Parthenon: Rise of the Aegean Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Overview
• Object of the Game
• The Cards
  • Basic Commodities
  • Rare Commodities
  • Gold Commodities
  • Aegis Cards
  • Fleet Cards & Fleet Counters
  • Philosophy Cards
  • Polis Structures
  • Acropolis Structures
  • Great Wonder Plans & Cards
  • Event Cards
  • Hazard Cards
  • Harbor Status Cards
  • Archon Cards & Archon Counter
  • Phase Reference Cards
  • Island Cards
• The Map
• Set-Up
  • Example of Individual Playing Area (Midgame)
  • Map Board Set-Up
  • 4 - 5 Player Games
• Beginner Game
  • Reference Guides
• Playing the Game
  • 1. Event Phase
  • 2. Production Phase
  • 3. Island Trade Phase
  • 4. Journey Phase
  • 5. Hazard Phase
    • Using Aegis Cards
  • 6. Fleet Trade Phase
    • Shortages & Surpluses
  • 7. Return Phase
  • 8. Build Phase
    • Using Acropolis Structures
    • Academies & Philosophies
    • Building Fleets
    • Erecting Wonders
  • 9. Discard Phase
  • 10. Archon Phase
• Ending the Year
• Winning the Game
• Variants
  • Delian League Variant
  • Tournament Variant
• Credits

Overview

Each player represents a different island in the Aegean Sea. At the start of the game, each player receives an Island Card that details the types of villages he begins with, as well as the villages and workshops his island is capable of producing. At the pinnacle of each island stands the Acropolis, the central high place where advanced structures such as fortresses, shrines, and academies are built. The Acropolis is also the site of two Great Wonders which mark the ultimate achievement for any island capable of building them.

The game takes place over the course of three years, each consisting of four separate turns, or seasons. Each season is broken up into ten phases, each of which is played simultaneously by all the players. Once the last season of the third year is complete, the game ends. The player who has built the most structures on his or her island wins the game!

Object of the Game

The object of the game is to be the first player to complete all of the Structures on his Island (including the two Great Wonders). If no player finishes building his Island's Structures by the end of the third Year, the Island with the most Structures wins the game!

The Cards

There are over 400 cards that help recreate the players' experiences in the diverse Mediterranean World of 600 B.C. What follows is a brief description of each of the different card types.

Basic Commodities

Each Village in the Aegean Sea is devoted to producing a different Basic Commodity. These Commodities are represented by Commodity Cards which the players store face down beside their Island Cards. There are six different Basic Commodities.

Rare Commodities

Each Workshop produces a special Rare Commodity which is highly valued throughout the Mediterranean World. There are three different Rare Commodities produced by the Aegean Islands, plus one special Rare Commodity, Papyrus, which is only produced in the Land of Egypt.

Gold Commodities

Gold Commodities are normally received as the result of trades at Neighboring and Foreign Lands, although an Island that builds a Marketplace can produce Gold Commodities on its own.

Aegis Cards

Aegis Cards protect your Fleets and your Commodities both at home and abroad. The Gift of Poseidon can be built at a Shrine. Armies are built at Fortresses, although they may also be purchased in Italy. Warships are built at Great Harbors, although they may also be purchased in Carthage.

Fleet Cards & Fleet Counters

Each Island begins the game with one Fleet Card (Fleet A), which is used to carry its Commodities and Aegis Cards to Neighboring and Foreign Lands outside of the Aegean Sea. During the course of the game, Islands can purchase more Fleets to increase their options during these journeys. Each Fleet is represented on the Mediterranean World Map by its corresponding Fleet Counter.

Philosophy Cards

Each Island that builds an Academy automatically adopts its own Philosophy, which grants that Island unique capabilities. Islands with Academies can then spend Gold to adopt one another's Philosophies, thereby expanding their options even further.

Polis Structures

There are two different types of Polis Structures: Villages and Workshops. Polis Structures produce Commodities for their respective Islands every turn of the game. Each Island begins the game with two different Villages and can build four more at various costs, as specified on its Island Card. Each Island can also build two Workshops. Each Workshop costs 6 different Basic Commodities (1 of each kind). The types of Villages and Workshops that can be built on each Island are listed on its individual Island Card, and are included in each Island's Build Deck (a deck of specialized cards that contains all the Structures and Fleets that Island is capable of building during the game). The Commodities produced by each Polis Structure are illustrated on the Structure's lower left side, which remains visible when the Structure Cards are stacked during the game.

Acropolis Structures

There are six different Acropolis Structures, each with a unique cost and special ability. The Fortress, Shrine, and Great Harbor allow you to build an Aegis Card for a specified cost. The Marketplace allows you to trade at home for Gold Commodities. The Academy allows your Island to adopt a unique Philosophy (and to adopt the Philosophies of other Academies). The Treasury allows you to store a greater number of cards on your Island from Season to Season.

Great Wonder Plans & Cards

The first time an Island's Fleet visits the Land of Athens, that Island receives a random Great Wonder Plans for free. That Island can then purchase a second set of Great Wonder Plans at Athens for a cost of 1 Gold Commodity. Each Island may receive no more than two Great Wonder Plans during the course of the game.

Each Great Wonder Plans details the initial cost for building a Wonder desired by the people of the Mediterranean World. After paying these costs, the player replaces the Plans with the "Partial Construction" side of the corresponding Great Wonder Card. After the additional costs detailed on the "Partial Construction" side are paid, the card is flipped face up as a completed Great Wonder, which confers a unique special ability upon the Island that builds it.

Event Cards

At the start of each Year, four random Event Cards are placed face down beside the Map (one for each Season). At the start of each Season, a new Event Card is flipped face up. Every face up Event continues to affect the Islands for the remainder of the current Year.

Hazard Cards

Fleets journeying to Neighboring Lands (Athens, Sparta, and Ionia) must face one Hazard Card drawn from the Hazard Deck. Fleets journeying to Foreign Lands (Egypt, Carthage, and Italy) face two Hazard Cards. Many of the Hazard Cards represent a Safe Journey which allows the Fleets to pass unimpeded toward their destinations. Many others, however, present difficult obstacles such as Storms and Pirates that make journeying on the high seas perilous.

Harbor Status Cards

Each of the six Lands that can be visited by the Fleets possesses a hidden Harbor Status Card that changes from Year to Year. These cards can alter or impede trades conducted at these Lands.

Archon Cards & Archon Counter

Each Season, the players elect one Island to represent them as Archon. The Archon is responsible for making difficult decisions during the game, such as choosing the order that the Event Cards take place during the Event Phase, as well as solving disputes regarding the order of action during other phases. Because the Archon must also decide which Islands are hit hardest by key Event Cards, it is likely that the players will elect the Island that is the least developed so that the most powerful Islands will bear the brunt of the most difficult circumstances. The Archon can even be given "donations" to help sway his decisions. Each Island has its own individual Archon Card which is used to determine who is Archon whenever the number of votes is tied (see Archon Phase below). The current ruling Archon is distinguished by a stand-up Archon Counter, which can be replaced with a fun prop such as a laurel or statue if the players agree.

Phase Reference Cards

Every Island possesses its own Build Deck, which contains all of the Structures and Fleets that Island is capable of building throughout the game (except for its Great Wonders, which will vary from game to game). Each Island's Build Deck also contains a Phase Reference Card which lists the ten phases that occur every Season. All players participate concurrently in all of the game's phases.

Island Cards

Each Island is represented by its own Island Card. Three of the Islands (Chios, Crete, and Rhodes) are used every time the game is played, so they include the Olympic Torch next to their Island name.

Each Island Card lists the costs for building each of its Structures, as well as the costs for receiving its first and subsequent Great Wonder Plans at Athens.

The Island Card also details what types of Villages the Island starts with, as well as the types of Villages and Workshops that the Island is capable of building during the game. Each Island's Build Deck reflects this information and contains only the types of Villages and Workshops that can be built on each particular Island.

The two Acropolis Structures identified as "Alternate" indicate a choice of alternate Structures that can be built in place of one (and only one) of the other Acropolis buildings if the player so chooses.

The bottom section of the Island Card details the trade values at Neighboring and Foreign Lands. This is an essential reference tool when conducting trades at these Lands.

Below is the Chios Island Card in full, reproduced as a worked example of the information every Island Card carries.

CHIOS

POLIS	Wool Village	Olive Village	Wool Village	Wool Village	Olive Village	Ore Village
	Starting Village	Starting Village	Cost 1 Basic	Cost 1 Basic	Cost 2 Basic (no duplicates)	Cost 3 Basic (no duplicates)

**Great Wonder Plans are only available at Athens.

WONDERS	1st Plans	2nd Plans	Pottery Workshop	Pottery Workshop	Alternate Marketplace	Alternate Shrine
	Cost Free	Cost 1 Gold	Cost 6 Basic (1 of each)	Cost 6 Basic (1 of each)	Cost 1 Pottery, 1 Gold	Cost 1 Spices, 1 Gold

ACROPOLIS	Marketplace	Shrine	Academy	Great Harbor	Treasury	Fortress
	Cost 1 Pottery, 1 Gold	Cost 1 Spices, 1 Gold	Cost 1 Papyrus, 1 Gold	Cost 2 Gold	Cost 3 Rare (no duplicates)	Cost 1 Tools, 1 Gold

Neighboring Lands (Athens, Sparta, Ionia)

Commodity class	Trade	For
Basic Commodities	2 Basic	1 Basic
	4 Basic	1 Gold
	8 Basic	1 Rare
Rare Commodities	1 Rare	2 Basic
	2 Rare	1 Gold
	4 Rare	1 Rare
Gold Commodities	1 Gold	2 Basic
	4 Gold	1 Rare
	(Athens**) 1 Gold	1 Plans

Foreign Lands (Egypt, Carthage, Italy)

Commodity class	Trade	For
Basic Commodities	1 Basic	1 Basic
	2 Basic	1 Gold
	4 Basic	1 Rare
Rare Commodities (Papyrus Egypt only)	1 Rare	2 Basic
	1 Rare	1 Gold
	2 Rare	1 Rare
Gold Commodities	1 Gold	2 Basic
	2 Gold	1 Rare
	(Italy*) 1 Gold	1 Army
	(Carthage*) 1 Gold	1 Warship

* Armies are only available at Italy. Warships are only available at Carthage.

The Map

The Map Board details the six Aegean Islands represented by the players, as well as the six Lands that the players can visit during the course of the game.

Three of those Lands (Athens, Sparta, and Ionia) border the Aegean Sea and are therefore called Neighboring Lands. The other three Lands (Egypt, Carthage, and Italy) require travel across the Mediterranean Sea and are therefore called Foreign Lands.

Each Land that can be visited by the Islands' Fleets includes a space for its respective Harbor Status Card. At the start of the game, a Harbor Status Card is placed face down beside each Land. Fleets visiting a particular Land can choose to reveal the Land's Harbor Status Card in order to trade there.

Journeys to Foreign Lands are more perilous than journeys to Neighboring Lands. Therefore, Fleets traveling to Foreign Lands must draw two Hazard Cards, while those traveling to Neighboring Lands only draw one Hazard Card (see Hazard Phase below).

Some unique opportunities are only available at particular Lands. For example, players seeking to acquire Great Wonder Plans must visit Athens. Players who need Papyrus (used to build Academies) must visit Egypt. Players looking to purchase Armies (rather than building them at a Fortress) must visit Italy. Those wishing to purchase Warships (rather than building them at a Great Harbor) must visit Carthage.

Set-Up

1. Place the Map Board in the center of the playing area.

2. Separate all the Commodity Cards and Aegis Cards by specific type and stack them into face up piles beside the main playing area, within easy reach of all the players.

3. Shuffle the Great Wonder Plans into a face down pile, and place the other Great Wonder Cards in a pile beside the Plans with their "Partial Construction" sides face up.

4. Place the Philosophy Cards beside the main playing area in a face up pile called the Philosophy Deck. Separate the cards in the Philosophy Deck by Philosophy type.

5. If six players are participating, shuffle all six Island Cards face down (i.e., with the Guide showing face up) and proceed to step 9.

6. Select the three Island Cards that have the Olympic Torch in their card title. If only three players are participating, shuffle these three Island Cards face down and proceed to step 8.

7. If four or five players are participating, place the three Island Cards that have the Olympic Torch off to one side. Next, shuffle the Island Cards that do not have the Olympic Torch and randomly select one for each player over three that is participating. Shuffle these randomly selected Island Cards together with the three Island Cards that bear the Olympic Torch and proceed to step 8.

8. Any Island Cards that have not been selected during this process are placed back in the box, along with their corresponding Fleet Counters and Build Decks.

9. Deal one Island Card randomly to each player. Each player places her Island Card face up on the table in front of her. Each player then receives her Island's corresponding Fleet Counters and Build Deck.

10. Each player removes his Fleet A Card from his Build Deck and places it face up to the left of his Island Card. Each player also inserts his Fleet A Counter into its plastic base and places the counter on top of his Fleet A Card.

11. Each player removes the two Villages marked as Starting Villages from her Build Deck and places the Villages face up to the right of her Island Card, with one stacked on top of the other so that the bottom Village only has its left edge showing (see the Example of Individual Playing Area below).

12. Shuffle the Archon Cards (one from each player's Build Deck), and randomly select one of them. The Island owning that Archon Card is the game's starting Archon. Insert the Archon Counter into its plastic base and give the Archon Counter to the starting Archon. Return the players' respective Archon Cards to them for use later in the game.

13. Each player places his Phase Reference Card face up on the table beside his other cards, and places the remaining cards in his Build Deck face down in a pile near his Island Card. Players may refer to the cards in their Build Decks at any time during the game.

Example of Individual Playing Area (Midgame)

Each player's tableau, once the game is underway, is laid out as follows: the Phase Reference Card and Build Deck sit to one side; the Fleet Card(s) and their matching Fleet Counter(s) sit beside them; the Island Card (see the Chios example above) sits in the center with the completed Polis Structures built above it and the completed Acropolis Structures built to its side; and the player's Commodity Cards, Aegis Cards, and any Wonder Plans are kept face down or face up nearby as appropriate.

15. Shuffle the Harbor Status Cards and place one face down on each empty space on the Mediterranean World Map. Place the remaining Harbor Status Cards face down in a pile beside the Map. Shuffle the Hazard Deck and place it face down near the Harbor Status Deck. Leave space for a separate discard pile for each deck. The Hazard and Harbor Status Decks can be placed away from the main playing area if the players prefer.

Map Board Set-Up

The Map Board is placed with the four dealt Year 1 Events beside it, the face-down Harbor Status Cards beside each Land, and the Harbor Status Deck and Hazard Deck placed off to the side with room for a discard pile for each.

4 - 5 Player Games

In a 3 or 6 player game, you are now ready to begin. In a 4 or 5 player game, certain Islands are given bonus cards:

4-Player Parthenon

• The Island Card that does not possess the Olympic Torch is called the Bonus Island.
• The Bonus Island begins the game with 1 Army.
• The Island which has the same Starting Villages as the Bonus Island receives 1 Gift of Poseidon.
• The Island whose Workshops produce the same Rare Commodity as the Bonus Island receives 1 Gift of Poseidon.
• The fourth Island receives no bonus cards.

5-Player Parthenon

• The Island whose Workshops produce a unique Rare Commodity (a Rare Commodity not produced by any other Islands' Workshops) receives no bonus cards.
• The other 4 Islands each receive 1 Gift of Poseidon.

Each Island that receives a bonus Aegis Card places it face up below its Island Card (see the Example of Individual Playing Area above).

Beginner Game

Players will discover over the course of time that one of the most enjoyable aspects of Parthenon: Rise of the Aegean is that every game presents a different experience. In certain games, the Events will be generally positive, and the Islands will race to see who can best take advantage of the beneficial circumstances. In other games, the opposite will occur, and the Islands will strive to persevere in the face of great adversity. Still other games will tend to have an even mix of positive and negative Events.

We suggest that players use their first game of Parthenon as a way to learn the game without meeting up with the most challenging surprises the game has to offer. We therefore recommend that the following three Events be removed from the Event Decks before Set-up begins:

• Year One: Unskilled Labor
• Year Two: Persian Tribute
• Year Three: Persian War

After playing their first game, the players should add these Events back into their respective decks in order to enjoy the full Parthenon experience.

Reference Guides

New players should take advantage of the Reference Guides which have been included in the game. These Reference Guides include:

Structure Guide: On the back of each Island Card is a Structure Guide which summarizes the benefits gained by building the six Acropolis Structures. This Guide is an indispensible aid in helping new players plan out their strategies without having to continuously sift through their Build Decks. Also included on this Guide is a summary of the different Aegis Cards.

Harbor Status Guides: The Map Board contains helpful reminders about each of the different Lands which the players can visit during the game. These Harbor Status Guides can be found beneath each Land's Harbor Status Card. Players should feel free to lift up a Land's Harbor Status Card (without looking at or revealing the card itself) to find hints on the Map Board regarding the number of Hazard Cards which are drawn when visiting that Land, and to discover what unique items can be acquired there.

Playing the Game

Each Season of the game is separated into 10 phases that are played concurrently by all the players. Unlike many board games, the players do not take their own individual turns because most of the players' actions in each phase take place simultaneously. Sometimes the players will want to avoid acting during a particular phase until after they see what their opponents do during that phase. Other times, players will want to act or trade first during a particular phase. If players are unable to resolve a dispute regarding the order of play, the ruling Archon settles the matter by choosing the order in which the players act during that phase.

1. Event Phase

During the Event Phase, the Archon flips the next Event Card face up. During the first Season of the Year, the Event Card furthest to the left is flipped face up. During each subsequent Season of the Year, the next Event Card in sequential order is flipped face up.

The instructions for each and every face up Event Card are carried out during the Event Phase. In this way, Events flipped up early in the Year will have repeated effects over the course of several Seasons, whereas Events flipped up late in the Year will have only a brief impact on the game. After the new Event Card is flipped face up, the Archon decides the order in which the various face up Event Cards are activated during this phase.

In the example below, the "Persian Tribute" Event is the first Event flipped over in Year 2. "Persian Tribute" will take effect during every Event Phase of that Year.

At the start of the next Season, the "Merchant Ships" Event is flipped over. The Archon must now decide the order in which these two Events will transpire during this phase.

By the end of the Year, all four Event Cards will be face up. When this occurs, the current Archon must decide the order in which all four Event Cards will be carried out during the Event Phase.

In addition to determining the order that the face up Events' instructions are carried out, the Archon is sometimes required to determine the exact effects of the Event Cards. Players should feel free to negotiate with the Archon during this phase, offering him special gifts or privileges during the remainder of the Season in exchange for deciding in a particular manner. Although the players are not required by the game rules to follow through on these pledges, they should be careful not to taint their reputation among the other players.

Players are also permitted during the Event Phase to make immediate "donations" in the form of Commodities or Aegis Cards to the Archon to persuade him to a particular course of action. These donations are immediately received by the Archon. Once the Archon receives the donations, however, he is not required by the game rules to follow through with his promises. Of course, he should also be mindful of his own future reputation.

At the end of the first Year, the Event Cards are removed from play and four Year 2 Events are randomly dealt face down as in the set-up for the first Year. The same action occurs at the end of the second Year, with four Year 3 Events randomly dealt face down for the final Year of the game.

2. Production Phase

During the Production Phase, each Village and Workshop in the game simultaneously produces its particular Commodity, as indicated on the main area of its card and by the icon on its lower left side. The players who own the respective Villages and Workshops receive 1 Commodity Card for each Commodity produced. In the example below, an Island with 2 Wool Villages and 1 Grain Village receives 2 Wool Commodities and 1 Grain Commodity. Should a particular Commodity Card ever run out, players may use placeholders to represent those Commodities.

Islands that possess Armies can increase the production of their Villages. For each Army that an Island possesses during the Production Phase, one Village can be selected to produce two of its Commodity instead of one. However, no more than one Army can be assigned to the same Village during the same Season, and Armies cannot be assigned to Workshops or any other Structures in this manner. It is important to note that Armies used to increase Village production are permitted to board Fleets later during the same Season.

Once a player has finished producing Commodities during the Production Phase, he adds them to the hand of Commodity Cards he has saved from previous turns. This hand consists of all the Island's stored up Commodities (Basic, Rare, and Gold). When not held, these Commodities are generally kept in a face down pile near the player's Island Card (see the Example of Individual Playing Area under Set-Up).

3. Island Trade Phase

In order to acquire the resources necessary to build the Structures on their Islands, the players will need to trade their Commodities with each other during the Island Trade Phase, and with distant Lands during the Fleet Trade Phase. During the Island Trade Phase, the players are permitted to trade Commodity Cards and Aegis Cards with each other as much as they see fit. They are not allowed to trade Philosophies, Wonder Plans, Structures, Fleets, or any other types of cards.

Keep in mind that it is possible for certain Commodities to have higher values than others based on the circumstances of the game. For example, during the "Drought" Event, Grapes are given extra importance for the survival of the Islands. In all circumstances of Island Trading, players are allowed to fix any trade values they wish, and are never required to trade with the other Islands. The benefit of trading with the other Islands, of course, is that there are no Hazard or Harbor Status Cards involved, so a player who sets up reliable trades with the other Islands is able to avoid a great deal of risk.

Important Note: Sometimes players need to perform certain actions on their cards "at the start of the Island Trade Phase." Island Trade does not begin until all players have a chance to perform these actions (such as paying for certain Great Wonders). Each player may perform multiple "start of the Island Phase" actions during the same turn.

4. Journey Phase

During the Journey Phase, players place Commodity Cards and Aegis Cards face down beneath their Fleet Cards, and place the Fleets' corresponding Fleet Counters on the Map Board. This allows the Islands to ship their Commodities abroad in order to secure fixed trades at Neighboring and Foreign Lands during the Fleet Trade Phase (see below).

Each Fleet can have a Cargo of up to 6 cards. These 6 cards can be a mix of Commodities and Aegis Cards (which can protect the Commodities), as long as a total Cargo of 6 cards per Fleet is not exceeded. Once the players have placed cards face down beneath their Fleet Cards, they place the Fleets' corresponding Fleet Counters on the Map beside the Lands they wish to visit. A player may choose to send more than 1 Fleet to the same Land if she wishes. However, a Fleet may not journey abroad unless it contains a Cargo of at least 1 card (Commodity or Aegis).

Trips to Neighboring Lands (Athens, Sparta, and Ionia) are less perilous than those to Foreign Lands (Egypt, Carthage, and Italy). However, the trade values at Foreign Lands are much stronger and may be worth the risk depending upon the circumstances of the game and the players' current strategies.

Because some Storm Hazards target the Fleet (or Fleets) with the most Cargo, some players will want to know how much Cargo their opponents are sending out before deciding on their own Fleets. In such a case, the Archon decides the order that the Fleets must be launched.

Strategy Tip: Fleets that hold a Cargo of more than 3 cards have a greater chance of suffering from Hazard Cards than other Fleets. This is also the case for Fleets carrying Rare or Gold Commodities. Fleets that possess 3 or fewer cards (especially if they do not possess Rare or Gold Commodities) are much more likely to arrive safely at their destinations.

5. Hazard Phase

During the Hazard Phase, the Archon draws Hazard Cards which affect all of the Fleets journeying to particular Lands. If there are any Fleets journeying to Neighboring Lands (Athens, Sparta, or Ionia), the Archon draws one Hazard Card which immediately affects all of those Fleets. Note that only one Hazard Card is drawn for all the Fleets journeying to Neighboring Lands (not one Hazard Card per Fleet, and not one Hazard Card per Land), and this Hazard Card affects all Fleets that are journeying to Neighboring Lands simultaneously.

If the Hazard Card drawn is a Safe Journey, then the Fleets sailing to those Lands make it there without impediment. Otherwise, the players owning those Fleets must obey the instructions on the Hazard Card. Keep in mind that many Hazard Cards share the same title (such as Storm or Pirates), even though they have different effects. Carefully read all of the instructions on each Hazard Card.

After drawing a Hazard Card for Fleets sailing to Neighboring Lands (if any), the Archon draws two Hazard Cards for Fleets sailing to Foreign Lands (Egypt, Carthage, or Italy). These Hazard Cards are drawn one at a time. Only after the first Hazard Card has had its full effect on all the applicable Fleets does the Archon draw a second Hazard Card for those Fleets. Regardless of whether or not the first Hazard Card is a Safe Journey, the Archon always draws a second Hazard Card for Fleets sailing to Foreign Lands.

Note that the Hazard Card drawn for Neighboring Lands is separate from the Hazard Cards drawn for Foreign Lands. If there are no Fleets journeying to a particular type of Land, however, no Hazard Cards are drawn for those Lands.

Using Aegis Cards

Aegis Cards loaded aboard Fleets can help players avoid difficult Hazards. A Fleet that reveals a Warship, for example, can avoid the effects of a Pirate Hazard Card. However, the Fleet is still considered to be journeying for the purposes of determining the Hazard Card's effects.

For example, assume there is one Fleet which possesses 2 Rare Commodities that is journeying to a Foreign Land, and another Fleet which possesses 3 Rare Commodities and a Warship that is also journeying to a Foreign Land. A Pirate Hazard is drawn that affects the Fleet "with the most Rare Commodities." The Fleet with the Warship has the most Rare Commodities but is immune to the effects of Pirate Hazard Cards. The fact that the Fleet holds more Rare Commodities than the other Fleet, however, indicates that the smaller Fleet is not affected by the Hazard Card either.

A Gift of Poseidon allows a Fleet to ignore the current Hazard Card and draw a new Hazard Card that only affects that Fleet. The Fleet discards the Gift from among its Cargo, and the Archon draws a new Hazard Card. Although the effects of this Hazard Card only affect the Fleet using the Gift of Poseidon, the other Fleets are still considered to exist for the purposes of determining the new Hazard Card's effects.

For example, assume that three Fleets are sailing to Neighboring Lands; two of the Fleets hold 6 cards each and one Fleet holds 4 cards. The Hazard Card drawn forces each Fleet to lose one random Commodity. The two Fleets with 6 Commodities each lose a random Commodity, but the third Fleet uses a Gift of Poseidon to protect itself. That Fleet's new Hazard Card states that "the Fleet with the most Cargo loses all of its cards." This Hazard Card only affects the Fleet that used the Gift, so the two bulky Fleets (now with 5 cards each) are not affected. However, because the Fleet that used the Gift holds fewer cards than the others traveling to Neighboring Lands, the smaller Fleet does not have "the most Cargo" and therefore does not lose its Commodities.

Important Note: Some Hazard Cards affect the Cargo of the Fleet (both the Commodities and the Aegis Cards), while others only affect the Commodities themselves. Be mindful of this distinction when following the instructions on the Hazard Cards.

6. Fleet Trade Phase

During the first part of the Fleet Trade Phase, Fleets that have journeyed to Lands discover what Harbor Status Cards exist at the ports they have sailed to (although if a Storm Hazard sent any Fleets back to their Islands, those Fleets cannot examine the Harbor Status Cards of their intended destinations).

Each Fleet that has journeyed to the same Land secretly looks at the Land's Harbor Status Card and announces whether he will "reveal" the card or "pass." If all the players who visited that Land pass, then the Harbor Status Card is returned face down and no trading is permitted at that Land this Season.

If at least one player decides to reveal the Harbor Status Card, then it is flipped face up and returned to its place for all to see. In this case, all players may trade there, regardless of whether they originally chose to reveal or pass. Only if all the players unanimously pass does the Harbor Status Card remain face down with no trading allowed. Note that if a Harbor Status Card remains face down, then no activity may be undertaken by the Fleets at that Land. The same rule applies to any Fleets that have been denied the ability to trade due to the effects of a Harbor Status Card.

For example, even though Athens bestows each Island's first Great Wonder Plans for free, if a Fleet facing a Harbor Status Card is blocked by a "Blockade" or refuses to pay the "Harbor Fees," then that Fleet may not receive its free Great Wonder Plans this turn.

Once a Harbor Status Card is flipped face up, it remains face up until the end of the current Year (see Ending the Year below). Therefore, Fleets that visit the same Land during the remainder of the Year automatically experience the same Harbor Status Card. Since it remains face up until the end of the Year, the card is automatically considered to be "revealed."

After revealing Harbor Status Cards, Fleets that are able to trade at a Land proceed to do so. To discover the worth of a Fleet's Commodities at a particular Land, consult the chart at the bottom of each player's Island Card (see the Chios example above). Each Fleet may trade in any Commodities listed on the left side of the Trade Arrow for its choice of the Commodities or other items listed on the right side of the Trade Arrow. Thus, a Fleet visiting a Neighboring Land can trade any 2 Basic Commodities to the "bank" for 1 Basic Commodity of its choice. It can also trade 4 Basic Commodities for 1 Gold Commodity, and so on. When trading in multiples of a particular class of Commodity (Basic, Rare, or Gold), it is not required for the Commodities either to be duplicates or to be distinct from one another. For example, when trading in 4 Basic Commodities for 1 Gold at a Neighboring Land, a player can trade in 4 Wool, or 3 Wool & 1 Ore, or any other combination of 4 Basic Commodities.

In general, Commodities are more valuable at Foreign Lands than at Neighboring Lands. For example, a Fleet at a Foreign Land can trade just 1 Basic Commodity for 1 other Basic Commodity of its choice.

Players are permitted to make any number of trades at the Lands they visit, as long as they follow the rules of that Land's Harbor Status Card.

For example, a Fleet arrives in Egypt (a Foreign Land) and reveals a "Harbor Fees" Harbor Status Card. The Fleet pays 1 Commodity as instructed by the Harbor Status Card in order to trade there. Thereafter, the Fleet trades 1 Rare Commodity for 1 Gold Commodity, and 2 Basic Commodities for another Gold Commodity. The Fleet can then spend its 2 newly acquired Gold Commodities to purchase a Papyrus Commodity during the same phase.

Shortages & Surpluses

Many of the Harbor Status Cards represent a Shortage or Surplus involving a particular Basic Commodity. These cards alter the value of the specified Commodity when bought or sold at that particular Land. Players may still trade other Commodities at that Land as normal.

As a rule, any Commodity represented at a Land by a particular Shortage or Surplus can only be bought and sold at the rates listed on the Harbor Status Card. The affected Commodities cannot be bought or sold at that Land using the regular trade values located at the bottom of each Island Card. Even if a player wishes to trade in the affected Commodity to purchase a different Commodity than that offered on the Shortage or Surplus card, the player must first trade in the Commodity as instructed on the Shortage or Surplus card and then use whatever Commodities were acquired from the first trade to make a second trade for the desired Commodity.

For example, let us assume there is an Olive Surplus at Italy. A Fleet traveling there happens to bring 2 Olive Commodities and 1 Wool Commodity. Because Olives may only be sold at Italy at the horrible rate of 4 Olive Commodities for 1 Basic Commodity, the 2 Olive Commodities cannot be sold at Italy by themselves.

As indicated further down on the Olive Surplus card, the Fleet could benefit from the Surplus by trading its Wool Commodity for 2 Olive Commodities. Now the Fleet can return home with 4 Olive Commodities. The best it could hope for from further trades would be to trade all 4 Olive Commodities for 1 other Basic Commodity, which under most circumstances would not be worth the trade.

Conversely, if there is an Olive Shortage at Italy, Olives can only be bought or sold there at a rate of 1 Gold Commodity per Olive Commodity. Fleets that bring Olives to a Shortage are able to exchange them for 1 Gold Commodity each, which could then be spent on other Basic Commodities (except for Olives) at the regular rate.

However, should a Fleet wish to purchase Olives during an Olive Shortage, the Fleet would have to pay 1 Gold Commodity for each Olive Commodity it wishes to purchase. For example, a Fleet arriving at Italy hoping to purchase Olives during an Olive Shortage could trade 2 other Basic Commodities for 1 Gold Commodity (according to the trade values at Foreign Lands) and then use that Gold Commodity to purchase an Olive Commodity.

7. Return Phase

During the Return Phase, all Fleets are required to return home to their respective Islands. All Fleets that possess more than 6 cards must discard the excess (since Fleets returning home are also limited to a Cargo of 6). If an Island sent more than one Fleet to the same Land, however, those Fleets are allowed to give excess cards to each other, if there is room.

It is important to note that Hazard Cards are not drawn during the Return Phase. All Commodities that remain beneath the Fleet Cards are simply returned to each player's hand. After all Fleets have unloaded their Cargo, all Fleet Counters are removed from the Map and placed back on top of their respective Fleet Cards (or placed on top of the Fleets' respective Islands on the Map Board, as preferred).

Important Note: Players are not allowed to leave any Commodity Cards beneath their Fleet Cards during the Return Phase. All Commodities must be added back to each Island's hand during every Return Phase. Unlike Commodity Cards, players can choose to leave Aegis Cards aboard their Fleets, or instead place them face up near their Island Cards. Regardless of where players choose to store their Aegis Cards, Aegis Cards can be redistributed at will during next Season's Journey Phase.

8. Build Phase

During the Build Phase, the players spend their Commodities to build new Structures, purchase additional Fleets, and erect Great Wonders. They also use their Acropolis Structures to create Aegis Cards and Gold Commodities. These actions may be taken in any order, so a player can build an Acropolis Structure and then use that Structure during the same phase. A player may build any number of Structures each Season.

The cost for each Structure is listed on each player's Island Card, as well as on the individual Structure Cards included in each Island's Build Deck. All Commodities used to pay for Structures or Aegis Cards are returned face up to the "bank" (that is, the face up Commodity Cards located beside the main playing area). All purchased Structure Cards are taken from the respective player's Build Deck and placed face up to the right of the player's Island Card (see the Example of Individual Playing Area under Set-Up). Players cannot build duplicates of their Acropolis Structures unless they are listed among their Island's Alternate Acropolis Structures. One Alternate Acropolis Structure can be built each game in lieu of one other Acropolis Structure (but no more than 6 total Acropolis Structures can be built per Island). Each Island can build only one Alternate Acropolis Structure per game.

Using Acropolis Structures

Players can spend Commodities during the Build Phase to build Aegis Cards and produce Gold Commodities from their completed Acropolis Structures, as defined in the text of the particular Acropolis Structures. These purchases may be made at any time and in any order during this phase.

For example, a player can build a Marketplace and then immediately use the Marketplace to trade 3 Basic Commodities (which that player's Villages are not able to produce on their own) for 1 Gold Commodity (the 3 Basic Commodities do not have to be duplicates, nor do they have to be distinct from one another). The player could then spend the new Gold Commodity to pay for another Structure.

It is important to note that each individual Acropolis Structure is only capable of creating one card each Season. For example, a player with 2 Rare Commodities cannot purchase 2 Gifts of Poseidon during the same Build Phase unless he owns 2 Shrines.

Certain Acropolis Structures do not help players create Aegis Cards, but instead have an immediate, lasting effect when built. For example, the Treasury allows an Island to retain 6 face down cards during the Discard Phase instead of 3 (see Discard Phase below). This special ability takes effect as soon as the Treasury is built.

Academies & Philosophies

As soon as an Island builds an Academy, the Island chooses a new Philosophy Card (for free) from the Philosophy Deck that no other Island has yet acquired. This unique Philosophy Card is placed face up beside the Island's Academy and is now linked to that Academy. Thereafter, the Island may make use of the Philosophy's special ability at any time, as directed on the individual Philosophy Card.

Although players are not permitted to trade Philosophy Cards with each other directly, it is possible during the Build Phase to adopt another Island's Philosophy (that is, to acquire a copy of the Philosophy Card that the Island received when it first built its Academy). Any Island with an Academy is permitted to gain a copy of another Academy's Philosophy by paying 1 Gold Commodity to the bank for each Philosophy card it already possesses. For example, a player who just built an Academy possesses 1 Philosophy. To adopt another Academy's Philosophy, he would have to pay 1 Gold. To adopt yet another Academy's Philosophy, he would have to pay 2 Gold, and so on.

This Gold is paid directly to the "bank" (not the other Academy), and the player receives a copy of the other Island's Philosophy from the Philosophy Deck. The player can now make use of that Philosophy's special ability. An existing Academy may only pay to adopt Philosophies that have been introduced into the game by other Academies; it may not pay Gold to adopt brand new Philosophies in this way. The adoption of a Philosophy does not require the permission of the other Academy.

There are only 4 copies of each individual Philosophy Card in the Philosophy Deck. Once a particular Philosophy is shared by four Islands, no other Islands can adopt that Philosophy. It is important to note that an Academy cannot adopt duplicate copies of the same Philosophy.

Building Fleets

Players will discover that there is an added benefit to owning more than 1 Fleet. Players can build additional Fleets during the Build Phase. An Island can purchase its second Fleet (Fleet B) for 1 Gold Commodity, and its third Fleet (Fleet C) for 2 Gold Commodities. While it is certainly beneficial to build more Fleets, players are not required to build additional Fleets in order to complete their Islands.

A player receives her new Fleet Card from her Build Deck, and places the new Fleet Card face up to the left of her Island Card, beside her other Fleet Cards. The player then inserts the corresponding Fleet Counter into its plastic base and places the Fleet Counter on top of the new Fleet Card.

Strategy Tip: Players should seek to build their second Fleet (Fleet B) as soon as possible. This is an important goal for the first Year of the game, or early in the second Year at the latest. Players who build a second Fleet are much better able to manage risk and avoid being defeated by bad luck on the high seas.

Erecting Wonders

The initial costs for each Wonder are listed on their individual Great Wonder Plans, which are acquired at Athens. A Fleet that is permitted to trade at Athens can receive its Island's first Great Wonder Plans there for free. Thereafter, an Island can acquire a second Great Wonder Plans at Athens for 1 Gold Commodity. Great Wonder Plans are always drawn randomly from the top of the deck. No Island can ever receive a third Great Wonder Plans during the game.

An Island that receives a Great Wonder Plans also receives that Wonder's corresponding Great Wonder Card. This card is kept beneath the Great Wonder Plans until the cost listed on the Plans is paid. Great Wonder Plans (as well as Philosophy Cards) are never considered part of an Island's hand, and are never kept face down or out of the sight of the other players.

Unlike other Structures, the costs for Great Wonders are sometimes paid during Phases other than the Build Phase (such as the Island Trade Phase or the Fleet Trade Phase). When this happens, the Wonder immediately enters its next stage of development (see below). A Great Wonder is therefore the only Structure than can be completed outside of the Build Phase.

Once the cost listed on the Great Wonder Plans is paid, the Island replaces the Plans with the "Partial Construction" side of the corresponding Great Wonder Card (the Plans are permanently removed from play and are not returned to the Great Wonder Plans deck). Players are then permitted to immediately pay the cost on the "Partial Construction" side of the Great Wonder Card if they choose, or instead to wait until a later turn to do so.

Once the costs listed on the "Partial Construction" side are paid, the Great Wonder Card is immediately flipped face up as a completed Great Wonder. The Island that built the Wonder can now make use of the special abilities listed on the Great Wonder Card, which is kept face up beside the player's other completed Structures. Some Great Wonders allow other players to pay the Wonder's owner to activate the Wonder's special ability for themselves. The Island owning the Wonder cannot refuse this service to the other players.

9. Discard Phase

During the Discard Phase, each player simultaneously chooses one of two options for discarding his excess Commodities. It is important to note that Aegis Cards, Philosophies, Structures, Great Wonder Plans, completed Great Wonders, and Fleet Cards are not discarded during this phase. The two discard options are:

• A) Discard all but 3 Commodity Cards, which are kept face down near the Island Card. A player who owns a Treasury is permitted to retain 6 face down Commodities instead.
• B) Reveal all Commodity Cards and discard all duplicate copies. In other words, you may keep one of each specific Commodity Card, but you must reveal your cards to do so.

Option A allows a player to keep duplicate Commodities, but he is limited in the total number of cards held. Option B allows a player to hold on to any number of different Commodities, but he may only retain 1 of each specific Commodity. Option B also forces a player to reveal what Commodities he is retaining. These cards remain face up until the end of the Season, which may affect players' decisions when voting for the next Archon (see below).

For example, a player ends the Season with 3 Grain, 1 Wool, 1 Ore, and 1 Grapes Commodity. If he chooses Option A, he can retain any 3 of the 6 cards and keep them face down, including the 3 Grain duplicates. If he chooses Option B, he can keep 1 of each specific Basic Commodity, for a total of 4 cards, but he would have to discard the 2 excess Grain Commodities.

10. Archon Phase

During the Archon Phase, the players vote for a new Archon. The current Archon begins by giving his Archon Card to one other player (other than himself). Thereafter, each player in clockwise order must give his or her Archon Card to another player (not him or herself). Players (other than the Archon) are permitted to give their Archon Card to the current ruling Archon if they choose.

Once each player has cast his vote in this manner, the player with the most Archon Cards becomes the new Archon. In the case of a tie for the most votes, shuffle the tied players' individual Archon Cards and draw one at random to determine the new Archon. As before, the new Archon receives the stand-up Archon Counter, and the other players receive their Archon Cards back again.

Experienced playgroups can choose to cast their votes verbally (without passing around the Archon Cards) once they have played the game a few times, as long as they still proceed in the order outlined above (starting with the current Archon and proceeding clockwise). Players will discover that their behavior as the Archon will often determine the other players' willingness to vote for them on a future turn. Benevolent Archons tend to be voted into office frequently, even if they are doing well in the game. Tyrannical Archons who abuse their authority may be disregarded during the vote, even if they have fallen behind in the game.

Ending the Year

After the last Season of the first Year, the Year 1 Events are removed from play. The Year 2 Events are then shuffled, and four are randomly dealt face down beside the Map (the remaining two are returned to the box without being viewed). In addition, each face up Harbor Status Card is discarded, and a new Harbor Status Card is placed face down on each empty space. This only applies to "revealed" Harbor Status Cards. If players have looked at any Harbor Status Cards without revealing them, those Harbor Status Cards are not discarded. They instead carry over into the next Year.

After the last Season of the second Year, the same process is followed with both the Harbor Status Cards and the Event Cards, this time introducing the Year 3 Events into the game.

Winning the Game

If at the end of any Season only one Island has completed all of its Structures (6 Villages, 2 Workshops, 6 Acropolis Structures, and 2 Great Wonders), that Island wins the game. If at the end of the third Year no Island has completed its Structures, the Island with the most Structures (including its completed Great Wonders) wins the game.

It is important to note that the players must finish the entire Season (including the Discard Phase and Archon Phase) before determining the winner. If a player completes his final Structure before the end of a given Season, that player does not necessarily win the game. If two or more players have completed their Island's Structures by the end of the same Season (or if two or more Islands possess the same number of Structures at the end of the game), then use the following tie-breakers to determine the winner. Go through the tie-breakers one by one. At each juncture, eliminate the players who cannot match the other tied players in that particular area. Note that if the tied players have completed all of their Structures, then the players should start at the sixth tie-breaker (Most Philosophies).

1. Most completed Great Wonders (maximum of 2)
2. Most partially constructed Great Wonders (maximum of 2)
3. Most Great Wonder Plans (maximum of 2)
4. Most Acropolis Structures (maximum of 6)
5. Most Workshops (maximum of 2)
6. Most Philosophies (maximum of 6)
7. Most Fleets (maximum of 3)
8. Most Aegis Cards (Armies, Warships, Gifts of Poseidon) (no maximum)
9. Most Gold Commodities (maximum of 6)
10. Most Rare Commodities (maximum of 6)
11. Most Basic Commodities (maximum of 6)

If any players are still tied after consulting all 11 areas of criteria, then the game's final Archon chooses the winner from among those who are still tied.

Variants

Delian League Variant

Players who desire a more stable experience at Athens during the first Year of the game should consider the Delian League Variant. In this variant, Athens is considered the hegemonic leader of the Aegean Islands during Year One. As such, no Harbor Status Card is placed in Athens until the second Year of the game. This prevents players from meeting up with a "Blockade" or "Harbor Fees" when seeking their first Great Wonder Plans. This also makes it less likely for players to discover a Shortage during the first Season of the game.

Tournament Variant

Players looking for a shorter game should consider the Tournament Variant. This variant allows Parthenon to be played in 60 - 90 minutes with experienced players, and is a perfect game for organized play at conventions and elsewhere. This variant is also helpful for demos used to give new players a quick overview of the game. To play the Tournament Variant, remove the Year 1 Events and begin the game at Year 2. Each Island begins with all 6 of its Villages, 1 Workshop, 1 random Great Wonder Plans, and Fleets A and B. The object of the game remains the same.

Credits

Game Design: Andrew Parks, Jason O. Hawkins

Illustrations: Stephen Graham Walsh

Art Direction: Jason O. Hawkins

Graphic Design: Jessica Ney-Grimm

Siren Bridge Publishing Logo: Pat Ann Lewis-MacDougal

Publisher: Zev Shlasinger, Z-Man Games, Inc., in cooperation with Siren Bridge Publishing with Jason O. Hawkins and Frank Coker.

Game Development: S. Coleman Charlton, Frank Coker, Michael Dalton, Doug Faust, Christopher Guild, Jason O. Hawkins, Norman Hill, Andrew Parks, Christopher Parks, and Kyle Volker.

Playtesters: Maria Beecraft, Denson Conn, Karen Coskren, Leonor Dohmen, Matthias Dohmen, Pete Fenlon, Anni Foasberg, Kristin Gardner, Jason Holmgren, Nick Liaicoana, Chuan Lin, Steve Marvin, Manny O'Donnell, Kathleen Parks, Bill Reeves, Don Reubert, Norma Reubert, Karl Roelofs, Al Roireau, Zev Shlasinger, Ada Smith, Justin Smith, Amy Stoneburner, James Stoneburner, Kevin Sullivan, Dave Weinstein, Kathy Weinstein, and L.H. White.

Parthenon: Rise of the Aegean is based on Sirius Consulting's teambuilding game, Greek Islands, by Jason O. Hawkins and Andrew Parks.

Special thanks to Frank Coker for his wise counsel and financial support.

Jason and Andrew dedicate Parthenon to their wives, who traveled with them on the six year journey that has brought this game to safe harbor at last.

© 2005 Siren Bridge Publishing. All rights reserved. For rules questions and other information regarding Parthenon, please visit www.zmangames.com or www.sirenbridge.com