[microfilms] Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
• Goal
• Setup
• Rules of Play
  • 1. Draw a card
  • 2. Pass
  • 3. Bribe
  • 4. Take an action
  • 5. Attempt a win
• End of a Turn
• End of the Game
• Freelancers
• [microfilms] for 2 Players: The Croupier
  • Setup
  • Rules of Play
  • End of the Game
• Identities Reference
• Notes on This Transcription

Components

• 20 x Casino chips
  • 1 franc x 10
  • 2 francs x 10
• 6 x Double-sided Suspicion tokens (with player aids)
• 25 x Cards
  • 8 x Identities
    • 4 x Agents (China, UK, USA, USSR)
    • 1 x Interpol Officer
    • 1 x Information Broker
    • 1 x Journalist
    • 1 x Hitman
  • 9 x Items
    • 4 x Microfilms (China, UK, USA, USSR)
    • 4 x Alliance letters (China, UK, USA, USSR)
    • 1 x Ace of Spades
  • 8 x Actions
    • 2 x Steal/Blackmail
    • 3 x Interrogate/Blackmail
    • 3 x Cash Out/Blowback

Goal

Three agents from three nations have entered the casino. Their mission: Find the enemy intel, which is contained in microfilms embedded in playing cards.

The Ambassador is as crafty as he is a rogue, so he has covertly paired two agents against the third. There will be two Alliance letters in play that determine which two agents are allied. These letters may be seen by a player during an Interrogation, stolen as a part of Blackmail, received during a Bribe, found in the draw deck, or revealed on the table.

However, the agents are not alone in this deadly game. Several "freelancers" have found their way to a seat at the table, and they all have their own agendas.

As an agent, win the Ambassador's card game to earn his favour and infiltrate his organization.

As a "freelancer", fulfil your agenda and disrupt the Ambassador's plans.

Setup

1. Separate the identity cards from the item and action cards.

2. Separate the 4 agents from the rest of the identity cards, then select 3 agents; return the agent not used, as well as the matching Microfilm and Alliance item cards, to the box (e.g. when playing with China, USA and USSR, remove the UK agent, Microfilm and Alliance cards from the game).

3. In a game with more than 3 players, randomly and secretly choose additional identity cards so that there are as many identities as there are players, returning any unused cards to the box without revealing them.

4. Shuffle the 3 agent cards together with any additional identity cards, then deal 1 card face down to each player, to be kept secret from other players. These cards do not count towards any hand limits.

5. Shuffle the 3 Alliance cards, then return 1 of them to the box without revealing it.

6. Shuffle the action cards, and deal 1 card face down to each player.

7. Shuffle the remaining action and item cards together with the 2 Alliance cards in play and all 3 Microfilms to form the draw deck.

8. Whoever won the last game of [microfilms] is the starting player. If this is the first game, then the starting player is the one with the best poker face, or players may choose using any other method.

9. Give a 1-franc poker chip to the following players, counting clockwise from the starting player:

   • 3 players: 3rd player
   • 4 players: 3rd and 4th players
   • 5 players: 4th and 5th players
   • 6 players: 4th, 5th and 6th players

Rules of Play

The players take their turns in clockwise order around the table. The active player must choose one of the following five options:

• Draw a card
• Pass
• Bribe
• Take an action
• Attempt a win

1. Draw a card

Draw the top card from the draw deck or the discard deck and take it in hand.

2. Pass

Gain 1 franc from the house.

3. Bribe

Offer a card to another player. Without knowing what the card is, the target player may respond in one of two possible ways:

• Accept the bribe, and take the card in hand. The Suspicion token of the active player is turned to its "Cleared" side.
• Decline the bribe, and pay 1 franc to the active player.

Note: Even if the target player has no francs left, the bribe may still be declined.

Note: The hand limit (see "End of a turn" below) is checked only at the end of a turn. Thus, it is possible to have more cards than the hand limit during other players' turns by accepting a Bribe.

4. Take an action

Take an action by using an action card, or, in some cases, by paying francs.

When using a card, a player must choose one of the two options on it, then place the card face up on the discard deck, covering any card beneath it.

Steal

By using a Steal/Blackmail card, a player can steal 2 francs from an opponent.

Note: If the target player has only 1 franc, then only that franc is stolen.

Cash Out

By using a Cash Out/Blowback card, a player can take 3 francs from the house.

Note: If there are not enough francs, then the player takes as many francs as possible.

Interrogate

By using an Interrogate/Blackmail card, or by paying 1 franc to the house, a player can interrogate an opponent.

The target player shuffles their identity card and any cards in hand under the table and hands the shuffled cards to the interrogator.

The active player takes the cards, secretly looks at one of them, shuffles the cards under the table, and returns them to the target player. In this way, the target player can not know what the interrogator has seen.

Note: It is possible to interrogate a player who has only one card (the identity card), in which case the interrogator is guaranteed to discover the target player's identity.

Blackmail

By using a Steal/Blackmail, or an Interrogate/Blackmail card, or by paying 2 francs to the house, a player can blackmail an opponent.

The target player may respond in one of three possible ways:

• Pay 2 francs to the active player.
• Defend against the blackmail by discarding a Cash Out/Blowback card.
• Decline to submit to the blackmail. In such a case, the blackmailer spreads an incriminating rumour, deflecting suspicion to the target player, and all of the following happen:
  1. The Suspicion token of the active player is turned to its "Cleared" side.
  2. The Suspicion token of the target player is turned to its "Suspect" side.
  3. The active player takes a random action or item (not the identity card) card from the target player.

5. Attempt a win

Attempt to end the game and win by revealing their identity and following the steps outlined in "End of the Game".

End of a Turn

After taking a turn, the active player's hand limit is checked. If "Suspect", a player may hold 1 action or item card. If "Cleared", a player may hold 2 action or item cards. Any excess cards are placed face up on the discard deck, in the order of the active player's choice.

Note: The Ace of Spades card may be discarded only if the player pays 2 francs to the house.

If, at this time, the draw deck is empty, immediately shuffle the discard deck. Each time the discarded cards have been shuffled represents one evening the players have spent in the Casino.

If a rule refers to the "second evening", that means after the discarded cards have been shuffled for the first time.

End of the Game

Note: If a player is eliminated in a failed attempt to win, any action and item cards held in hand are placed face up on the discard deck.

Agents: Never shaken, never stirred, they only care about the Mission.

To win, an agent must be "Cleared" and reveal a Microfilm.

Reveal all cards to determine which two players are allied and opposed to the lone player, then:

• If the agent was one of the allied players and revealed the Microfilm of the lone player, then both allied players win.
• If the agent was the lone player and revealed the Microfilm of either allied player, then the lone player wins.
• In any other case, the opposing agent(s) win.

Freelancers

Journalist: A bit of a nuisance, convinced there is a conspiracy, does not belong here.

To win, the journalist must be "Cleared", reveal a Microfilm, and name the agent who holds the identity card matching it.

The named agent gives their identity card face down to the journalist, who checks to confirm the claim and if correct reveals it to win the game. If incorrect, the journalist returns the identity card and is eliminated from the game, which continues.

Hitman: Only leaves two things behind: an Ace of Spades and a lifeless body.

To win, the hitman must be "Cleared" and name the opponent who holds the Ace of Spades in hand.

The named player gives all cards held in hand to the hitman, who checks to confirm the presence of the card and if correct reveals it to win the game. If incorrect, the hitman returns the card(s) and is eliminated from the game, which continues.

Information Broker: Has everything you could possibly need, or knows where to get it.

To win, the information broker must be "Cleared" and, during or after the second evening (after the discard deck has been shuffled at least once), name the locations of both Alliance letters.

The possible locations are a player's hand (including the broker's), the draw deck, or the discard deck. The information broker does not need to specify which specific Alliance letter is in which location.

The information broker checks the cards in those two named locations and if correct reveals them to win the game. If incorrect, the information broker is eliminated from the game, which continues.

Interpol Officer: Tough, cool, immune to one-liners.

To win, the Interpol officer must be "Cleared" and, during or after the second evening (after the discard deck has been shuffled at least once), name a player to be arrested.

The target player must be "Suspect" and hold one of the five bloodstained action cards in hand.

The named player gives all cards held in hand to the Interpol officer, who checks to confirm the presence of the card and if correct reveals it to win the game. If incorrect, the Interpol officer is eliminated from the game, which continues.

[microfilms] for 2 Players: The Croupier

Hang on tightly. Let go lightly.

Two agents step up to the table. This is not your average Chemin de Fer. There's something funny about that croupier – it does not seem that he is merely dealing the cards and directing the game. It looks like he also has something to bet, something to win.

In The Croupier, two agents compete in a battle of wits, bets and guts with the house. This is one of the Ambassador's favourite tests, putting two punters to the test against one of his best henchmen, who plays the part of the neutral Croupier – except he may not be so neutral – as the Alliance letters again determine whether he will be allied with one of the two players, or whether the two players are allied with each other. To up the stakes, each of the agents also has another, hidden agenda.

Will the agents outsmart each other and the Croupier? Or will they lose to the Ambassador's man?

Setup

• Remove the hitman identity and the Ace of Spades item from the game and place them back in the box.
• Shuffle 3 agent identities and deal 1 to each player. Put the 3rd identity aside; it will be the Croupier's identity.
• Give 1 of the other identity cards (journalist, information broker, Interpol officer) to each player (not to the Croupier); remove the rest from the game.
• Place a Suspicion token, with the "Suspect" side up, on the back of the Croupier's identity to mark that card. Both players place their Suspicion tokens in front of them with the "Suspect" side up.
• Set up and distribute the action and item cards as in the standard game. The Croupier does not receive a starting card or franc. Determine the starting player as normal.

Rules of Play

Play proceeds as in the game with 3 or more players, beginning with the starting player.

Note: When a player is interrogated, both identity cards are shuffled with the action and item cards in hand.

After each player's turn, the Croupier takes his turn. He will:

• Draw 1 card if he has 0 or 1 cards.

OR

• Take 1 franc and flip his Suspicion marker to "Cleared" if he has 2 or more cards, then randomly discard 1 card if he has 3 cards.

The Croupier will always accept a Bribe and will never defend against a Blackmail. When interrogated, do not shuffle his identity with his action and item cards; thus, the interrogator will see only one of these cards and not the Croupier's identity. He may not be interrogated if he has no action or item cards.

End of the Game

Refer to the "End of the Game" rules for the game with 3 or more players. In addition, the following rules apply:

• If the Croupier collects 10 francs, both players lose.
• Players can win with either one of their identities. If a player is unsuccessful in an attempt to win, the other player immediately wins.
• It is possible that the two players are allied. In this case, it is possible to win together or lose together.
• The Croupier may be a target of the journalist and the Interpol officer.
• The Croupier's hand may be named by the information broker as one of the possible locations for an Alliance letter.
• The Microfilm matching the journalist's agent identity may not be revealed by the journalist when attempting to win.
• A player may also attempt to win by revealing the other player's Microfilm from the Croupier's hand and claiming to be allied with the Croupier, who must be "Cleared". Reveal all cards to determine which two players are allied. The player wins if they were indeed allied with the Croupier and revealed the Microfilm of the opposing player. Both players lose and the Croupier wins if they did not realize that they were allied with each other and one of their Microfilms is revealed. In any other case, the opposing player wins.

Identities Reference

• Agents (China, UK, USA, USSR): Reveal enemy Microfilm.
• Journalist: Reveal any Microfilm and name its owner.
• Hitman: Name another player who is holding the Ace of Spades.
• Information Broker: During the second evening or later, name the locations of the Alliance cards.
• Interpol Officer: During the second evening or later, arrest a Suspect player who is holding a bloodstained card.

Notes on This Transcription

• The printed rulebook spells "which" as "whicb" in the Goal section; it is transcribed here as "which" (typo fix).
• The printed rulebook's Croupier section and the Identities Reference are reproduced as printed; the Identities Reference page carries card images that are not reproduced.
• The "Credits" block (designers, illustrators, graphic designers, playtesters, acknowledgments and the copyright/contact footer) is omitted per house rules.