Principes
Principes Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
- Game Objective
- Components
- Basic Concepts
- Game Setup
- Game for 2 and 3 Players
- Victory
- Dynasty
- Round Order
- Progress Action
- Taxes Action
- Assembly Action
- Movement Action
- Battles
- Battle Order
- Building Action
- Politics Action
- Princesses
- Resolving Icons of the Revealed History Card
- Clarification for Certain Progress Tiles
- Special Principality Rules
- Strategy Tips
- Solo Mode
- Meaning of Icons
- Key Rules
Game Objective
PRINCIPES is a board game for 1-4 players, set in the divided Kingdom of Poland during the 13th century. Each player will lead one of the four branches of the Piast family, with the goal and ultimate objective being to bring one of their Princes to the throne through coronation.
Components
- This Book of Rules
- Main Board
- Market and Time Board
- Position Board
- 4 Principality Boards (1 per each Principality)
- 2 Player Aids
- 48 Progress Tiles (8 green, 8 yellow, 8 blue, 8 rose, 8 brown, and 8 gray)
- 3 Combined Action Tiles (used in games for 2 and 3 players)
- 2 Battle Dice (1 for the attacker, 1 for the defender)
131 Tokens
- Round Token
- Princeps Token
- 12 Principality Tokens (3 per each Principality)
- 24 Action Tokens (6 per each Principality)
- 12 Division Tokens
- 26 Coin Tokens: 6 gold (5), 8 silver (3), 12 bronze (1)
- 25 City Tokens: 4 Capital Tokens, 13 City Tokens, 8 Small City Tokens
- 24 Building Tokens: 8 Castle Tokens, 8 Tiltyard Tokens, 8 Abbey Tokens
- 2 Shield Tokens
- 4 Wound Tokens
112 Cards
- 18 Prince Cards
- 32 Court Cards
- 12 Neighbor Cards
- 32 Battle Cards
- 18 History Cards
78 Figures
- 44 Principality Figures (1 Prince, 1 Princess, 3 Knights, and 6 Footmen for Polonia Maior, Masovia, Polonia Minor, and Silesia)
- 22 Neighbor Figures (1 Knight and 2 Footmen for Eastern Pomerania and Western Pomerania; 2 Knights and 2 Footmen for the German Marches, the Kingdom of Bohemia, the Kingdom of Hungary, and the Rus Fiefdoms)
- 12 Invader Figures (4 Prussians and 2 Lithuanians, 2 Teutonic Knights, 4 Mongols)
Basic Concepts
Map
The Map is a circular, enclosed area on the Main Board where the action of PRINCIPES unfolds.
Principalities. Within the divided Kingdom of Poland, 4 Principalities are designated for players to lead during the game: Polonia Maior, Masovia, Polonia Minor and Silesia. Their borders are marked by thick lines in the following colors: maroon, white, red, and yellow.
Lands. The Divided Kingdom consists of 44 lands. Each land corresponds to a single area on the Map.
Central Lands. Terra Lanciciensis and Terra Siradiensis are areas that, during the era of fragmentation, changed hands more than any others. For this reason, in the game, they are neutral areas, not assigned to any of the 4 Principalities.
Pomerania. The Pomeranian Duchies were lands subdued and incorporated into the Kingdom of Poland before the country's division. Thus, in the game, these lands (unlike the territories of the other Neighbors and Balts) can be controlled by players and provide Might Points. Western Pomerania is a unique land featuring 2 Gords.
Capitals. In each Principality there is a Capital, which are: Poznania, Plocium, Cracovia and Vratislavia. A land with a Capital provides more Might Points and, during the Assembly Action, units may always be assembled there.
Gords. At the beginning of the game, set in the year 1202, there are no Cities in the divided Kingdom of Poland. Instead, earlier fortified settlements known as Gords are in place. Thus, all locations (including Capitals) are initially Gords. During the game, players will be able to transform their Gords into Cities.
Might Points. Controlling certain lands provides Might Points, which are essential for achieving victory. These points also provide gold to the player performing the Taxes Action. At the start of the game, the pool of Might Points on the Map is quite limited. However, as players found Cities, their number will gradually increase.
Neighbors. The area of the divided Kingdom of Poland is surrounded by 6 Neighbors (the Balts are not included): Eastern Pomerania, Western Pomerania, German Marches, Kingdom of Bohemia, Kingdom of Hungary and Rus' Duchies. During the game, players are able to activate and block Neighbor units using Neighbor Cards played during the Politics Action.
Balts. To the northeast, Polish lands border the pagan tribes of the Balts: the footmen Prussians and the horsemen Lithuanians. During the game, they will harass Principalities with their destructive raids.
Factions and Units
The game features 13 different factions, represented by various colors of figures. The factions are divided into the following three groups:
Principalities are the four designated regions of the Divided Kingdom, each led by one of the players who takes on the role of its ruler.
- Polonia Maior (maroon): The cradle and nest of the Kingdom, where the first rulers of Poland established their seat.
- Masovia (white): A land of hardy people, seasoned by battles with the wild tribes of the north.
- Polonia Minor (red): Also known as Lesser Poland, this is where the Senior's throne in Cracovia is located.
- Silesia (yellow): The wealthiest of the Polish lands, influenced by both Czech and German cultures.
Each Principality consists of:
- Prince. The golden Prince is the lord of the Principality. His figure represents the current ruler of the region and his personal guard.
- Knights. The knights form the elite and backbone of every medieval army. The Knight figure represents the entire unit (banner) of mounted warriors.
- Footmen. Infantry serves a supporting role to the knights, taking the first blows of the enemy. The Footman figure represents a squad of foot soldiers.
- Princess. The Princess is a type of political agent who operates through intrigue. Her figure represents the Prince's relative/daughter along with her court attendants.
Neighbors are the states surrounding the Divided Kingdom. Players can take control of them by playing Neighbor Cards.
- Eastern Pomerania (yellow): Once an integral part of Poland, now an independent duchy by the Baltic.
- Western Pomerania (blue): It is ruled by the Griffon dynasty, which continues to navigate between Poland, Denmark, and Germany.
- German Marches (brown): The German frontier, striving on behalf of the Emperor to expand into the Slavic lands.
- Kingdom of Bohemia (rose): A powerful monarchy, using Poland's fragmentation for its own ambitious goals.
- Kingdom of Hungary (green): The Kingdom of the Magyars controlling the trade routes leading to Byzantium.
- Rus' Duchies (light blue): The quarrelling yet still dangerous Orthodox domains, threatening Poland from the east. Despite their different appearance, the units of the Rus' Duchies are also Knights and Footmen.
Invaders are aggressive forces threatening the Realm. Players can take control of them when the appropriate History Card is revealed.
- Balts (Lithuanian and Prussian): Pagan and warrior tribes whose raids bring death and destruction to the Polish lands.
- Teutonic Knights: The German knightly order, carrying out the mission of christianizing the Baltic tribes with fire and sword.
- Mongols: The Mongol horde from the steppe, known as the "Tatars." Regarded as demonic forces and a punishment for sins.
Types of Units. Although the designs of the various mounted and foot units differ from each other to reflect the characteristic weaponry of the different peoples, in the game all cavalry units (including the Prince), regardless of their faction, move and fight in the same way. The same applies to all infantry units.
In addition to this basic division, there are also Princes, who are crucial for the survival of a dynasty (p. 12), and Princesses, who operate in a completely different way than the other units (p. 26).
Control of Lands
In the game, control of lands (areas) is based on two main principles.
-
All lands within the borders of a player's Principality that do not have foreign units or Division Tokens (p. 27) are controlled by the player.
-
To control lands outside the borders of their Principality, the player must have their units present on those lands. If the player removes their units from lands outside their Principality's borders, they immediately lose control of those lands, and control returns to the player to whom the land originally belonged, or (in the case of central neutral lands) the land becomes neutral again.
EXAMPLE: In this situation, the player controlling Polonia Minor controls all 10 lands within the borders of their Principality and 2 lands outside of it.
Terra Lanciciensis
Centrally located Lancicia held particular importance on the political and ecclesiastical map of medieval Poland. It was on this very land that episcopal synods and Piast gatherings were organized, drawing nobles and clergy from all corners of the Divided Kingdom.
To reflect the importance of Lancicia, it is the only land that initially provides not only Might Points but also a Clergy Support Point, just like the Abbey (p. 22).
Today in Lancicia, stands the most notable Romanesque architectural monument in modern-day Poland - the Collegiate Church in Tum, depicted in the miniature on the left.
Principality Board
Each player will have a Principality Board during the game, where they will plan their Actions, place Progress Tiles, and collect gold.
The board has: a special rule of the Principality (top left); 3 spaces for Action Tokens (I, II, III); the Treasury, which is the place for gold; a brief description of the Actions (Progress, Taxes, Assembly, Movement, Building, Politics) in the arches; and 12 square spaces for Progress Tiles.
Position Board
The Position Board will be used to track the current point standings of the players. For this purpose, the players' Principality Tokens will be used. As players gain points, their tokens will be moved to higher positions (closer to 10), while if they lose points, their position on the track will drop.
There are three tracks (yellow, rose/pink, gray), each from 0 to 10; position 10 corresponds to the three victory conditions (see Victory, p. 11).
REX NON NASCITUR, SED FIT - A king is not born, a king is made.
Market and Time Board
The Market (the upper part of the board) is the area where Progress Tiles available to all players are displayed. These tiles represent a pool of technological and cultural advancements that players can acquire during the game.
The Market has 6 spaces for stacks of face-down Progress Tiles and 12 spaces for revealed Progress Tiles.
On the Time Track, the Round Token indicates the current Round of the game (Rounds I-VI).
Cards
There are 5 types of cards in the game.
History Cards represent various events characteristic of 13th-century Polish history. They will diversify gameplay and give each session a unique character. Their effects will impact all players.
Before each game, players will draw a set of 6 cards, which will determine the course of history for that particular game.
According to the court accountant's calculations, the set of 6 History Cards used in the game can be selected in 3,375 different combinations.
Prince Cards represent the rulers currently governing the Principalities. When a player loses all their Princes, they are eliminated from the game.
Battle, Court and Neighbor Cards. Battle Cards, Court Cards, and Neighbor Cards make up the players' hand. These are one-time-use cards that will be played at specific moments during the game as indicated on the cards.
Princeps
Princeps is a particularly important concept in the game. The term comes from Latin and means "Prince," and in medieval Poland, it referred to the specific, most important ruler who, although not crowned, held titular supremacy over the entire Divided Kingdom.
The game begins with the player controlling Polonia Minor as the Princeps, because historically, it was the Polonia Minor's Prince, Leseck the White who assumed this title in 1202 (the starting point of the game's events).
The principle of one Prince holding authority over the others is called the Principate, which replaced the earlier principle known as the Seniorate.
In the game, the player who is the overlord Prince possesses the Princeps Token, which provides certain advantages during the game and allows the player to set the direction of the turn order in each Round.
It is important not to confuse the term Princeps with the title Principes. Principes is the Latin plural form, meaning Princes. In the context of the game, this term refers to all the Princes competing for the Polish Kingdom's crown.
Gold
In the game, there is a single resource: gold. Gold is used to assemble Knights, found Cities, build buildings, activate the effects of specific cards, and even bribe other players, as explained below.
Gold is represented by Coin Tokens, which come in three denominations: 5 (gold), 3 (silver) and 1 (bronze).
The primary way to acquire gold during the game is by performing the Taxes Action. While money is highly useful, it's essential to remember that, just as in life, it is merely a tool, not an end in itself.
Negotiations
In PRINCIPES, many have triumphed not by the sword, but by wielding words, threats, and promises with unparalleled skill.
Flow of Money Between Players. Gold is the only resource that players can exchange during the game. The flow of money in the game is not regulated. Players can freely trade and bribe each other at any point during gameplay. Promises and assurances are non-binding. The only rule in effect is that once offered Coin Tokens are placed in another player's Treasury, they are safe there and cannot be reclaimed, even if promises are broken.
EXAMPLE: During the Mongol Invasion (p. 29), the player controlling the eastern invaders proposes not to attack another player in exchange for 3 gold. The player agrees and hands over the agreed payment, which is placed in the active player's Treasury. The active player may then honor the deal or betray it by attacking the threatened player despite receiving the gold.
Though breaking deals may seem consequence-free, players remember - and they can exact revenge.
If a plea won't sway, a threat may pave the way.
Game Setup
The game is designed to comfortably fit on a standard-sized table. If possible, lay out the components as shown in the suggested setup, ensuring the most convenient gameplay experience.
-
First, place the Main Board, the Market and Time Board, the Position Board, and the 4 Principality Boards near the corners of the Main Board so that each Principality Board is as close as possible to its corresponding Principality on the Map.
Next, each player selects the Principality they will lead (you can choose randomly or agree among yourselves).
Sitting Order. The seating arrangement of players depends on the placement of the Principality Boards on the table. Each player should have their Principality Board positioned as close as possible to them. Correct seating is essential for determining the turn order, which should always proceed in a clockwise order: Polonia Maior - Masovia - Polonia Minor - Silesia, or the opposite: Polonia Maior - Silesia - Polonia Minor - Masovia.
The choice of Polonia Maior being listed first is random. In the game, the turn order will always begin with the player who has the Princeps Token.
The order of the following setup points is based on the graphic layout of the game, so that it's easy to locate the corresponding number on the image. The chronology of setting up the individual elements is flexible.
-
Shuffle and place the face-down decks of Court, Battle, and Neighbor Cards in the designated spots.
-
Arrange the Principality units, Neighbor units, and Baltic units on the Map according to the presented depiction (a larger diagram showing the initial unit setup for the Principalities can be found on page 10).
-
Place the Battle Dice and Shield Tokens in a common area.
-
Place the Princess, remaining units, and the Prince Cards deck for each Principality next to the Principality Board. The top card of the Prince Cards deck should show the Prince of the I Period (the player controlling Polonia Maior may choose one of two Princes of the I Period at the start of the game).
-
Each player starts the game with 5 gold in their Treasury.
-
Place the City Tokens and Building Tokens in an accessible space so that each player can reach them.
With the table set up like this, you're ready to begin the game.
As you make your bed, so must you lie in it.
Deployment of Principality Units
The initial deployment of Principality units on the Map is shown in the illustration on page 10 of the Book of Rules. Units marked with a white border are the figures that are always placed on the Map. The remaining units are additional ones from the pool, which should be deployed in the case of a 2 or 3-player game, in the lands of non-player Principalities.
Game for 2 and 3 Players
In a 2-player game, it is recommended to play duels Polonia Maior vs. Polonia Minor or Masovia vs. Silesia.
The preparation for a smaller number of players is almost the same as for a four-player variant. So, what are the differences?
First, you need to determine which Principalities will not be controlled by any player. Then, additional units for the non-player Principalities should be placed on the Map (according to the illustration provided).
If neither player controls Silesia, do not place the 3 initial Division Tokens on the Map.
All other components of the non-player Principalities (Principality Boards, Principality Tokens, Action Tokens, and Prince Cards) are not placed on the table and remain in the box.
Units of Principalities that are not controlled by any player are treated as neutral units during the game (similar to Neighbors (p. 25) and Invaders (p. 28)).
The Map is not restricted, and players are free to attack and occupy lands of non-player Principalities. Units removed from a non-player Principality are taken off the Map. The exception is the Prince, who respawns on any of his lands (the player who removed the Prince decides which land).
If no player controls Polonia Minor, the game with the Princeps Token begins with Polonia Maior. If neither of the above is controlled by a player, the game with the Princeps Token begins with Silesia.
The game for 2 and 3 players can be played in 2 variants: the passive variant, which is intended for beginner players, and the active variant, which is for experienced players looking for a more intense gameplay.
Passive Variant
In the passive variant, the units of the non-player Principality are passive, not posing any threat, and only defend their lands from players' advances.
Active Variant
In this variant, each player takes a Combined Actions Tile and places it on their Principality Board so that the action descriptions of the same color are aligned vertically (if this is not possible, the tile should be placed in another available space near the Principality Board).
Each time a player performs their Assembly, Movement or Building Action, they are able to immediately perform the action described on the Combined Actions Tile, which pertains to one selected non-player Principality. Moving units of a neutral Principality works in the same way as moving units of Neighbors (p. 25).
The Combined Actions Tile reads "after performing your action of the given type":
- Assembly: Assemble up to 2 units for free to any lands of a non-player Principality.
- Movement: Move 1 Knight and 1 Footman of a non-player Principality.
- Building: Found 1 City or build 1 building for free on lands of a non-player Principality.
Victory
To achieve an immediate victory in the game, players must fulfill a specific condition and then crown their Prince as the King of the reborn Kingdom of Poland using the Council.
The condition is reaching the position "10" on all 3 tracks on the Position Board. These are the Might Track, the People Support Track, and the Clergy Support Track.
In the pictured situation, Polonia Minor qualifies for the coronation of its Prince.
Might
To unite the Kingdom of Poland under their own crown, it is necessary to achieve territorial consolidation of a significant part of the Realm.
The Might Track represents the territorial reach and wealth of the lands controlled by the players. When a player gains control of new Might Points on the Map, they move their Principality Token along the Might Track to the next position and update their holdings.
Might Points can be acquired in two ways. First, players can transform their Gords into Cities, which provide additional Might Points. The second way is by taking control of an opponent's land with Might Points through invasion.
If a player loses control of a land with Might Points, or if one of his City is destroyed, their position on the Might Track is immediately reduced.
IMPORTANT: Might points can only be acquired through territorial control. The current state of Might is thus constantly recorded on the Map. Players should move their Principality Tokens along the Might Track accordingly. However, if they make a mistake or forget to do so, they can update their position at any time during the game by counting Might Points they control on the Map.
A player's Principality Token, if they control more than 10 Might Points, stays at the maximum position "10," but their actual holdings can exceed this value (11, 12, etc.). This surplus exists but is not marked on the track. The player's position will drop below 10 only when they lose control of 10 Might Points on the Map.
Two lions can not rule in the same valley.
People Support
The Prince will not be able to maintain royal authority if he does not have the support of the nobility and common folk.
The People Support Track represents the popularity of the Prince's dynasty among its subjects. To rise on this track, players gain People Support Points by playing cards, building or capturing special buildings, and using specific Progress Tiles. Additionally, the ruler gains approval through military victories.
However, it's important to remember that the favor of the people can be easily lost. If too many taxes burden the common folk, or if the Prince suffers defeats in battle, the people's favor can quickly turn against him.
Clergy Support
Without the approval of the clergy, the archbishop, and the pope, no one in the Kingdom of Poland has ever worn the crown.
The Clergy Support Track represents the level of the Church's favor towards the dynasty. To improve their position, players (similarly to the People Support Track) gain Clergy Support Points by playing cards, building, capturing, and using specific Progress Tiles.
However, players must be cautious not to anger the Church. If players invade the lands of other Principalities, they incur the wrath of the clergy.
Players cannot have more than 10 Support Points. Support Points are inherited upon the ruler's death (p. 12). The exact mechanics of gaining and losing positions on the tracks are detailed further in the Book of Rules.
The coronation can only be conducted during the Council, which is organized by the players in their Politics Action (p. 26) or through an event from the relevant History Cards (p. 28).
Other Ways to Win
If, throughout the entire game, no player manages to crown their Prince, the game is won by the player who possesses the Princeps Token.
The game can also be won through bloody elimination of competitors. If, during the game, all other players lose their last Princes and are eliminated from the game (p. 12), the player who remains as the sole Prince on the battlefield wins the game.
If the last players eliminate each other in a single battle, the game ends in a draw, and no one wins.
Dynasty
During the game, each player controls their own dynasty, consisting of Prince Cards assigned to their respective Principality. The decks for Polonia Maior, Masovia and Silesia consist of 5 cards, while the deck for Polonia Minor contains only 3.
The cards feature historical rulers who governed the Principalities of divided Poland in the 13th century. While the branches of the first three Principalities were well-developed, the Piast line of Polonia Minor was so small that, in order to maintain dynastic continuity, the third Prince was adopted from the Cuiavian line (Leseck the Black).
Princes are assigned to 3 Periods. In the top left corner of each card, there is a symbol indicating: Period I, II, or III.
Players begin the game with a Prince from Period I (the player controlling Polonia Maior is the only one who can choose between 2 Princes at the start of the game). The card of the reigning Prince is face-up and should remain visible at the top of the deck of Prince Cards.
In the bottom section of the card, there is a special rule of the Prince. This is a permanent effect that remains in play as long as the Prince rules their Principality.
Changing the Prince
When Period I ends, all Princes from Period I die of old age, and players place their cards face down at the bottom of their deck of Princes (the Prince is buried). In their place, each player chooses a Prince from Period II. When Period II ends, it is time for the Princes from the final Period III.
After changing the Prince, players may move their Prince's figure to any land they control. Players make the decision to move their Prince figure according to the set turn order.
In addition to natural death, Princes may also die in battles. When this happens, the player who lost their Prince (if possible) chooses a second Prince from the current Period. If they do not have another Prince in their deck, the rule passes to a Prince from the next Period (they are young but can still take over the throne). Then, the player places the removed Prince figure on any land they control.
If at the end of the Period there is already a Prince from the next Period ruling the Principality, the Prince change does not occur.
OVER MY DEAD BODY. Princes do not relinquish power once it is gained. A Prince can only be replaced due to their own death, players cannot dismiss a Prince during his reign.
End of the Dynasty
If, after the death of a Prince, a player no longer has any living Princes in their deck, or if during Period I the player loses all Princes from Period I and II (Princes from Period III have not yet been born), that player is defeated and eliminated from the game!
In such a case, all of the player's remaining units on the map are treated as neutral, their Princess is removed from the Map, and Principality Tokens from the Position Board. The defeated player's Court, Neighbor, and Battle Cards are placed at the bottom of their respective decks. Additionally, all of their gold returns to the shared pool, and Progress Tiles are placed at the bottom of the respective stacks on the Market Board.
If the eliminated player possessed the Princeps Token, it is passed to the next player designated by that token.
Furthermore, the Round following the elimination of a player becomes the final Round, the last one for all remaining players.
It can therefore be said that Princes function as a player's "lives." Without them, a Principality's dynastic line dies out, and with it any chance of claiming the crown. For this reason, players are advised - especially toward the end of the game - to take great care of their Princes. Sometimes it is better to leave a ruler safely in a castle than to send him on a risky expedition.
Optional Variant for Players Sensitive to Elimination Games
Elimination is a deliberate and thematically justified mechanic in PRINCIPES. The goal of the game is coronation, and without a Prince this becomes impossible. The mechanic is inspired by the history of Poland's feudal fragmentation, in which the dynasties of Polonia Minor, Silesia, and Polonia Maior were effectively removed from contention for the Polish crown after the deaths of their last significant princes. The risk of elimination strongly shapes the character of the game: it raises the stakes of player decisions, increases emotional intensity, and creates memorable scenarios. It also provides an alternative path for players who can no longer hope to win "legally" through coronation or by claiming the Princeps Token in the final stages of play. Nevertheless, as the author, I recognize that elimination may be difficult for some players to accept. Those who prefer to play without the risk of elimination may use the variant described below.
After losing the last Prince, continue playing without the Prince's Card and figure. This solution can be thematically justified, similar to the Court Card Heir (which, in this variant, should be removed from the deck at the start of the game and placed back in the box). In this case, you continue to strive for the crown on behalf of a young heir who survived the death of his father.
Round Order
The game in PRINCIPES symbolically begins in the year 1202 (marked by the death of the Princeps-Senior Mesco the Old) and can span the entirety of the 13th century.
The game will last up to 6 Rounds, with the whole session divided into 3 two-round Periods: I (green), II (blue) and III (red), representing the three thirds of the 13th century.
Symbols on the Time Track serve as reminders to change the Prince at the end of Period I and II.
1. Round Token Movement and Determining Turn Order
Each Round (except the first) begins by moving the Round Token to the next space on the Time Track.
In the game, all actions and effects involving players are resolved starting with the Princeps (the player holding the Princeps Token). At the beginning of each Round, the Princeps decides the turn order direction, determining how gameplay will proceed in the current Round.
The Princeps may choose a direction either clockwise or counterclockwise, which is indicated on the front and back sides of the Princeps Token. The Princeps either flips or keeps the token on its current side and positions it so that the arrow points to the chosen direction (toward the next player).
The token should be placed near the Princeps player's Principality Board in a way that is clearly visible to all other players.
EXAMPLE: If, at the start of the game, the Princeps (representing Polonia Minor) chooses a clockwise direction, the turn order will proceed as follows: Polonia Minor - Silesia - Polonia Maior - Masovia. If the Princeps chooses a counterclockwise direction instead, the turn order will proceed as follows: Polonia Minor - Masovia - Polonia Maior - Silesia.
The chosen direction cannot be changed until the beginning of the next Round, however, the decision itself can be a subject of negotiations.
2. Revealing History Card and Resolving its Text Effect
After determining the turn order, the top card of the prearranged History Cards deck should be revealed. Its text effect should then be read aloud and resolved. The text effects of History Cards that begin with the phrase "Each player..." are resolved immediately. If this is not the case, their effects last for the entire Round or take effect after all actions have been resolved. Any immediate effects influencing players are resolved in the order indicated by the Princeps Token, starting with its holder and then proceeding according to the direction set by the token.
The revealed History Card remains face-up until the beginning of the next Round. At that point, the current card is placed at the bottom of the deck, and the next card is revealed.
A History Card shows: the Period in which the card appears (left), its text effect (center), and icons resolved at the end of the Round (lower right).
In the lower-right corner of the History Cards, there are icons representing additional events. These will be resolved at the very end of the Round.
To allow players to prepare for them, after resolving the text effect of the History Card, it is necessary to announce which events will occur at the end of the current Round. The effects of all the icons are described on pages 27-29 and summarized on the Player Aid.
3. Planning Actions
After revealing and resolving the effect of the History Card, players proceed to plan their actions for the current Round. To do so, players secretly choose 3 out of their 6 Action Tokens. Then, they place the tokens (with the backs facing up) on the designated spaces on their Principality Board.
Unused Action Tokens should be set aside next to the Principality Board, also with the backs facing up.
4. Revealing and Performing Actions
Once all players have placed their 3 hidden Action Tokens on their Principality Boards and declared they are ready, players move on to revealing and executing their previously planned actions.
Actions are revealed one by one, from left to right (first space I, then II, and III). At the beginning, according to the set order, the player with the Princeps Token reveals and performs their first action. Once they finish, the second, third, and fourth players (in a 4-player game) do the same. When the turn order reaches the first player again, they reveal and perform their second action. This process continues until all players have completed all 3 of their planned actions.
The exact workings of each action are described on the following pages of the Book of Rules (p. 14-26), while a summary of each action's effect can be found on the Principality Board of each player.
The player who reveals their Action Token may choose not to perform the action at all, or they may carry it out only partially.
Regardless of the actions played in the current Round, all 6 actions will be available to the players in the next Round of the game.
5. Resolving Icon Effects of the Revealed History Card
When all players have played their 3 actions, the effects of the events represented by icons on the revealed History Card are then resolved. First, the icon located at the top is resolved, followed by the one located at the bottom.
The effects of these events are described in detail on pages 27-29 of the Book of Rules and are also summarized on the Player Aid.
Similar to the text effects of the History Cards, effects that affect all players are resolved according to the order and direction determined by the Princeps Token.
The resolution of the icons ends the Round, after which the entire cycle begins anew.
NOTE: In the final Round of the game, the icons on the revealed History Card are NOT resolved, and the Round ends after all planned actions have been played.
Progress Action
In the Polish lands, the 13th century was an era of remarkably dynamic development. The warring Principalities competed in the fields of technology and culture. Each Prince sought to make his domain a model of modernity for the others to emulate.
Playing the Progress Action allows a player to take, for free, selected face-up Progress Tiles of any color from the Market. As part of the action, the player can take as many tiles as the number of the current Period. This means that in Period I, the player may take 1 tile, in Period II, 2 tiles, and in Period III, 3 tiles. This rule illustrates how innovations are more easily adopted as time progresses.
After selecting the tiles, the player places them in available slots on their Principality Board. Green tiles must be placed beneath the field corresponding to the green action (PROGRESS), yellow beneath the yellow field (TAXES), and so on.
(The Market shows icons beneath it indicating how many tiles can be taken in a given Period.)
After a player finishes placing tiles on their Principality Board, the available pool of Progress Tiles must be replenished. To do this, draw the missing tiles from the stacks, reveal them, and place them in the empty spots on the Market. If, as a result, there are 2 identical tiles on the Market, return one of them to the bottom of its stack and draw another tile from the top of the same stack.
If no more tiles are available in a specific stack, both identical tiles remain revealed on the Market.
Players cannot have 2 identical tiles on their Principality Board.
Exchanging Progress Tiles
If there is no free space for tiles of a specific color on their Principality Board, a player may exchange an already-owned Progress Tile for an available tile of the same color from the Market (the player's tile is placed face up on the Market).
Effects of Progress Tiles
Progress Tiles represent permanent technological and cultural advancements, which take effect immediately upon acquisition and last until the end of the game (as long as they remain on the Principality Board).
There are two types of Progress Tiles. Tiles with a single-colored border enhance actions of the corresponding color. This means that the tile's effect activates each time the player performs an action of that color.
The second type, tiles with a striped border, have contextual effects, meaning their effect is not directly linked to the performance of a specific action.
Thanks to the blue "Three-Field" tile ("You may assemble 2 more units."), the player is able to assemble 2 additional units beyond the normal limit during their Assembly Action.
Thanks to the "Bishop's Chancery" tile ("You may have up to 9 cards in your hand."), the player is able to hold up to 9 cards in their hand instead of the usual 6 (p. 23). This effect remains active at all times.
The explanation of effects of the specific Progress Tiles can be found on page 30.
Taxes Action
To rule effectively, every ruler needs money. A prince has the right to collect taxes and tributes from his subjects. However, even though the subjects are fully aware of this age-old duty, they do not like it one bit.
Performing the Taxes Action allows the player to collect gold from all the lands they control.
To collect taxes, the player must first lower their position by 1 on the People Support Track on the Position Board.
If the player is on the "0" position of the track, they cannot collect taxes. The prince is so disliked that his subjects refuse to pay tribute.
Next, the player who performed the Taxes Action counts the Might Point symbols on all the lands they control (if the players' positions on the Might Track are updated, they indicate the amount of gold the player should collect as a baseline). Then, the player collects coins from the pool, totaling the value based on their controlled lands, and places them in their Treasury (a designated area on the Principality Board), keeping it organized so it's easy to recognize how much gold each player possesses.
EXAMPLE: The player controlling Polonia Minor collects a total of 5 gold, 4 from the lands within borders of their Principality and 1 from a land controlled outside of it.
In the highly unlikely situation where there are no more Coin Tokens in the pool, a temporary shortage of currency occurs. In this case, no gold can be collected by the players until Coin Tokens are spent to replenish the pool.
Assembly Action
Without an army ready for action, the Principality is defenseless. When danger approaches or when the Prince plans a conquest, he sends out "wici" (summons). This term refers to the ancient practice of calling an army, where the ruler would send bundles of willow branches to his vassals, symbolizing the punishment for those who dared not respond to the lord's call.
Playing the Assembly Action allows the player to assemble up to 3 of their units from off the Map to a land with their Prince or their Capital (if they control it).
Players can assemble two types of units: mounted Knights and foot Footmen. For each Knight assembled, the player must pay a cost of 1 gold (as the noble warriors deserve compensation for their military efforts), while Footmen are assembled for free (as they are mainly peasants fulfilling their duty to the ruler).
When the player's Prince is outside their Capital, the player may freely distribute the assembled units between the land with their Prince and their Capital.
The pool represents the entire population of the Principality. If it is depleted, the player can not assemble any more units.
EXAMPLE: The player performing the Assembly Action assemble 2 Knights and 1 Footman from their pool outside the Map. They pay 2 gold and then place the Footman and a Knight on the land with their Prince, and the other Knight on the land with their Capital.
If the player does not control their own Capital and does not have their Prince on the Map, they may assemble units to one of their chosen lands with the highest number of Might Points.
Movement Action
When the Prince gathers an army, he will want to use it.
Playing the Movement Action allows the player to move all their units on the Map (except the Princess (pp. 26, 27)).
Units have Movement Points. This is represented by dark pink triangles, indicating the maximum number of lands the unit can move.
All cavalry units can move a maximum of 3 lands, while all foot units can move a maximum of 2 lands.
Players can only move their units within the divided Kingdom of Poland, that is, on the light green areas on the Map (Princes during the period of fragmentation were, as a rule, so caught up in family disputes that they didn't think about foreign conquests).
Therefore, players may attack Eastern Pomerania and Western Pomerania, but they cannot venture into the territories of any other Neighbor or the Balts. These, however, may attack Poland (pp. 24 and 28).
The light area represents lands to which units can move, while the darkened areas are off-limits for movement.
Each movement between lands (regardless of the color or thickness of the borders between them) costs 1 Movement Point.
A player can move any number of their units. There is no limit to grouping units together in the game. If the movement range allows, a player can concentrate their entire army on one land.
Units can freely move through lands that do not belong to them, as long as there are no units of another color present. A Princess of another player does not pose an obstacle in this situation.
However, a player must stop their moving units on lands occupied by units of a different color (unless they are allowed to pass through (p. 17)). Such movement results in a battle (p. 18).
Passing Units
In the game, it is possible to pass moving units through another player's land, which contains their units. For a player moving their units to pass through a land occupied by another player's units, the latter must consent to this action. Movements in the game are carried out in a free mode, meaning that as long as a player has not completed all their movements, they can undo moves and adjust the final positioning of their units. Therefore, a situation cannot arise where a player allowing foreign units to pass changes their mind at the last moment and traps the opponent. If there is a change of mind, the player making the moves can undo the movement and direct their units differently. Neutral factions (Neighbors, Invaders, and non-player Principalities) cannot allow foreign units to pass through their lands.
EXAMPLE: A player performing the Movement Action (red) moves their Prince and 1 Footman to a land controlled by Masovia (white), 1 Knight to a neutral central land, and 2 Knights to the Capital of Silesia (yellow) - they can do this because the player controlling Polonia Maior (maroon) allowed foreign units to pass through their land with the Footman.
Clergy Guarding Order in the Realm
In 13th-century Poland, bishops tried to calm the fratricidal moods of the Princes and ensured that rulers adhered to the law.
After completing all movement, the player must either lose 1 point on the Clergy Support Track or pay 1 gold (to obtain an indulgence) for each land within the borders of another Principality that they did not control and in which their units ended their movement. This means the penalty applies to the territories of Polonia Maior, Masovia, Polonia Minor, and Silesia, but not to the disputed neutral central lands, nor to both Pomeranias. The penalty also applies to lands with the Division Token (p. 27). Therefore, in the presented example, the player would have to pay the penalty for ending their movement on 1 land, that belonging to Silesia.
If the player is at position "0" on the Clergy Support Track and has no gold, they simply do not receive a penalty after their move - in the eyes of the Church, one cannot fall lower.
Taking Control Over Land
If a player ends their movement on a land with no units of another color, it falls under their control (the Princess does not prevent the takeover).
If there are units of another color on the land, control will only be gained after a victorious battle.
If the taken land contains points (Might, People Support, Clergy Support), the positions on the tracks should be immediately updated accordingly.
Destruction
After gaining control of a land, a player may decide to destroy any City and buildings (p. 22) located there. If the player chooses to destroy, they may remove the City and Building Tokens from the taken land (they may choose not to destroy everything), but in doing so, they lose 1 People Support Point and 1 Clergy Support Point. A tendency to bring destruction is not a trait of a good candidate for king.
Battles
After all moves have been made, battles are resolved. They take place on all lands where units of two different colors are present (Princesses are not considered).
Battles are resolved in the order determined by the player who made the move. Once all battles have been resolved, the player's Movement Action ends.
Damage / Swords
The core of the battle system in the game is based on fixed, guaranteed damage values dealt during combat by units from both sides of the conflict.
Just like with the movement rules, here too, all units are divided into two groups: cavalry and infantry. Each cavalry unit deals 2 damage in battle (2 sword symbols), while each infantry unit deals 1 damage (1 sword symbol).
These values also represent the number of damage required to remove (defeat) a unit during battle. To simplify the system, the game does not include "health" icons, but players may use this commonly understood term during gameplay if it helps them understand the rules.
So, if two units of the same type were to meet in battle and there were no other factors affecting the outcome, both of these units would destroy each other.
Shields
In battles, alongside sword symbols, there are also shield symbols. One shield cancels out one opponent's sword in battle.
Unlike swords, units themselves do not provide any shields during battle.
Shields represent additional defense bonuses granted by fortifications, played cards, or the appropriate result on dice.
The shield will guard without a fail, when sword of foe set to prevail.
Defender Bonus
The walls stand not without reason.
During battle, the defending side always receives a defense bonus in the form of additional shields.
A Gord, meaning any area in its basic form, guarantees the defender 1 additional shield during battle. A City guarantees 2 shields (you can read about upgrading Gords to Cities on page 22).
To avoid overcrowding the Map with too much information, only small, gray icons are used to remind players of the bonus provided by the settlement when depicting Gords and Cities.
Before the battle, place the Shield Token on the land where the battle takes place, with the correct side facing up, so that the defender's bonus is remembered during the battle.
Battle Cards
During battles, players will use Battle Cards. These cards make up the player's battle experience pool, providing various effects that influence the course and outcome of the battle.
Battle Cards consist of: the card's title; an illustration; an indication of when the card may be played during gameplay (e.g. "before battle"); the card's text effect; a gold symbol; and a symbol of sword / shield / sword or shield.
Battle cards can be used in 3 ways. First, to activate the card's text effect. Second, as an additional sword or shield during battle.
Third, the card can be exchanged for 1 gold at any moment during the game (not just during the player's turn). To do this, the player discards the card to the bottom of the deck (face down, without revealing its effect) and then gains 1 gold.
Battle Order
Battles consist of the following phases.
1. Battle Cards "Before Battle"
When battle approaches, it's better to have a few tricks up your sleeve.
In the first phase of the battle, players whose units are involved in the battle can play the Battle Cards marked before battle. Each player can play as many cards before battle as they have units participating in the fight. The attacking player decides first whether to play cards, followed by the defending player. Each player plays all their cards at once, meaning that after the defending player, the attacking player cannot play any more cards before battle. A player who decides to play a card from their hand must reveal it and place it on the Map next to the battle location. The card remains face-up until the end of the battle, so both sides can see its effect.
2. Dice Roll
A battle is a phenomenon susceptible to the favor of fortune.
Next, players roll the Battle Dice. There are only 2 dice in the game, one salmon-colored for the attacking side and one gray for the defending side. Both dice have the same die face distribution; the color differentiation is used so that during a battle involving neutral forces or a battle between two neutral factions, one player can roll for both sides of the conflict. In battles between players, it is also recommended to use this color distinction so that if the dice are mixed up on the table, it's clear which die belongs to which player.
The faces of the dice feature sword symbols, shield symbols, as well as a gold symbol. The rolled swords and shields represent a combat bonus that the side of the conflict will receive in battle. However, if a coin is rolled, it means the army focused on looting the enemy's camp instead of fighting (which, in the medieval era, happened quite often).
Disobedience was a phenomenon that almost every commander of those times had to contend with. Instead of fighting, the army was often more interested in seizing a rich loot.
If this happens, the side assigned to the die steals 1 gold from their opponent. If it's a player, they take 1 gold from their opponent's Treasury (if the Treasury is empty, no gold is taken). In the case of neutral forces, the gold is taken from the general pool. When neutral forces roll a coin symbol in a battle against a player, the stolen gold goes to the general pool. In the case of a clash between two neutral forces, this symbol is ignored.
After the roll, the dice should be placed as close as possible to the units involved in the battle, so that they can be easily considered during the next phase of the battle.
The tide of battle turns with fortune's hand.
3. Initial Casualty Count
My Lord, everything leads to this outcome!
After the dice roll, players calculate the damage dealt to their opponent by considering Shield Tokens, played Battle Cards, and the results on the Battle Dice.
First, the attacking side sums all swords: swords from units, played cards, and the dice result. Next, the defending side sums all shields: shields from the Shield Token, played cards, and the dice result. Then, the total number of shields of the defending side is subtracted from the total number of swords of the attacking side. The resulting number represents the amount of damage dealt to the defending side.
Once this value is determined, the inflicted damage must be marked on the Map. To do so, the affected units are tipped over on their side. These toppled figures will be removed from the Map after the battle.
Damage is always assigned in the following order: first to infantry units, then to cavalry units (excluding Princes), and finally to Princes.
To topple infantry units, 1 sword is required, while to topple cavalry units, 2 swords are needed.
Damage cannot be split among multiple units and must be assigned to units one by one, in sequence, until a unit is toppled.
Wound Tokens. If a cavalry unit takes only 1 damage, it is not toppled, but a Wound Token should be placed next to it to indicate that only 1 more sword is needed to topple the unit. If the unit is not removed during the battle, it immediately recovers fully, and the Wound Token is removed from the Map.
EXAMPLE: Silesia (yellow) has a total of 5 swords: 4 from its units and 1 from the dice roll. Polonia Minor (red) has a total of 3 shields: 1 from the dice roll and 2 from its City. As a result, Polonia Minor's units take 2 damage: the first is assigned to a Footman (who is toppled), and the second to a Knight (who is wounded).
Once damage has been dealt to the defending side, the same process must be applied to the attacking side. Swords provided by toppled units are still counted as normal.
4. Additional Swords and Shields
Skilled commanders can turn the tide of even the toughest battles.
After the initial counting of both sides' losses, players may play additional Battle Cards from their hand to further influence the final outcome. The symbols of swords, shields, and swords or shields found in the bottom-left corner of the cards can be used by players during this phase of the battle.
- When a card with a sword is played, the player gains an additional sword.
- When a card with a shield is played, the player gains an additional shield.
- In the case of the sword-or-shield symbol, the player chooses either a sword or a shield.
The process for playing cards is similar to the before battle phase: the attacking player plays all their cards with additional symbols first, followed by the defending player. Once again, players may play a number of cards equal to the number of player's units participating in the battle (both toppled and standing).
After the Battle Cards are played, additional units should be toppled and/or raised according to the final result.
EXAMPLE: Let us continue the battle from the previous page for clarification. After assigning damage to Polonia Minor, the same was done to Silesia. Polonia Minor has 4 swords while Silesia has no shields, meaning 4 damage is assigned to its units - exactly enough to topple all of them.
Now, the attacking player, Silesia, can play cards with additional symbols first. The current battle outcome is unsatisfactory, so they decide to sacrifice 2 Battle Cards to gain an extra sword and shield. As a result, they topple Polonia Minor's wounded Knight while simultaneously raising their own, which is now only wounded.
In this situation, Polonia Minor plays a card with a choice of symbols and opts for a shield. This allows them to raise their Knight back.
Excess Damage. In a battle, it is possible to deal the enemy army more damage than is needed to topple all of their units. In such a case, the excess damage is also marked with Wound Tokens. When the player who received the damage wants to save their units by playing additional swords from cards, they must first remove the excess Wound Tokens. One sword cancels 1 Wound token.
5. Resolution of the Battle
How many have fallen?
The battle is won by the side that has toppled all of the opponent's units while keeping at least one of their own units standing.
If all units of both sides are toppled in the battle, the defending side wins.
If not all units of either side have been toppled, the side that has toppled more of the opponent's units (regardless of whether they are cavalry or infantry) wins. In case of a tie, the defending side wins.
EXAMPLE: Referring to the previously presented battle example, the battle is won by Polonia Minor, as they have toppled more of the opponent's units.
6. Cleaning Up After the Battle
Time to gather the slain.
After the battle is resolved, all toppled units must be removed from the Map and placed in the players' pools. The removed units of Neighbors and Invaders should be placed on their designated spots on the Map.
Battle Cards used in the fight should be shuffled and placed face down at the bottom of the Battle Cards deck.
7. Withdrawal
Fall back, we flee!
If the losing side has not lost all its units, it must withdraw any units that were not toppled during the battle to a land it controls, adjacent to the land where the battle took place. If this is not possible (i.e., no adjacent territory is controlled by the losing side), then any remaining untoppled units of the losing side are removed.
8. Position Update
Every battle brings consequences.
If the battle results in a change of control over lands or if Cities or buildings are destroyed, the players' positions on the Position Board must be updated.
People's Favor. The subjects closely observe the actions of their ruler on the battlefield. When he triumphs, he gains applause; when he suffers defeat, the zeal and support among his vassals for his cause fades.
The player who wins the battle gains 1 People Support Point (advances 1 position forward on the People Support Track).
The player who loses the battle loses 1 People Support Point (moves 1 position back on the People Support Track).
9. Battle Cards "After Battle"
Sometimes, executing a plan requires patience.
After the battle, players involved can still play Battle Cards marked after battle. These cards do not interact with one another and may be played simultaneously.
10. Drawing Battle Cards
Military skill is rooted in experience.
In the game, the primary way to acquire Battle Cards is through combat. After a battle, players who fought in the battle draw 1 Battle Card from the top of the deck.
Players cannot play the cards after battle immediately after drawing them.
Battles Between Players and Neutral Factions
In the game, there will also be battles against units that do not belong to any other player. Such battles are fought in the standard manner with the following differences:
- The player participating in the battle rolls both Battle Dice (gray for the defending side, salmon for the attacking side).
- Neutral factions do not use Battle Cards (the player who moved the neutral units also cannot play cards on their behalf).
- The direction of withdrawal for neutral units is decided by the player who moved them or, if no one moved them, the player involved in the battle.
The player fighting against neutral factions can normally use their Battle Cards and draws 1 Battle Card after the battle. After a win/loss in battle, they gain/lose 1 People Support Point.
Battles Between Two Neutral Factions
These battles consist solely of the dice roll (which is done by the player moving the neutral units), calculating the losses on both sides, and removing units.
Conquest of Western and Eastern Pomerania
Players may conquer the territories of 2 Neighbors: Western Pomerania and Eastern Pomerania. If Pomerania loses a battle on Pomerania, the units of Pomerania involved in the battle are removed from the Map (they cannot respawn on their designated spots). However, once all foreign units leave Pomerania, the previously removed Pomerania units immediately return to their designated spots.
Western Pomerania contains 2 Gords/Cities. This means that during the battle, the defender will receive a bonus for both the Gords/Cities on this land.
Building Action
The thirteenth century was a period of dynamic development in the architecture of medieval Poland. It was during this time that the first cities began to be established on regular plans. Stone was replaced by bricks brought from northern Germany, and Romanesque forms gave way to a new French style (known today as Gothic).
The player who performs the Building Action may found 1 City and build up to 2 buildings on the lands they control.
Founding Cities
That the Prince's settlements may flourish in wealth and power. Founding is the process of establishing a new layout and granting a settlement special rights, enabling it to transform from a gord into a true city.
Founding involves upgrading your Gords to Cities. At the start of the game, all settlements on the Map (even Capitals) are Gords.
Gords that provide Might Points from the beginning of the game have matching City Tokens bearing their corresponding names.
The miniatures of the 17 most significant Gords and Cities depict the evolution of settlements in the 13th century. E.g. the depiction of Cracovia (Krakow) features Wawel Hill, while the representation of Posnania (Poznan) showcases the cathedral and Premisl's Castle.
Smaller Gords that do not provide any Might Points do not have corresponding counterparts. To upgrade these, players use a pool of 8 Small City Tokens labeled "Civitas" (Latin for city).
When a player wants to upgrade their Gord to a City, they must pay the founding cost. It is always equal to the number of Might Points provided by the City.
Checking the founding cost of a specific City Token in the pool may be inconvenient, so it's useful to remember that the founding cost of a City is always just 1 gold more than the number of Might Points currently provided by the Gord.
After paying the founding cost, the player must locate the appropriate City token in the pool and place it on their chosen land, covering the miniature of the upgraded Gord. To make finding tokens easier, it's best to sort them by size.
Next, the player who founded the City moves 1 position forward on the Might Track (as founding a City provides control of 1 additional Might Point).
In addition to extra Might Points, Cities also provide a larger amount of gold during the Taxes Action and a bonus of two shields instead of one during battles.
Building Buildings
The Principality isn't made by cities alone. Castles guard its borders, abbeys stand inside, and for people tiltyards where jousters fight with pride.
Apart from founding cities, a player may also construct buildings. There are 3 types of buildings in the game, each offering different benefits.
- Castle. Castles make lands hard to conquer. Therefore, it's crucial to place them in particularly important areas. In a battle on a land with a Castle, the defender gains +2 shields.
- Tiltyard. Tiltyards are tournament fields where, during colorful jousts, knights provide entertainment for themselves and others. After building or taking control of a Tiltyard, the player gains 1 People Support Point. After losing a Tiltyard, the player loses 1 People Support Point.
- Abbey. The foundation of monasteries was one of the primary ways to gain favor with the Church. After building or taking control of an Abbey, the player gains 1 Clergy Support Point. After losing an Abbey, the player loses 1 Clergy Support Point.
The player may build 2 buildings of any type during their Building Action. The cost of constructing each building is 1 gold.
Once the player pays the cost of building, they place the corresponding building token from the pool onto any land they control that does not already have a building. Buildings may also be constructed on lands without cities.
Each 1 land can contain at most 1 City and 1 building.
The number of City and Building Tokens in the pool is limited. If a certain type of token runs out, it means that the Kingdom lacks enough available planners, builders, knights, or monks to carry out the project.
Destruction of Cities and Buildings
Cities and buildings can be destroyed during unit movements. Once destroyed, the tokens are returned to the pool (more details on pages 17, 25, and 28). Players cannot demolish their own Cities and buildings.
Politics Action
Ultimately, in most cases, it will be politics that decides who will sit on the Polish throne.
The player who plays the Politics Action may either draw Court and Neighbor cards into their hand or summon a Council (p. 26).
Drawing Cards
It's time to sow the seed of politics.
When a player chooses to use their Politics action to replenish their hand, they can draw a total of 3 Court or Neighbor Cards. The player may draw any combination of cards, e.g., 2 Court Cards and 1 Neighbor Card, or 3 Neighbor Cards. The player can only look at the cards after they have drawn all 3. Then, after reviewing them, the player must discard one of them to the bottom of the appropriate deck (as with all discarded/played cards, the card placed at the bottom should be facedown, so it will smoothly return to the game if all cards above it are drawn).
Hand Card Limit
The princely administration has its limits.
Each player can hold a maximum of 6 cards (Court Cards, Neighbor Cards, and Battle Cards counted together). If a player exceeds this limit, they must immediately discard the excess cards by playing them to gain gold or support.
Number of Played Court and Neighbor Cards
There is no limit on the number of consecutive Court or Neighbor Cards a player can play, with one exception - the player cannot play more than one Neighbor Card related to the same Neighbor before their Politics Action.
Court Cards
Internal scheming and sewn intrigue.
Court Cards represent various non-military actions, yet their structure is similar to that of Battle Cards.
Court Cards consist of: the card title; an illustration; an indication of when the card may be played during gameplay (e.g. "before your Politics Action"); the card's text effect; a gold symbol; and a symbol of People / Clergy / People or Clergy Support.
Similar to Battle Cards, Court Cards may also be used in three different ways.
First, the card's text effect can be used when the card is played in accordance with the indication on the white bar in the middle of the card. The player playing the card must reveal it and then read aloud its title and effect (so that all other players are aware of its consequences). Afterward, the player may carry out the action described in the card's text.
Once the card is used, it should be placed face down at the bottom of the Court Cards deck.
Second, Court Cards may be played at any time during the game (not just during the player's turn) to advance by 1 position on the People or Clergy Support Track.
- People Support symbol: Player gains 1 People Support Point.
- Clergy Support symbol: Player gains 1 Clergy Support Point.
- People or Clergy symbol: Player gains 1 People Support Point or 1 Clergy Support Point.
If the player wants to use a card for this purpose, they must reveal it to show the other players the specific support symbols on the card, and then move their Principality Token accordingly on the relevant support track.
After using the card, it should be placed face down at the bottom of the Court Cards deck.
Third, just like with Battle Cards (see p. 18), Court Cards can be played to gain 1 gold.
Neighbor Cards
Sometimes it's better to spill blood with the hands of others. While the Kingdom was divided, Poland's neighbors took advantage of this situation by invading the princely lands. Sometimes they did this of their own accord, but more often it was the result of a widespread conspiracy.
Neighbor Cards allow players to activate and block the aggressive intentions of the Christian factions surrounding the divided Kingdom of Poland.
Neighbor Cards consist of: identification of the Neighbor the card pertains to (name and arms); identification of how many units the card pertains to (large base - Knight, small base - Infantry); possible cost; the card's text effect (each Neighbor Card has the same effect: "Before your Politics Action move Neighbor's units. or Block Neighbor's units movement."); a gold symbol; and a symbol of People / Clergy / People or Clergy Support.
Each major Neighbor (German Marches, Kingdom of Bohemia, Kingdom of Hungary and Rus' Duchies) is assigned 2 Neighbor Cards - one concerning all of the Neighbor's units and another concerning only a portion of them. Each Pomerania is assigned only 1 Neighbor Card.
The card concerning the full pool of units is more powerful, however, to use it to move a Neighbor's units, the player must pay a cost of 2 gold.
In the deck, there are also 2 special cards that apply to a smaller number of units but act as any chosen Neighbor ("joker"), called "Any Neighbors".
Neighbor Cards, like Battle and Court Cards, can also be used in various ways.
These cards can be played to gain Support Points or gold, exactly as Court Cards (p. 23).
Additionally, Neighbor Cards can be used to activate their text effect, which allows one of two possible actions.
The first option is to play a card to move units depicted on the played Neighbor Card (before performing a Politics Action, meaning after revealing the Politics Action Token but before drawing cards or summoning a Council).
The player places the Neighbor Card face-up on the table and announces which Neighbor's units may be moved, ensuring all players are aware of the potential effects of the card (for "Any Neighbors" cards, the player must specify which Neighbor the card applies to). At this stage, it is not yet determined where the Neighbor's units will be moved.
Next, other players (in the set turn order) may block the movement of the activated Neighbor's units (this is the second function of the card's text effect). To do so, a player must play a Neighbor Card matching the same Neighbor (or an "Any Neighbors" card). The units depicted on the played card are subtracted from the pool of units available to the activating player.
Multiple Neighbor Cards may be used to block units movement, played by one (all at once) or several players (in the set turn order).
Blocking the movement of Neighbor units is always free of charge, which means you do not take into account the possible cost displayed on the card.
The player may play multiple Neighbor Cards before their Politics Action. The cards are played one at a time, with the full effect of one card resolved before the next is played. The only restriction is that the player cannot play a Neighbor Card concerning the same Neighbor more than once.
EXAMPLE: The player controlling Polonia Maior plays a Neighbor Card concerning the German Marches and pays the cost of 2 gold.
Next, the player controlling Silesia, fearing an attack, also plays a card concerning the German Marches, but with a smaller force. This reduces the pool of units, so Polonia Maior can move by 1 Knight and 1 Footman. Had the players played their cards in reverse order, the entire Neighbor movement would have been blocked.
After blocking some of the Neighbor's units, the player controlling Polonia Maior moves the remaining ones. They send the German Knight to battle, while the Footman moves to an unguarded land with an Abbey, which they decide to destroy.
Rules for Moving Neighbor's Units
Neighbor's units move exactly like a player's own units. This means players can freely distribute Neighbor's units during movement. These units have the same movement range as the player's units. Exiting a Neighbor's territory into Polish land costs 1 Movement Point. Similar to moving a player's own units, Neighbor's units cannot be moved onto areas outside of the light green Polish lands (they cannot even be moved back to their original territory).
Neighbor's units may be allowed to pass through lands occupied by the player's units (with the players' consent, of course).
The only restriction when moving Neighbor's units is the prohibition of aggressive movements against oneself. This means that Neighbor's units cannot end their movement on a land controlled by the player making the move.
Destruction of Cities and Buildings
When Neighbor's units take control of a land, the player who moved them may decide to destroy any Cities or buildings located there. If the player chooses to destroy (they are not required to destroy everything), the City and Building Tokens are removed from the Map and returned to the pool.
Battle Against Neighbors
This matter is explained on page 21.
When Neighbor's units are removed as a result of a battle, they must be placed back on their designated spots on the Neighbor's territory. If Neighbor's units cannot withdraw after the battle to their controlled land, they are still placed back on their designated spots.
Neighbor's units never completely leave the Map, they remain a potential threat to the players at all times.
Occupation Armies
Unlike the Invaders (pp. 28 and 29), Neighbor's units remain on Polish lands after completing their movement until they are expelled.
When a Neighbor card is played regarding units of a Neighbor that are already on Polish land, the player starts their movement from their current position.
After considering the Neighbor's movement, the used Neighbor Card is placed face down at the bottom of the Neighbor Cards deck. Then the player may continue playing their next cards.
Neighbors is perhaps the most distinctive mechanic that sets PRINCIPES apart from other games of its kind. Thanks to the fact that players are surrounded by forces that can be used against them at almost any moment, no one can feel truly safe, and the distance between opposing Principalities is only apparent. With the help of Neighbors, any player can be thwarted, and even the most cunning plan can be undone. So always remember the potential threat lurking behind your back. Sometimes, instead of launching an attack yourself, it's better to hold onto the right cards to block an incoming blow from abroad when the time comes.
Summoning the Council
The Piast Princes convened to determine who among them had the right to rule over the Kingdom and their dynasty. These councils served as battlegrounds where Princes vied for the title of Princeps, hoping ultimately to seal their ambitions with the crown. Before them lay a vision of unity - though each knew that only the strength and influence of the most powerful could unite them.
When a player uses their Politics Action to summon a Council, they may (if certain conditions are met) claim the Princeps Token or even immediately win the game through coronation.
When a Council is declared, each player (in the set order) may play any number of their Court and Neighbor Cards to increase their positions on the Support Tracks by gaining People Support or Clergy Support Points. Players play their cards one after another, but they must play all their chosen cards at once during their turn. Players may not play additional cards outside of the established sequence.
During this phase, the regular rule allowing players to use cards to gain Support Points at any time is temporarily suspended.
Positions on the Might Track cannot be modified using cards. Might Points can only be earned by controlling areas with the Might Point icon.
After the card-playing phase, the positions on the Support Tracks are checked.
If the Principality Tokens of the player who summoned the Council are in the highest positions (or tied for the highest positions) on at least 2 Tracks, that player claims the Princeps Token from its current holder. The Princeps Token is placed in front of the new holder, though the turn order set at the start of the Round remains unchanged.
EXAMPLE: In the pictured situation, Masovia and Polonia Minor qualify to take the Princeps Token, as they have their Principality Tokens on the 2 highest positions.
If all 3 Principality Tokens of the player who summoned the Council are positioned at the position "10", that player coronates their Prince, immediately ending the game with a glorious victory!
NOTE: Only the player who summoned the Council (the host of the Council) can claim the Princeps Token or coronate their Prince as a result of the Council. Other players can only attempt to prevent the host from claiming the Princeps Token by altering their positions on the tracks. However, the possibility of coronation cannot be blocked.
Princesses
Though they did not wield swords, their words could be sharper than any blade. Princesses influenced political decisions and caused considerable upheaval within palace walls. Most importantly, a well-married Princess ensured the stability of an alliance.
In the game, Princesses act as special agents. At the beginning of each Period, after turn order is determined, players send their Princesses on missions.
At the start of the game, after players draw their initial cards and the Princeps sets the turn order direction, each player (in the set order), assigns their Princess to one of three tasks.
Sending to a Neighbor
First, a Princess can be sent to any Neighbor. To do this, the player places their Princess figurine on the area of the chosen Neighbor. The Princess symbolizes a marital alliance with the ruler of a neighboring faction. Through this alliance, the player gains immunity from that Neighbor for the duration of the upcoming Period (2 Rounds).
A player with their Princess on a Neighbor's area cannot be invaded by that Neighbor's units. This means that a player moving the Neighbor's units cannot end their movement on lands controlled by the player protected by the Princess.
Sending to One's Own Capital
The second option is to send the Princess to the player's own court, where she organizes feasts and brings life to the castle chambers. When the Princess is placed in the player's Capital (only possible if the player controls their own Capital), they immediately draw 1 Court Card or 1 Neighbor Card. The same happens at the beginning of the next Round of the current Period (unless the Princess is removed beforehand).
Sending to Another Player's Capital
The third area to which the Princess can be sent is the Capital of another chosen player (only if that player controls their own Capital). She serves as a saboteur at the foreign court, secretly plotting and limiting the opponent's options.
The player who has a foreign Princess in their Capital must immediately discard 1 Court Card or 1 Neighbor Card (the player chooses which card to discard) to the bottom of the appropriate deck. The same happens at the beginning of the next Round in the current Period (unless the Princess is removed beforehand).
When a card must be discarded, the player may exchange any cards they hold in their hand (both Court and Neighbor Cards) for gold or Support Points. They will no longer play their cards for their text effects, but this prevents them from discarding a card "for free."
Only 1 Princess can occupy 1 area at a time.
At the end of a Period, Princesses are removed from the Map (they die of old age, just like Princes), and players send out the next generation of agents on new missions. However, this time they no longer have a full range of options, as: a Princess cannot be sent to the same area twice in a row.
Symbols on the Time Track remind players to send Princesses on missions at the beginning of each Period.
Princesses are units, but they cannot move during Movement Action and do not participate in battles.
Removal of Princesses
If foreign units (or the player's own units in the case of a sabotaging Princess) win a battle on the land occupied by a Princess, or if the land is taken over or devastated (p. 28), the Princess is removed from the Map and will only return at the beginning of the next Period.
Resolving Icons of the Revealed History Card
History flows, carrying countless events.
Each Round (except the last) ends with the resolution of the effects of the icons on the revealed History Card.
First, the upper icon is resolved, and only then the one below it. Their effects (if they affect more than one player) are carried out in the set order.
Division
This is what characterized the period in which players came to power. The Polish Feudal Fragmentation was a time of constant division within the Country. The Piast family grew with each generation, and every son, brother, cousin, and nephew of the Prince claimed the right to carve out a piece of the Principality for themselves. This event illustrates this process, as the time for claims and further division approaches.
During the Division, each player (in the set order) may (but is not required to) place 1 Division Token on any 1 land of another player that has no units (in this case, a Princess counts as a unit).
On 1 land there can be a maximum of 1 Division Token.
The number of Division Tokens is limited. If none remain in the pool, the event is either skipped or resolved only by the first players in turn order.
Division Tokens
Division Tokens are markers indicating land that has separated from a player's Principality. When a Division Token appears on a player's land, they immediately lose control over it and all the points it provided (as if foreign units had taken over the land). The player also cannot use lands with a Division Token during their actions - for example, in the Taxes Action, they cannot collect gold from such lands, and in the Building Action, they cannot found Cities or build buildings on those lands.
Division Tokens do not hinder movement. Players can freely pass through lands with a Division Token.
To remove a Division Token from their lands and regain control over it, the player must move at least one of their own units onto the land with a Division Token and then remove the token from the land where the movement ends (the token returns to the pool). There is no battle (the relative capitulates in the face of armed intervention), but the player must suffer the same penalty as if they ended the movement on land within borders of another Principality (p. 17 - in the eyes of the Church, the division of land was lawful, and taking it back is a sin). This means that the player ending their movement on land with a Division Token loses 1 Clergy Support Point or discards 1 gold.
When players end their movement on land with a Division Token within another Principality borders, they only suffer the penalty once, and then also remove the token.
If Neighbor's units occupy land with a Division Token, it is also removed. If Invader's units end their movement on land with a Division Token, the token remains.
Urbanization
The 13th century was a time of establishing Polish cities. Thanks to location privileges, guarantees of freedom, and the influx of craftsmen and merchants from Western Europe, cities sprang up across the Kingdom like mushrooms after rain, playing a key role in shaping the new medieval landscape of Poland.
During Urbanization, each player (in the set order) may (but is not required to) found 1 City for free on any land they do not control.
This means that a player may found a City on land not controlled by any player, on land controlled by another player, or on land within borders of their own Principality with a Division Token.
During this event (just like at any other point in the game), players may negotiate and make deals. For example, the player controlling Polonia Minor may found Posnania, hoping that when the turn reaches the player controlling Polonia Maior, they will return the favor by founding Cracovia. However, remember that in the world of Princes, promises are not binding, and anyone can become a victim of treacherous perjury!
Release to Home
In the Middle Ages, armies were not permanent - their strength consisted of knights and peasants called upon during times of war. Princes had to resolve conflicts quickly to send soldiers back home, where fields and daily duties awaited them. This event serves as a reminder of the temporary nature of military service.
During Release to Home, each player (in the set order) must remove 1 of their Footmen or Knights from the Map.
Common Council
In the game, there are councils organized by individual players, as well as those that are a joint effort of the entire family and the Church.
A Common Council triggered by an icon on a History Card works the same as a Council summoned through a specific player's Politics Action (p. 26), but there is one key difference.
During a Common Council, there is no Council host, and each player can, as a result, claim the Princeps Token or crown their Prince.
If more than one player qualifies for coronation or claiming the Princeps Token, the tie is broken by the order set by the Princeps Token. For example, if the player with the Princeps Token qualifies to claim the Princeps Token along with other players, the token remains with them. However, if the holder of the token does not qualify, then the player highest in the set order will claim the Princeps Token or crown their Prince.
If no player qualifies to crown their Prince or to claim the Princeps Token, nothing changes.
If one player qualifies for coronation and another for claiming the Princeps token, only the coronation is resolved.
Balt Raid
For centuries, Polish lands suffered from invasions by Baltic tribes. The Prussians and Lithuanians, pagan peoples of the north, regularly organized plundering raids on Masovia, Pomerania, and occasionally beyond. Their brutal raids devastated towns and villages, forcing Polish Princes to mobilize knights and construct fortifications along the northern borders of the Realm.
During the Balt Raid, the foot units of the Prussians and the cavalry units of the Lithuanians are activated (the term Balts refers collectively to both groups).
If the Teutonic Knights are present on the Map, only the Lithuanians are activated.
The Princeps (the player holding the Princeps Token) may (but is not required to) move the Balt units. The two tribes are not coordinated, so they are moved separately, one after the other. First, the Princeps may move the Prussians (and resolve any battles triggered by their movement), and then the Lithuanians may be moved.
The Princeps moves the units according to the standard rules of movement: foot Prussians can move a maximum of 2 lands, while cavalry Lithuanians can move 3. Units may be split during movement, and the Princeps can also choose to move only part of the available units, just as if moving their own forces.
Balt units may also pass through lands with player-controlled units (if the player consents).
Similar to moving the Neighbors, the player moving the Balts cannot end their movement on lands they control.
If Baltic units are removed as a result of battle, they must immediately be placed back on their designated spots, just as with the Neighbors.
Unlike Neighbors, however, Invaders activated through History Cards (such as the Balts, Teutonic Knights, and Mongols) do not visit Polish lands to occupy and hold them. They come for plunder, spreading death and destruction, and then return to where they came from. Thus, after completing their movement and resolving any battles, the Balt units return to their designated spots.
Devastation. From lands where Invaders ended their movement and where no other units are present, all City and Building Tokens must be removed. The same applies to lands where Invaders have won battles.
EXAMPLE: I The Princeps first moves all 4 Prussians into battle with Masovia. They win the fight, destroy the City, and return to where they came from. II Next, the Princeps sends 1 Lithuanian into battle with Polonia Maior and 1 to the land with the Tiltyard.
Teutonic Knights
Invited by Prince Conrad of Masovia in 1226, the Teutonic Knights were tasked with protecting Masovia from raids by the pagan Prussians. Despite initial benefits, their presence became a source of new conflicts, and over time, they transformed from defenders of the land into its burden.
If there are no Teutonic Knights on the Map:
The player controlling Masovian land with the Teutonic Knight symbol may (but does not have to) call upon them.
If they choose to do so, 2 Teutonic Knights, a City (Civitas), and a Castle (if available in the supply) must be placed on the land with the Teutonic Knight symbol. If any building was previously built on the land with the symbol, it must be removed, and if the player has any of their units on the land, they must withdraw them (as if after a battle). After calling upon the Teutonic Knights, the player loses control of the land with the symbol.
The Teutonic Knights can be defeated, and their land can be captured, however, similar to both Pomerania, if all units occupying the land with the symbol leave, the Teutonic Knights will immediately return to it.
When the Baltic Raid event occurs, the Teutonic Knights will block movement of the Prussians.
If Teutonic Knights are on the Map:
The Princeps may move them, following the same rules as when moving the Balts.
After completing their movement or if the Teutonic Knights are removed after battle, they return to the land with the symbol.
Mongol Invasion
In the thirteenth century, Poland faced an unexpected threat from the east. The Mongols (called Tatars) invaded Polish lands several times, brutally ravaging the Kingdom. The tragic Battle of Legnicium in 1241 remains a symbol of the terror brought by the horde of Batu Khan. Although the Mongols did not settle on these lands, their devastating invasions left a lasting mark on the Kingdom.
First, 4 Mongols should be placed in the Rus' Duchies area near the eastern border of Poland. With each subsequent invasion, one less Mongol should be placed (as their raids weakened over time).
Then, starting with the Princeps and following the set order, players may (but are not required to) move them.
The movement of Mongols follows the same rules as moving Balts and Teutonic Knights, with the difference that after a lost battle, the player moving the Mongols may withdraw them to a land without any units or tokens (as if it were a land controlled by the Mongols).
If, as a result of the battle, the Mongols are removed, they should be placed off the Map.
After the first movement, resolving any battles and devastation effect, if the Mongols are still on the Map, the next player in turn may move them. They move from the lands currently occupied by the Mongols.
Movements continue until all players have moved the Mongols or all Mongols have been removed.
Once all players have moved and Mongols still remain on the Map, they are placed off the Map again (after the Mongol campaign, they go to the Kurultai - the great assembly of Mongol khans).
EXAMPLE: Due to the scale, the map has been stripped of other elements. This shows an example of a Mongol Invasion consisting of 4 movements made by players controlling Silesia I, Polonia Maior II, Masovia III and Polonia Minor IV. After all movements are completed, the Mongols return off the map.
Clarification for Certain Progress Tiles
Due to the limited space on Progress Tiles, their effects have been written in a concise manner. To avoid any doubts regarding their functionality, below is a clarification of the rules for tiles that may be subject to ambiguous interpretation.
Chronicle (green): "Gain 1 People Support Point or 1 Clergy Support Point for the second Progress Tile of the same color." After placing a tile on their Principality Board, the player gains either 1 People Support Point or 1 Clergy Support Point for each pair of tiles of the same color they already have. Then, the player will score (once) for each newly formed pair.
German Settlers (green): "You may place third Progress Tile of the same color." Progress Tiles take effect as soon as they are drawn from the Market. Thus, if a player already has two green Progress Tiles, they may take this tile as a third one. Third tiles should be placed below the tile slots.
Church Schools (green): "You may place 1 more Progress Tile if you discard 2 gold." The player may immediately pay 2 gold upon drawing this tile and then place 1 additional Progress Tile.
New Mechanisms (green): "You may use the Progress action as any other action." After revealing the Progress Action Token, the player may choose for it to be any other action.
Training Grounds (blue): "Draw 1 Battle Card for each of your Tiltyard." Each time the player performs the Assembly Action, they will draw 1 Battle Card for each Tiltyard they control.
Border Guards (blue, striped): "Foreign units stop at the first of your lands they enter." All of the player's lands are treated as if they have their units guarding passage. The player may allow foreign units to pass through their lands affected by the tile.
Mounts for Infantry (rose): "Your Footmen have 3 Movement Points." The player's Footmen have 1 additional Movement Point compared to their base value. The Spring Thaw History Card affects all units equally, regardless of the tile.
Learning Chess (rose, striped): "After rolling, you may flip your Battle Die to its opposite side." After the initial counting of battle losses, the player may flip their Battle Die to the opposite face.
French Style (brown): "When you build an Abbey, gain additional Clergy Support Point." After building the Abbey, the player gains 2 Clergy Support Points instead of 1. However, if the player loses the Abbey, they lose the usual 1 Clergy Support Point. The tile also works when the Abbey's construction is the result of a History Card.
Heralds of Peace (gray, striped): "You may exchange 1 Battle Card for 1 People Support Point or 1 Clergy Support Point." The player can play their Battle Cards at any point during the game to gain additional Support Points (just like with Court and Neighbor Cards).
Knightly Culture (gray, striped): "During Council, gain 1 People Support Point for each of your Tiltyard." The border of the tile is marked with a striped color, so the tile activates every time a Council occurs, not just when the Council is summoned by the player.
Lady of the Court (gray, striped): "Your Princess provides and removes 2 Court or Neighbor Cards." At the beginning of the Round, the player's Princess grants them 1 additional Court or Neighbor Card in their own Capital. In another player's Capital, it forces them to discard 1 additional card.
He who asks, does not err.
Special Principality Rules
Each Principality has its own special rule. These rules are written on the Principality Boards and are in effect throughout the entire game.
- Polonia Maior - Elder Blood. Polonia Maior is the native land of the Kingdom of Poland, where its history began. In Gnesna, the Archbishop has his seat, and he is affiliated with the local Princes. If the player controls GNESNA marked with a star symbol, when they summon a Council, they gain 2 Clergy Support Points and move 2 positions on the Clergy Support Track.
- Masovia - With the Wind. Masovia is plagued by numerous invasions of pagans. Its inhabitants, living in constant tension, must always be ready to fend off the enemy, and the many battles have seasoned them in combat. The player may, in any battle they participate in (after the initial counting of losses), reroll their Battle Die once.
- Polonia Minor - House of Princeps. Located in Polonia Minor, Cracovia is the seat of the overlord Prince, the Princeps. It is here, on Wawel Hill, that the royal palace stands, a reminder of the former glory of the Kingdom. If the player controls CRACOVIA marked with a star symbol, it is enough for them to be the highest on 1 track to claim the Princeps Token during a Council.
- Silesia - Color of Gold. Though internally divided, Silesia is a Principality rich in wealth. It is here, through German influence, that the first cities and stone castles were built. During the Taxes Action, the player gains an additional 2 gold.
The titles of the special Principality rules are a kind of wink and an undisguised reference to the creation of Mrs. Elzbieta Cherezinska.
Strategy Tips
If you've reached this point in the Rulebook, you're ready to fight for the crown of the Kingdom of Poland. However, as the author, I'd like to share with you a few old Polish wisdoms to end with.
- Curiosity paves the path to wisdom. Enjoy the game, try different strategies and tactics, and in doing so, you'll learn for yourself which path leads quickest to victory.
- Cracovia wasn't built in a day. Don't be discouraged by early setbacks; everyone gains experience at their own pace, and the ambitious goal of reuniting a Divided Kingdom is a challenge worthy of more than one defeat.
- In youth you sow, in age you grow. Think long-term; your decisions early in the game will echo through to the end.
- The fuller the glass, the harder to pass. The closer you get to victory, the more your opponents will focus on you. When you're strong, pretend to be weak.
- With riches to spare, friends are everywhere. Gold is a powerful bargaining chip; always have enough to use it at the right moment.
- Seed by seed, and you'll succeed. Never lose hope of gathering the right number of points. There are many ways to earn them in the game, and the state of the tracks can change in the blink of an eye.
- Today in glory, tomorrow in story. Don't take risks recklessly, especially with your last princes' lives.
- Who sows the wind, reaps the storm. Don't provoke war hastily. If you stir up relations with another player too early, they will remember it for the rest of the game.
- A foolish sheep trusts the wolf. Never trust even the sweetest words of your fellow players, for at the prince's table, everyone is a predator.
- Still waters run deep. When players are focused on peacefully building their potential, don't miss the right moment for an intervention, or someone might win without a fight.
It's all in the play, who tricks who today.
Solo Mode
If you enjoy puzzles and challenges, the game offers a solo mode in which you can attempt to unite the Divided Kingdom on your own.
The solo mode is based on the rules of the multiplayer game, so you must first be familiar with the contents of the Rulebook before playing it.
Setup
The setup for solo play is almost the same as in the multiplayer game. First, the player must choose the Principality they will control.
Then, prepare the components according to the guidelines on pages 8-10. Place the chosen Principality Board, Prince Cards, Action Tokens, and Principality Tokens belonging only to the player's Principality.
Units on the Main Board are placed following the setup diagram shown on page 10. The player begins the game with 5 units on the board, while all other Principalities have their full complement of units placed.
Before starting the game, the player takes 5 gold into their Treasury, and draws 1 Battle Card, 1 Court Card, and 1 Neighbor Card into their hand. In solo mode, it is recommended to keep these cards face up, so you can always see what you have available.
In solo mode, only half of the Progress tiles are used - ensuring that no duplicates are included.
Princeps Token. In solo mode, the Princeps token is not used, and the entire concept of the Princeps does not apply.
Position Board. In solo mode, flip the Position Board to the reverse side titled SOLO (tracks run from 0 to 15).
Combined Action Tile. In solo mode, the reversed Combined Action tiles are used. The player should choose one of the three difficulty levels of the challenge, and then place the tile next to their Principality Board.
Victory
The objective of the solo game, just like in the multiplayer variant, is to unite the Divided Kingdom under your rule.
To achieve this, the player must:
- reach the maximum position on all 3 tracks of the Position Board (15 in this case)
- control the 4 Capitals of all four Principalities.
When these conditions are met, the player wins the game during the Council.
Princess
In solo mode, the Princesses of non-player Principalities are not present. The player's Princess follows the normal rules, except that she cannot be sent to the Capitals of non-player Principalities.
Action Planning
In solo mode, the player places their actions face up and then resolves them one by one.
Using Cards
In solo mode, all cards (except for the Prince cards of non-player Principalities) are used in the same way as in the multiplayer game.
For Battle Cards and Court Cards whose text effects refer to other players, the text effect is considered inactive - such cards may instead be exchanged by the player for gold or Support Points.
For History Cards whose text effects refer to other players, ignore the text and resolve only the icon effects at the end of the Round.
Unlike in the multiplayer game, where maintaining table order is important, in solo mode it is more convenient to simply discard used cards onto the discard pile.
History Cards
In solo mode, History cards work almost the same as in the multiplayer game. The only difference is the altered effect of 4 icons.
- Urbanization: no changes.
- Release to Home: no changes.
- Common Council: no changes.
- Division: Place a Division Token on your 2 lands without units.
- Balt Raid: Activate the Prussians, then the Lithuanians.
- Teutonic Knights: If you control a land with the Teutonic Knight symbol, you may summon the Teutonic Knights (p. 29). If the Teutonic Knights are already on the Map, activate them.
- Mongol Invasion: Place 4 Tatars in the Rus' Duchies area (with each subsequent invasion, place 1 fewer), then activate them 4 times in a row.
After activation, the Invaders return to their designated positions/off the Map.
Combined Action Solo System
Solo play is based on a system of Combined Actions similar to the multiplayer game. This mechanism activates the non-player Principalities, creating an additional challenge for the player.
Each time the player performs an Assembly, Movement, or Building Action, the corresponding action of the non-player Principalities must also be resolved.
Depending on the chosen difficulty level, this effect will apply to one, two, or all three non-player Principalities.
If 1 or 2 non-player Principalities are affected, the player chooses which ones. If 2 or 3 are affected, the actions of the non-player Principalities are resolved in sequence, in the order chosen by the player.
- Assembly: The player does not pay for assembly. If possible, units are assembled to the Capital of a non-player Principality. Knights are always assembled with priority. A Principality that already has all of its units on the Map can't be chosen.
- Movement (Activate): If a non-player Principality does not have 2 Knights, it cannot be chosen for activation.
- Building: The player does not pay for founding and building in playerless Principality.
Normal Level (a challenge suitable for beginner players):
- Assemble 3 units in Capital / onto the land with the Prince in 1 non-player Principality.
- Activate 2 Knights of 1 non-player Principality.
- Found a City and build a Castle on the land with the largest number of units in 1 non-player Principality.
Hard Level (a challenge that is difficult even for experienced players who know the game well):
- Assemble 3 units in Capital / onto the land with the Prince in 2 non-player Principalities.
- Activate 2 Knights of 2 non-player Principalities.
- Found a City and build a Castle on the land with the largest number of units in 2 non-player Principalities.
Legendary Level (a challenge that someone is said to have once overcome - and now great songs are sung about it):
- Assemble 3 units in Capital / onto the land with the Prince in 3 non-player Principalities.
- Activate 2 Knights of 2 non-player Principalities (as printed on the tile).
- Found a City and build a Castle on the land with the largest number of units in 3 non-player Principalities.
In addition to the general difficulty level, each Principality offers a different challenge. This results from their varying exposure to Invader attacks and the absence of the Princeps Token in solo mode. While the difficulty also depends on the events from the History Cards, in general it is easier to win with Silesia or Polonia Maior, and harder with Masovia or Polonia Minor.
Death of a Prince of a Non-Player Principality. When the Prince of a non-player Principality is removed, he is reborn on a land of his Principality with the highest Might Points value - chosen by the player.
Unit Activation
In solo mode, units may be activated by events from History Cards (Invaders), by the player performing a Movement Action (non-player Principalities), and by revealing Neighbor Cards (Neighbors), as described below.
Unlike in the multiplayer game, in solo mode activated units cannot be split - they must always end their movement on a single land. Otherwise, the player retains full freedom of movement within the guidelines of the activation scheme.
Also unlike in multiplayer, during activation units of all other factions pass through each other and do not block movement.
When units are activated, follow the activation scheme below. If an option can be carried out, it must be resolved; if it cannot, proceed to the next option.
Activated Units:
- Move onto a player land without units but with a Building Token / City (Invaders and Neighbors destroy everything; non-player Principalities leave it intact).
- Move onto a land with the player's units whose total swords is lower.
- Move onto a land with another faction's units whose total swords is lower.
- Do not move.
Cyclical Activation of Neighbors
In solo mode, the Round proceeds almost the same way as in the multiplayer game. The only difference is the introduction of the cyclical activation of Neighbors.
At the end of each Round, after performing all actions but before resolving the effects of the icons from the revealed History Card, you must reveal 1 card from the top of the Neighbor Card deck.
The units shown on the card are then activated and follow the rules described above.
If the revealed card refers to Any Neighbor, discard that card and reveal the next card from the deck.
A player may block all or part of the Neighbors' activation using their own Neighbor Cards.
Meaning of Icons
- gold
- Might Point
- People Support Point
- Clergy Support Point
- sword
- shield
- Battle Die
- Division Token
- History Card
- Battle Card
- Court Card
- Neighbor Card
Key Rules
- The game is won by the player who crowns their Prince during the Council or eliminates all other players. If no player succeeds in doing so, the game is won by the holder of the Princeps Token.
- Players can hold a maximum of 6 cards in their hand.
- The term "Neighbors" does not refer to other players, but only to the six neutral factions surrounding Poland.
- After losing the last Prince who can rule, the player is eliminated from the game, and the next Round becomes the final Round for all remaining players.