Lightning: Poland Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• How to Win
• Types of Cards
  • Action Card
  • Objective Card
  • Force Card
  • Country Card
• Set-Up
• Tabletop Layout
• Turns
• How to Resolve a Battle
  • Examples

How to Win

The first player to capture ten Victory Points of Objective Cards wins!

Types of Cards

There are four types of cards in the game: Country Cards, Objective Cards, Force Cards, and Action Cards.

Action Card

• Card Name: printed across the top of the card.
• Type of action: printed on the vertical bar at the left of the card art (for example, Circumstance).
• Force Rating: the value shown in the yellow circle.
• Special Ability: the card text, which may include "When Played", "After Battle", "Resolution" or "Cost" effects (see Special Card Text below).

The sample Action card in the rulebook is "To the Last" (Circumstance, Force Rating 3): "+2 Force if you are defending. After Battle: Remove from the game 1 of your committed Forces."

Objective Card

• Card Name: printed across the top of the card (for example, Krakow).
• Type of Objective: printed on the vertical bar at the left of the card (for example, City).
• Special Notes: the card text.
• Victory Point Value: printed along the bottom of the card.

Force Card

• Unit name: printed across the top of the card (for example, XVI Corps).
• Resupply cost: the cost value shown on the vertical bar at the left of the card.
• Type of unit: printed below the card art (for example, Armored).
• Unit's Force Rating: the value shown in the blue circle.
• Special Ability: the card text (for example, "+2 Force when attacking.").

Country Card

• Country Name: printed across the top of the card (for example, Poland).
• Sequence of Play: a summary of the three operations and the Discard and Draw One Card options, together with the list of Force cards that begin the game in play for that country (for example, Army Krakow, Army Modlin, Army Lublin).

Set-Up

1. Decks. One player gets the German deck of cards (with the cross on the backs) while the other gets the Polish deck (with the eagle on the backs).

2. Starting Forces. Both players put their Country cards, and starting Force cards face-up on the table (see Tabletop Layout). Starting Force cards are indicated with an "S" in the top-right corner.

3. Objective Cards. Both players place the Objective cards of the opposing player next to their cards for easy reference.

4. Starting Hand. Both players draw nine cards.

5. The German player takes the first turn. Players alternate their turns back and forth until there is a winner. If a deck is depleted, shuffle that player's discards to create a new deck and then continue play.

Tabletop Layout

The Poland Table Setup diagram shows the following areas.

• German Player side: a row of three Objectives boxes; a row of three Uncommitted Forces boxes; two German Committed Forces boxes; a German Intelligence box. On the right edge are the German Discards box, Draw Deck, Country Card and Captured Objectives boxes.
• Battle for an Objective: the central area, containing the Polish Objective under attack box.
• Polish Player side: a row of three Objectives boxes; two Polish Committed Forces boxes; a Polish Military Action Card box; a Polish Circumstance box; a row of five Uncommitted Forces boxes. On the right edge are the Polish Captured Objectives, Country Card, Draw Deck and Discards boxes.

Turns

1. The player selects ONE of the following three operations. Each turn, the player may select the same or a different operation.

Battle (Attack an Objective)—Select an enemy Objective and attempt to capture it.

Reinforce (Put more Force cards into play)—Place up to three Supply points of Force cards from your hand on the table face-up. The Supply points of each Force card are noted along its left edge. You'll draw more force cards from your deck as well as return Force cards that have been used in previous Battles.

Prepare—Draw cards until you hold nine cards. This lets you draw more Action and Force cards. If you run out of cards shuffle your discards and make a new Draw Deck.

2. If a Battle was selected, resolve the battle.

3. Discard none to all cards.

4. Draw one card (nine cards maximum).

5. The Polish player then completes steps 1-4.

6. Repeat until a player captures ten (10) victory points of objectives.

How to Resolve a Battle

1. The player who selected Battle selects an enemy Objective card and places it in the middle of the playing area. He then commits one or more of his Force cards on the table by moving them towards the Objective card. This player is said to be "Attacking."

2. The other player commits none, some, or all of his Force cards on the table by moving them towards the Objective card. The other player is said to be "Defending".

3. A player must move at least one Force card to the Battle in order to play Action cards. A player can play Action cards for a Battle even if the other player did not commit any Force cards to the battle. (Thus, even if you believe you will lose the battle, you may want to commit a Force card in order to prevent your opponent from being able to play Action cards without response. You may also want to consider carefully before you commit your last face-up force card to a Battle. Your opponent might be able to immediately attack in his turn.)

4. The Attacking player plays one or more Action cards (Military, Circumstance, or Intelligence).

5. The Defending player can play one or more Action cards (Military, Circumstance, or Intelligence).

6. Repeat steps 4 & 5 until both sides pass consecutively.

7. When an Action card is played, it immediately discards all Action cards of the same type already played (by either player). There can only be one Military, Intelligence, or Circumstance card in play at a time.

Examples

The Polish player plays a Military card. The German play then plays a Military card. The Polish Military card is discarded.

The Polish player plays a Circumstance card. At a later time in the battle, the Polish player plays another Circumstance card. His first Circumstance card is discarded.

The German player plays a Military card that discards an Intelligence card. This would discard both the Polish Military card and Intelligence card.

8. A player can pass, and later play a card.

9. When both players pass in succession, the Battle is over.

10. Some cards have special text showing their effect, and when they can be played:

"When Played"—The effect happens only when the card is played. The effect does not occur later should the circumstances of the effect come about even if it had no effect when played.

"After Battle"—The effect happens after the Battle is over. This only happens if the card is still in play at the end of the Battle. If the card is removed before the Battle is over, the effect does not occur. (After Battle effects take place for both the winner and loser of the battle. Draw cards may exceed hand maximum.)

"Resolution"—The effect happens when determining the winner of the Battle. This only happens if the card is still in play at the end of the Battle. If the card is removed before the Battle is over, the effect does not occur.

"Cost" – Discard one card of your choice from your hand to your discard deck in order to play the card. If you have no other card to discard, this card can not be played.

11. The player with the higher Force value wins (Defender wins ties). If the Attacker wins, he captures the Objective. If the Defender wins, the Objective remains in play. In either case, ALL Force cards committed to the Battle by both players are returned to their owners' hands (note: some Force cards are allowed to return to the face-up Forces area on the table. Also, some Force cards may be discarded or removed due to After Battle effects).

12. Discard all Action cards remaining in play for the battle.