Rice Wars Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Object of the Game
• Components
  • Double-Sided Board
  • Cards
  • Tokens
  • Markers
  • Ryo
  • Daimyo Card Layout
  • Advisor Card Layout
• Setup
  • Rules for Placing Peasants on the Board
• Playing the Game
  • 1. Income Phase
  • 2. People Hiring Phase
  • 3. Advisor Phase
  • 4. Action Phase
  • Combat
  • Duel
  • 5. Card Drawing Phase
• End of the Game
• Two-Player Scenario: Troublesome Neighbour
  • Object of the Game
  • Setup
  • Playing the Game
  • End of the Game

Object of the Game

The goal of the game is to gain as many rice fields as possible and to place your peasants on them. The player who has the most of them at the end of the game wins.

Components

• Double-sided board
• 144 tokens (120 peasants, 17 ashigaru, 5 ronin, 1 turn token and 1 governor token)
• Deck of 55 cards
• 26 wooden markers (10 pass markers, 10 favour markers, 5 daimyo palaces, 1 phase marker)
• 8 advisor cards
• 5 daimyo cards
• Ryo banknotes in denominations of 1, 2 and 5
• 2 double-sided help sheets
• Rulebook

Note: the Polish rulebook's component list says the deck has 55 cards, and its card section gives 40 action cards and 15 reaction cards (total 55). The component page's card section says "45 cards with a brown background" for the action cards; this is inconsistent with the 40 given elsewhere and is transcribed as printed.

If a component is missing from the box, contact [email protected] and the publisher will supply it.

Double-Sided Board

The board is double-sided. The basic board (for two to four players) is a quick game. The epic board (for three to five players) is a longer and harder contest.

The two sides differ in the number of rice fields (basic: 37, epic: 59) and the number of turns in the game (basic: 7, epic: 8).

The main elements of the board are:

Rice fields. The most important part of the board. Players place their peasants on them so that the peasants farm rice and bring in income. The player who controls the most rice fields at the end of the game wins. The field in the middle of the board brings 2 ryo on the basic board (3 on the epic board).

Turns. On the right side of the board is a scroll held by a dragon, listing the turns of the game. Each turn has an icon indicating the special conditions that apply in that turn (see "Playing the Game").

Phases. On the left side of the board, on a red scroll, the successive phases of each turn are marked. Each phase has an icon (see "Playing the Game").

Phase marker. Placed on the board to show the current phase of the turn.

Turn token. Placed on the board to show the current turn.

Cards

The deck of 55 cards is divided into two types: action cards (40) and reaction cards (15).

Each card can be used in one of two ways:

• by using the card's ability (for some cards, a set number of ryo must be paid for the card to take effect), explained by the symbols on the help sheet; or
• by using its strength bonus in combat or in a duel (each card has a number from 0 to 2 in its upper left corner, which is added to the result).

Hold cards so that opponents know only how many you have, not what they are. At no time may a player hold more than 5 cards.

Important: if a card's ability contradicts these rules, the card's ability takes precedence.

Daimyo cards. There are 5 daimyo cards, one for each player. Throughout play each player keeps their daimyo card on the table in front of them, placing tokens and markers on it (see the description of the card's picture below).

Action cards. 45 cards with a brown background (see the note above regarding the number). They are played only as actions (see "Playing the Game" and the help sheet).

Reaction cards. 15 cards with a grey background. They are played according to special rules, independently of actions (see the help sheet).

Advisor cards. 8 advisor cards appear during play. They are acquired in the advisor phase of the appropriate turns (see "Playing the Game"). During the auction players may buy their services, which help them succeed in the game.

Help sheets. Two double-sided sheets describe the effects of action cards, reaction cards and advisor favours.

Tokens

Peasant tokens. 120 peasant tokens in 5 colours, 24 for each player. During play, players place peasants on the board to gather rice and bring them income.

Ashigaru tokens. 17 ashigaru tokens. During play, daimyo hire ashigaru (foot warriors) to fight opponents for rice fields. These tokens are double-sided: they have an active side (when the ashigaru is ready to act) and a tired side (greyed out).

Ronin tokens. 5 ronin tokens. During play, daimyo hire ronin (masterless samurai), who may fight for rice fields or challenge other daimyo to a duel. These tokens are double-sided: they have an active side (when the ronin is ready to act) and a tired side (greyed out).

Turn token. See "Board" above.

Governor token. Shows which player is currently the governor, that is, who conducts the current turn. The token is placed on the appropriate space on the daimyo card.

Markers

Daimyo palace markers. 5 wooden markers in 5 colours, one for each player. They represent the palaces where the daimyo live. At the start of the game, players place them on the appropriate fields on the board (see "Setup").

Pass markers. 10 wooden markers in 5 colours, 2 for each player. They are placed on the appropriate spaces on the daimyo card and are used to mark the "pass" action (see "Playing the Game").

Favour markers. 10 wooden markers in 5 colours, 2 for each player. They are used to mark the favours that players may expect from advisors (see "Playing the Game").

Phase marker. See "Board" above.

Ryo

Ryo is the currency of the game, represented by banknotes of 1, 2 and 5. Income and expenses are stated in ryo.

Keep banknotes face down on the table so that opponents do not know how many there are or their value.

Daimyo Card Layout

Each daimyo card shows the following elements:

• Portrait of the daimyo
• Family name
• Space for ronin token
• Space for favour markers
• Strength
• Space for ashigaru token
• Strength in a duel
• Space for pass markers
• Space for governor token
• Payment cost
• Space for peasant token

Advisor Card Layout

Each advisor card shows the following elements:

• Advisor name
• Payment cost (on some advisors only)
• Portrait of the advisor
• Favour rule (see help sheet)
• Space for favour marker

Setup

Before the first game, carefully remove the tokens from their sheets.

1. Take all components out of the box.
2. Players choose which side of the board they will play on. With two players, the game is always played on the basic board, following the scenario at the end of these rules (Troublesome Neighbour) or a scenario available on the publisher's website. With five players, the game is always played on the epic board. With three or four players, either board may be used; the epic board gives a considerably longer game.
3. Place the board with the correct side face up. Place the turn token on space "1" on the right side of the board, and the phase marker on space "1" on the left side.
4. Players choose or draw daimyo cards and place them in front of them on the table.
5. Each player receives 24 peasant tokens, their daimyo palace marker, and two pass markers and two favour markers in their daimyo colour. Place the pass and favour markers on the appropriate spaces of the daimyo card (see "Components").
6. Shuffle the deck. Each player receives two cards. Place the rest of the deck face down next to the board.
7. Shuffle the advisor cards and place them face down next to the board.
8. Sort the ryo banknotes by denomination and place them in separate stacks next to the board. These three stacks form the pool of money available in the game.
9. Place the ashigaru (17) and ronin (5) tokens next to the board.
10. Players draw lots to decide who becomes the governor. This player places the governor token on their daimyo card.
11. Starting with the governor and continuing clockwise, each player places two (basic board) or three (epic board) peasant tokens on their daimyo card.
12. Place your palace on the board according to the following rules:
    • A palace may be placed only on the edge of the board (on a field marked with the palace icon).
    • There must always be 2 empty fields between palaces.
    • Once all players have placed their palaces, the governor may move their palace, keeping to the rules above.

Note printed under the setup illustration: the player playing black receives 7 ryo.

Rules for Placing Peasants on the Board

• To place a peasant, a player must have its token on their daimyo card.
• Only one peasant may be placed with a single action.
• The token may be placed on a free field (not occupied by another peasant or a palace) adjacent to the palace, either directly or indirectly through other peasants of the same daimyo.
• A peasant may not be placed on a field adjacent to peasants that are "cut off" from the palace.

The illustrations accompanying this box show a peasant token already on the board, the space where a new token may be placed, and a forbidden space.

Playing the Game

The game is divided into consecutive turns (7 on the basic board, 8 on the epic board). Each turn is divided into phases, played one after another by all players. The governor controls the course of the turn.

Some turns have a special rule that affects play:

• In this turn, players receive an additional 3 ryo in the income phase.
• In this turn only, the advisor phase takes place.
• In this turn, in the card-drawing phase, players receive an additional card.
• In this turn, attackers have a +1 bonus to strength in combat.

On the basic board's turn scroll, these icons appear on turn 2 (advisor phase), turn 3 (extra card), turn 4 (3 extra ryo), turn 5 (advisor phase) and turn 6 (+1 attack bonus). Turn 1 carries the turn token and turn 7 has no icon. The icons for the epic board's eight turns are printed on that board and are not reproduced in the text.

The phases are:

1. Income phase
2. People hiring phase
3. Advisor phase (occurs only in turns marked with the advisor icon)
4. Action phase
5. Card drawing phase

1. Income Phase

The governor calculates each player's income (starting with themselves) and pays them out of the pool for:

• Palace: craftsmen in the palace bring an income of 2 ryo.
• Peasants: each peasant working on a field adjacent to the palace, directly or through other peasants of the same player, brings in 1 ryo. If a peasant works on a blessed field, it brings 2 ryo (3 ryo on the epic board). If a peasant works on a field that has no connection with the palace (for example, it is walled off by peasants of other players), it brings no income.

2. People Hiring Phase

Starting with the governor and continuing clockwise, each player may hire the following people:

• Peasant (cost 1 ryo)
• Ashigaru (cost 2 ryo)
• Ronin (cost 4 ryo)

Place them on the appropriate empty space on your daimyo card.

In this phase players must also pay for people hired in the previous turn:

• ashigaru (cost 2 ryo),
• ronin (cost 4 ryo),
• advisors (the cost shown on the advisor card).

Unpaid people leave your daimyo. Discard the tokens of any unpaid ashigaru and/or ronin, and remove your favour marker from any unpaid advisor's card.

Peasants hired in the previous turn need not be paid, even if they are still on the daimyo card.

Example: Michał buys two peasants for 2 ryo (1 + 1), then pays for two ashigaru at a cost of 4 ryo (2 + 2) and the advisor Youhei at a cost of 1 ryo. He has no money left, so he cannot pay for a ronin at 4 ryo and must discard its token.

3. Advisor Phase

This phase occurs twice during the game, only in turns marked with the fan icon. Players may acquire the favours of advisors through an auction.

The governor draws three advisor cards (two in a game for 2 or 3 players) and lays them face up on the table next to the board. If advisor cards from the previous turn are still face up on the table, remove the favour markers from them and return those cards to the box (they are no longer needed in this game).

The auction then begins. The governor decides the order in which the advisors are auctioned and selects the first advisor. Players hold in their hands the ryo they wish to offer for the advisor being auctioned. The governor then gives a signal, and all players show how much ryo they are holding. Taking part in the auction is not compulsory.

The player (or players) who offered the most places their payment in the pool and places their favour marker on the two-fan icon on the advisor card. The player (or players) who took second place also pays the offered amount into the pool and gains one favour (places the marker on the one-fan icon).

Players who took third place or lower neither pay into the pool nor gain any favours. If nobody offered money for an advisor, that card is returned to the box (it will not be needed in this game).

The same rules then apply to the auction of the favours of the next drawn advisor.

Note: one player may use the favours of at most 2 advisors at once.

Example: Wojtek is the governor and selects Geisha as the first advisor for auction. At the governor's signal, everyone shows the money they are offering: Agata 1 ryo, Michał 2 ryo, Maciek 2 ryo, and Wojtek nothing. Michał and Maciek receive two favours each, and Agata receives one. Everyone pays their money into the pool. Wojtek will not use Geisha's favours.

4. Action Phase

This is the most extensive part of the turn, in which players perform actions.

Starting with the governor, and then clockwise, players take turns, each performing one of the following actions at a time:

• Placing a peasant on a field: see the box "Rules for placing peasants on the board" above.
• Playing an action card: the player plays a card from their hand and immediately carries out its ability, then discards it to the used-cards pile (unless the card says otherwise). For some cards a set number of ryo must be paid before they can be used.
• Combat: see "Combat" below.
• Duel: see "Duel" below.
• Using an advisor's favour: the player uses a favour (see the help sheet). If the player had two favours from an advisor, they move the marker to the one-fan space. If they had one favour, the marker returns to the daimyo card. A player may use an advisor's favour only once per turn.
• Pass: the player discards a pass marker and does nothing, waiting for the moves of the opponents; the next player then performs their action. When a player discards their second pass marker, in this turn they may only perform the "pass" action (they lose the option to perform any other action).

Players may perform the above actions repeatedly and in any order. A player who has discarded both pass markers may perform no actions (apart from passing), but may still defend in combat and duels and play reaction cards.

The action phase ends when all players have passed in turn (even if they could still perform other actions).

Combat

The "combat" action allows a player to remove an opponent's peasant from the board. The combat is won by the player with the greater strength.

If a player has an active ashigaru or ronin on their daimyo card, they may attack an opponent's peasant on any field on the board with it. Palaces may not be attacked.

Each combat consists of the following steps:

1. Choosing the target – the player chooses the opponent's peasant they will attack.
2. Choosing the attackers – the player marks the people tokens with which they will attack. Attacks may be made by a single ashigaru or ronin, or by a group of several ashigaru, or of ashigaru and a ronin. All selected tokens are turned over to their other side (they become tired). Add together the strengths of all the attackers (in a turn with the +1 bonus, add 1 to the total of attacking strength).
3. Choosing the defenders – the player whose peasant was attacked decides whether the peasant defends itself alone, or whether they field active ashigaru and/or ronin to defend (these become tired – the player turns over the tokens used). Add together the strengths of all the defenders.
4. Playing cards – the attacker and defender play cards or use favours in turn, one each, starting with the attacker. If a player declines to play a card or use a favour, the opponent may play only one more card or use only one more favour. Then the played cards are revealed. Each player adds up their bonuses to strength. If the players have played "Kyuujo" cards (see the help sheet), they now decide whether to use the card's ability. The attacker decides first whether to pay the cost of the card they played.
5. Determining the winner – the player with the greater strength wins. In case of a tie, the players (starting with the attacker) reveal the top card of the deck and add its bonus to the result (they may not use its ability). Combat may not end in a draw: players keep revealing cards until a winner is determined. If the players have played "Shouri" cards (see the help sheet), they now decide whether to use the card's ability. The attacker decides first whether to pay the cost of the card they played.

All cards used in the combat are discarded to the used-cards pile.

Tip printed in the rulebook: sometimes it is worth attacking a field far from your own, in order to cut the opponent off from their income.

Caption printed beside the example diagram: a successful attack on the indicated field cuts the yellow player off from the rest of their peasants.

6. Result of combat
   • If the attacker wins, but only ashigaru represented them in the combat, the opponent's peasant is driven off the field (its token is discarded to the peasant pile). The attacker may immediately place their own peasant on that field, if the rules for placing peasants allow it (see the box "Rules for placing peasants on the board").
   • If the attacker wins and their ronin took part in the combat, the ronin forces the peasant to work for a new master. The defender's peasant token is discarded, and the attacker places their own peasant on that field, taking it from outside the daimyo card, regardless of the rules for placing peasants.
   • If the defender wins, the peasant stays on the field.
7. Drawing cards – both players (regardless of how many cards they played) draw one card each from the top of the deck, starting with the attacker.

Example: in the sixth turn (the attacker has +1 to strength), Agata decides to attack Michał's field. For the attack she chooses two active ashigaru. Their total strength is 5 at this point (2 for each ashigaru and 1 because of the special rule of the turn).

Michał decides to use the only active ashigaru still available to defend. The total strength of his defence is 3 at this point (1 for the peasant and 2 for the ashigaru). Then the two of them play cards or use favours in turn. Agata uses the favour of the advisor Soujutsu no shishou (+2 to the strength of her ashigaru). Michał plays a face-down card. Agata plays a face-down card. Michał uses the favour of Youhei and draws a face-down card from the top of the deck. Agata declines to modify the combat further. Michał plays one more card. The cards are now revealed and the strengths totalled. Agata has a bonus of 0 on her cards, so her total strength is 7 (5 + 2). Michał has a bonus of 4 on his cards (1 + 1 + 2), so his total strength is also 7 (3 + 4). However, one of the cards he played was "Shouri". Michał now pays 1 ryo, which allows him to win the combat. His peasant stays on the field. All ashigaru that took part in the combat are tired.

Duel

A duel may be initiated only by an active ronin, and takes place only between a ronin and a daimyo. A daimyo may not challenge another daimyo or a ronin to a duel.

A player who challenges an opponent's daimyo to a duel with their ronin announces this and turns the ronin token over to its other side (the ronin becomes tired).

The challenged daimyo may refuse the duel. In that case, however, they must give up two of their peasants working on fields (chosen by them) to the player whose ronin challenged them (if the daimyo has only one peasant, they give up that one). The challenged player's peasant tokens are removed and replaced by the challenger's peasant tokens from outside the daimyo card (regardless of the rules for placing peasants).

If the daimyo accepts the duel, it is carried out according to the following rules:

1. Modifying the result of the duel – the players taking part in the duel may play face-down cards from their hand to gain a strength bonus (ignoring the cards' abilities), or use the favour of the advisor Iaijutsu no shishou to modify the result of the duel. Players play cards or use favours in turn, one each, starting with the attacker. If a player declines to play a card or use a favour, the opponent may play only one more card or use only one more favour. Then the played cards are revealed. Each player adds up their bonuses to strength. If the players have played "Yuuki" cards (see the help sheet), they now decide whether to use the card's ability. The attacker decides first whether to pay the cost of the card they played.

All cards used in the duel are discarded to the used-cards pile.

2. Determining the winner – the player with the greater strength wins the duel. In case of a tie, both players are treated as losers.
3. Result of the duel
   • If the daimyo loses, they must remove four peasants of their choice from the board. If they have fewer than four, they remove all of them.
   • If the ronin loses, its token is placed on the discard pile.
4. Drawing cards – the challenger draws two cards, the challenged player draws three cards.

Strength in a duel: ronin 4, daimyo 5.

Strength in combat: peasant 1, ashigaru 2, ronin 4.

5. Card Drawing Phase

The governor deals each player 2 cards. A player may never hold more than five cards in hand. If a player already has four cards, they receive only one.

The governor then passes the governor token to the player on the left, advances the turn token, and a new turn begins.

End of the Game

The game ends after the action phase of the 7th turn on the basic board, or of the 8th turn on the epic board.

The winner is the player with the most peasants on rice fields. All rice fields are counted, not only those "connected" to the palace.

If there is a tie, the tied players' holdings are compared. Add together the ryo each one holds and the cost of the people they own (ronin, ashigaru, peasants). The richer player wins.

If the game is still undecided, all the tied players win.

Two-Player Scenario: Troublesome Neighbour

Unless stated otherwise, the basic rules apply. Only the modifications arising from this scenario are given below.

Object of the Game

This scenario is for 2 players, who fight each other and an independent opponent (a neutral player).

The player who has the most rice fields at the end of the game wins. Note: the neutral player may also win the game.

Setup

The scenario is played on the basic board. Setup is the same as for a three-player game.

The neutral player may not become the governor.

Players place their palaces according to the basic rules. The governor places the neutral player's palace last, but may no longer change the position of their own palace.

The neutral player receives two peasants, which the players place in turn, starting with the governor.

Place a pool of 9 peasants next to the neutral player's daimyo card.

The neutral player may not hire a ronin and does not receive action cards.

Playing the Game

The game is played according to the normal rules, except in the following cases.

1. Income phase. The neutral player has no ryo and is not affected by rules that involve money, so it collects no income.

2. People hiring phase. In every turn the neutral player receives 3 peasants to place (from the pool of 9 peasants created before the game). In every turn it also receives 1 ashigaru, but it may never have more than two! It may not hire a ronin.

The neutral player does not pay for its people. In this phase all of its ashigaru automatically become active.

3. Advisor phase. The neutral player does not take part in the auction.

4. Action phase. Players act according to the normal rules. The neutral player does not perform independent actions in this phase. When its turn comes, the governor places one of its peasants on the board. In the next action, the second player places a peasant of the neutral player, and in the third action the governor places the neutral player's last peasant again.

Combat. The neutral player may not attack. Whenever it is attacked, it uses one of its active ashigaru to defend. For it, only one combat card is always drawn from the top of the deck. It uses only the strength bonus, not the card's ability.

Duel. The neutral player may not be challenged to a duel.

5. Card drawing phase. The neutral player receives no action cards, and the rules concerning cards do not apply to it.

End of the Game

The game ends after the action phase of the 7th turn.

If, at the end of the game, the neutral player has the most peasants on fields, or ties for the most, the other players lose.