Middle Empire
Middle Empire Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Number of players
Middle Empire can be played with 2, 3, or 4 people.
Game overview
The players pick cards from the stacks of cards turn by turn. By picking and playing various cards, each player can construct, defend, and attack to earn points.
Setting up the game
Select a color from the 4 bags of game pieces. Each bag contains:
- 4 Empire pieces
- 9 Stronghold pieces
- 10 road pieces
There are also 6 City Wall pieces which can be used by any player and are not specific to a color.
First, shuffle the Construction, Defense, and Attack cards separately. Before game play starts, deal each player 3 Construction cards, 1 Defense card, and 1 Attack card for his beginning hand of cards. Each player keeps his cards hidden in his hand. Place the remaining Construction, Defense, and Attack cards into 3 stacks face down in the named space for each stack (i.e. Construction cards go in "Construction Card Stack") at the bottom of the game board. Youngest player can decide who starts the game.
Turn overview
At the beginning of each player's turn, he may choose to pick 2 cards of his choice from the below selections. The player may pick up one card, look at it first then decide which type of card to pick next.
- 2 Construction cards, or
- 2 Defense cards, or
- 2 Attack cards, or
- 1 Construction card and 1 Defense card, or
- 1 Construction card and 1 Attack card, or
- 1 Defense and 1 Attack card.
Only 3 cards may be played during each player's turn. A player may choose to play 0, 1, 2, or 3 cards per turn.
Player can ONLY play up to 1 card of each type (Construction, Defense, Attack) during his turn.
A maximum of 7 cards may be held in each player's hand at the end of his turn. If player is holding more than 7 cards at the end of his turn, the player may choose from his hand of cards which cards to discard to get to the 7 card maximum. Discarded cards are not shown to other players and placed face down under the appropriate "card stack" at the bottom of the game board.
Stronghold construction
With Construction cards, you can increase your possibility of winning the game. If the named space is not already occupied, you may place only 1 Stronghold piece on the corresponding location on the game board. After placing your Stronghold piece on the game board, place the Construction card face up in the "Construction Discard Pile" space at the bottom of the board. There are also two wild card type Construction cards, see the "Construction card description" section.
Stronghold and Empire pieces are placed in the named colored areas for the associated space on the game board and roads are placed in the road pathways.
Empire construction
You may only construct an Empire by upgrading one of your existing Strongholds that is already placed on the game board. An Empire is formed when you play the second named Construction card to one of your existing Strongholds. To build an Empire, the player plays a second Stronghold from a Construction card for a location on the game board he already possesses (for example 2 Ethiopia Strongholds) or if you have successfully attacked an opponent you can build in your new Stronghold position (See "Attack Opponent" and "Double Attack" card descriptions for more detail on attacking opponents). When you upgrade your Stronghold to an Empire, replace the Stronghold piece with the Empire piece and discard the Stronghold Construction card by placing it face up in the "Construction Discard Pile". An Empire is one point toward winning the game.
Winning the game
To win the game you need 3 or 4 Empires, depending on the number of players as shown in the chart:
| Players | Empires to win |
|---|---|
| 2 players | 4 Empires to win |
| 3 players | 3 Empires to win |
| 4 players | 3 Empires to win |
Note: Once you have built the winning number of Empires, you need to protect them from being attacked for one full cycle of turns of everyone in the game before you are declared the winner. For example, if 3 people are playing and at the end of your turn you have built your third Empire giving you 3 Empires to win, you have to protect your 3 Empires until it is your turn again.
Construction card description
In the Construction card stack, there are 2 Stronghold cards for each named space on the game board (for example 2 Ethiopia Strongholds). In addition, there are 2 wild Construction cards which are described below:
Wild construction card description
"Build any Stronghold" card (1). With this card, a Stronghold may be built on an empty space on the game board OR used to upgrade one of your existing Strongholds to an Empire.
"Upgrade Any Stronghold" card (1) – this card may ONLY be used to upgrade one of your existing Strongholds on the game board, to an Empire. It can NOT be used to place a new Stronghold in an empty space on the game board.
Defense cards description
"Build a Road" cards (12) – these cards can be used to build a road from a Stronghold, Empire, or Empire with a City Wall that you have already placed on the game board. When placing your roads, it must be connected to one of your Strongholds, Empires, or Empire with a City Wall and cannot be arbitrarily placed on the game board. To attack another player, you need your road connected to an opponent's Stronghold, Empire, or Empire with a City Wall.
Note: Only one road can be placed in a roadway. If another player has their road in the roadway, you must remove it with a "Remove Road" card before placing your own road.
"Defend Against Attack" cards (10) – these cards are played when someone is trying to attack your Stronghold, Empire, or Empire with a City Wall. If the attacker uses an "Attack Opponent" or "Double Attack" card during their turn, the defender can play a "Defend Against Attack" card(s) to stop the attack, regardless of whose turn it is. When the "Defend Against Attack" card is played, it must be discarded face up in the "Defense Discard Pile". "Defend Against Attack" cards thwart "Attack Opponent" and can stop a "Double Attack" card but 2 "Defend Against Attack" cards must be played to fully stop a "Double Attack".
Note: A "Defend Against Attack" card may not be used against a "Remove Road" card.
"Pick 2 More Cards" (10) – these cards allow you to pick two more cards, from the card stacks, of your choice during your turn. When the card is played, the player can pick one card, look at it then decide what other type of card he wants to select. Keep in mind, you can only hold 7 cards in your hand. Cards in player's hand in excess of 7 cards must be discarded at the player's choice, at the end of his turn. Discarded cards are placed face down under the appropriate card stack, not shown to the other players or put in the discard pile.
"City Wall" cards (5) – these cards can ONLY be played when you have an Empire on the game board. When the City Wall card is played, place the City Wall piece under your Empire. Only 1 City Wall may be played per Empire on the game board. A City Wall card must be played on that player's turn and MAY NOT be used as a "Defend Against Attack" card if your Empire is being attacked by an opponent. A City Wall may not be placed under a Stronghold. City Walls provide an extra layer of defense from an attack. The City Wall must be destroyed before the Empire can be attacked. For example, an attacker using an "Attack Opponent" card against an Empire with a City Wall, if the attack is successful, it would only destroy the City Wall.
Attack cards description
"Remove Road" cards (6) – these cards can be used to remove another player's road from the game board OR to move one of your own roads to another place on the game board.
Note: If you decide to move your own road: You can only move an existing road on the game board and connect it to one of your Strongholds or Empires in an open roadway.
"Attack an Opponent" cards (12) – these cards can only be used when you have your road connected to an opponent's Stronghold, Empire, or Empire with a City Wall. If the "Attack Opponent" card is played and the defender plays a "Defend Against Attack" card, the attack is unsuccessful and the defender keeps his placement on the game board. If the attack is against a Stronghold or Empire and is successful, when the defender does not play a "Defend Against Attack" card, the defender removes his Stronghold or Empire and the attacker places a Stronghold of his color in its place.
Note: If the attack is against an Empire with a City Wall and the attack is successful, the City Wall is removed, but the defender's Empire remains. To destroy the Empire you need another "Attack Opponent" card to be played in the next turn and be successful at the attack.
"Double Attack" cards (2) – these cards may only be used when you have your road connected to an opponent's Stronghold, Empire, or Empire with a City Wall. This card is the equivalent of two "Attack Opponent" cards played during one turn. When using the "Double Attack" card, you can attack the same opponent twice OR attack one opponent once and a different opponent once. The attacker must declare if there are two attacks in one location or a split attack in two different locations. If the defender uses a "Defend Against Attack" card on both of the two attacks, the attack is unsuccessful. If the attack is against a Stronghold or Empire and is successful, the defender removes his Stronghold or Empire and the attacker places his Stronghold in its place.
Note: If a "Double Attack" card is used against an Empire with a City Wall, the City Wall has to be successfully destroyed before the Empire can be attacked. If the defender plays 1 "Defend Against Attack" card, the City Wall is destroyed by the "Double Attack" and the Empire remains. A player may be able to place 2 of his Strongholds on new spaces if he has 2 successful attacks in different locations.
Reshuffling the card stacks
When a card stack is exhausted, reshuffle the discarded cards and place them in their appropriate card stack
Variation
All of the rules from the Basic Game apply except the changes which are detailed below:
In the variation, roads become generic and are not specific to any player.
When a player uses a "Build a Road" card, it may be placed on the game board, connected to ANY player's Stronghold, Empire, or Empire with a City Wall. If the road is connecting one player's Stronghold, Empire, or Empire with a City Wall to another player's position on the board, the road can be used to attack the other player, regardless of who built the road. While the road is connecting the two players, the conduit is open for attack from either player.
The "Remove Road" card can be used to remove any road on the game board OR it may be used to move any road on the game board to another position, connected to any Stronghold, Empire, or Empire with a City Wall.