player's hand to be inspected secretly and an Arms Cache, Ambush or Assassin card to be taken or discarded. Played on a single unit (or single unit sortie) Government infantry group in the Attack phase. Cannot be played on an isolated group. Can be countered by an Ambush card (see above). Duration: Discard after use.
Supply Cut — Cost: 1 action. A Group with supply cut is isolated. An isolated group may only attack the group cutting its supply. Each unit in an isolated group has its attack strength halved (fractions rounded down). Defence strength is not affected. An isolated group may not sortie. A -1 Isolated marker goes on the group at the end of the owner's turn if still isolated and modifies all attack and defence die rolls made for that group. This modifier is increased by one each turn. When the isolation modifier equals the highest complex DF or unit strength in the group, the group surrenders. All units and leaders are eliminated (points to the supply cutter) and the supply cutter takes control of any complex. An isolated complex loses its special abilities and its point value is reduced by the isolation modifier. Isolated groups cannot be withdrawn. Special attack by an infantry group instead of its normal attack; played on opposing group. Cannot be played on a group protected by the UN card. An isolated group cannot cut another group's supply. Matching supply cut/cutting supply markers are placed on both groups. UN Intervention prevents new Supply Cuts from or against the UN protected player. Duration: The supply cut card remains in play until the isolated group is relieved or eliminated. In certain circumstances it is returned to the player's hand rather than discarded. Isolation ends when: the group cutting supply makes another attack; the isolated group changes faction; the cutting group is eliminated, changes faction, surrenders, or is withdrawn; an Arms Cache card is played on an isolated Rebel group; a supply cutting Rebel group retreats (see Informant card). Gaining protection from the UN (see UN card) does not end isolation. If an isolated group is eliminated (any complex captured) with combat losses greater than its unit strength plus complex DF plus one point for a leader, it is overrun and the supply cutter gets his supply cut card back in hand. If an isolated group surrenders, changes faction, or is eliminated by propaganda, the supply cutter gets his supply cut card back in hand.
UN Intervention — Cost: 1 action. Player on whom the card is played cannot attack or be attacked except by assassination/Policia, demolition and propaganda. Can only be played if an Atrocity (not a Press) has been played in the current round. Played on any player in the deployment phase. Whenever an atrocity occurs and the UN card is in play, the card is transferred to the player who suffered losses in the atrocity. The card defends with a strength of 10. It can be attacked by any player and by any faction. No points are scored in battles involving the UN card. The strength of the UN card is not modified by any other card. Duration: Card remains in play until eliminated in battle.
The Red Cards
Airfield — Attack/Defence benefits: Owner may make one air strike per turn at a cost of one action during the Attack phase. Select one unit or complex. The attack total is six plus a die roll. If the defender is a unit, the defence total is unit strength plus the command modifier of any leader in the same group, plus a die roll (and any isolation die roll modifier). If the attack total is greater, the unit is eliminated. If attacking a complex, the defence total is complex DF plus a die roll (and any isolation die roll modifier). A complex's garrison does not defend it against air strikes. The number of points the attack total is greater than the defence is done in damage to the complex. If damage to a complex exceeds its DF, the complex is destroyed. A damaged complex continues to defend at its full DF, but loses its special abilities. Attacking aircraft never suffer losses. Other effects: None.
Bad Weather — Attack/Defence benefits: This card prevents air assaults and air strikes. Other effects: The card is placed before the drawing player. At the start of each of the drawing player's turns after the one in which it is drawn, roll a die. A roll greater than five means that the weather has cleared and the card is discarded.
Banco de Nationale — Attack/Defence benefits: None. Other effects: Owning player increases his total action cost by one per turn. The extra action must be used by the faction controlling the bank. Trading, discarding, drawing, deploying the UN, and purchasing an ambush marker can be attributed to either faction. The extra action is lost as soon as the bank is destroyed.
Barracks — Attack/Defence benefits: None. Other effects: During his Draw phase, the player controlling the barracks may draw the top unit or leader or Recon Patrol (no choice, it's whichever of the three is closest to the top) from the discard pile and add it to his hand at no action cost. Units or leaders retrieved in this way must be deployed initially on the side of the same faction as the barracks. Place retrieved cards face down on the table until deployed as a reminder of this. Note, they still count towards hand capacity. Hand capacity can be exceeded when retrieving cards, but any excess must be discarded at the end of the player's turn (see rules). Only if the barracks is destroyed before a retrieved card is deployed can the player choose the card's faction. The barracks cannot retrieve a Recon Patrol when under Rebel control.
Bridge — Attack/Defence benefits: None. Other effects: The bridge represents the major lines of transport. The player controlling the bridge may deploy or withdraw one group of the bridge's faction per turn at no action cost.
Policia — Attack/Defence benefits: May make one assassination attempt per turn on a leader of the same faction controlled by another player. Roll the die and subtract the target leader's command modifier (remember that a double minus is a plus). If the result is greater than 5, the leader is dead. A Policia attack can be countered by the Bodyguard card. The UN does not stop Policia attacks. Other effects: A successful leader elimination still scores points for the player and faction, even though it is the same faction.
Port — Attack/Defence benefits: None. Other effects: The owning player increases his hand capacity by one. In the Draw phase, he may also retrieve an Arms Cache (if the port is Rebel controlled) or an Armor Column or an Air Assault card (if Government controlled) from the discard pile. There is no choice of card, you get the one closest to the top. This costs an action. The pile cannot be checked to see if it contains one of these cards before spending an action. Hand capacity can be exceeded when retrieving cards, but any excess must be discarded at the end of the player's turn (see rules).
Presidential Palace — Attack/Defence benefits: None. Other effects: Owning player is immune to Revolution and Traitor cards if the palace is undamaged and not isolated. He cannot exchange his loyalty marker even if he wants to. At a cost of one action in Deployment phase, the owning player may deploy a leader from his hand to any player's group of the same faction as controls the palace. Any existing group leader is removed to the discard pile. No points are scored for this.
Revolution — Attack/Defence benefits: None. Other effects: The player who draws this card may exchange the loyalty markers of any two players. Both players may immediately check their new loyalties. Next the drawing player must change the faction of one deployed Government group to Rebel. Control of a complex may change in this way. Any player controlling the (undamaged, un-isolated) Presidential Palace is excluded from the exchange of loyalty markers and his groups are excluded from the change of faction.
Traitors — Attack/Defence benefits: None. Other effects: A traitor can be played on any deployed complex or leader, except those belonging to a player controlling the (undamaged, un-isolated) Presidential Palace. Add the leader's command modifier to a die roll. If played on a complex with no leader, the die roll is unmodified. If the result is greater than 5, the leader and his entire group change faction. If the result is less than 6, the leader is eliminated - shot as a traitor. His former group remains loyal to its current faction. Eliminating a leader in this way scores no points.
TV Station — Attack/Defence benefits: May make one propaganda attack per turn on the weakest unit of the opposing faction. Does not cost an action. Weakest unit is calculated on the basis of strength plus the command modifier of the group leader, less any isolation die roll modifier. Attacker's own units are excluded. If two or more units tie for weakest, the attacker may choose between them. Roll the die, subtract the strength of the unit plus its group leader's command modifier. If the result is greater than 0, the unit is eliminated.