Rules:
Each player begins the game with 10,000 population points. If the points go to 0, player is eliminated from the game. The goal is to remain the last player standing.
The main strategy is to decimate other players' population by direct and indirect means, and to do all in your power to protect your population. In the end of the game, players will get 1 bonus point for every population point they took from their opponents, and 2 bonus points for their own remaining population points. In large games, players are encouraged to form alliances, sometimes behind others' backs, join forces, backstab, lie, and bluf, all in the name of victory and good fun.
The game is divided into "rounds", that are divided into "turns". Every player gets an opportunity to make his move during his "turn". Once all players got their "turn", a next "round" will commence. Player can do the following:
| PICK A CARD | Pick a card from the "deck". Player can select the cart type, but the actual value will be selected randomly. |
| USE A CARD | Use a card in player's possession, like "prep" the missile, or activate the defenses. |
| GIVE A CARD | Give a card in player's possession to another player. This is a diplomacy element. |
| SPECIAL CARD | Use one of the "special" cards in player's possession. Only one such card can be used per turn, and unlike above actions, this one does not automatically end player's "turn".
Please note that some of the special cards will cancel the effect of some of the currently active special cards, and player will get a warning message if such event is about to occur. |
Messages:
Player can see whether the other player:
- took a card (but he doesn't know which card he took)
- gave a card (but he doesn't know what card, and to whom)
- what D-card he used (including the type)
- whether he used M-card (but he doesn't know the type of that card)
- and in some cases, what special card he used.
Cards processing (computer version only):
1.process cards. no irreversible changes, like adding and removing cards from inventory (unless).
2.cleanup. all irreversible changes.
Missiles:
Missiles are the obvious delivery devices for warheads. They have to be "prepped" before the launch can take place. This means that every other player will see that you are preparing a missile launch (they don't know the name or the type of the missile, unless they used a special card), and have 1 "round" to take action before the player will be able to launch the warhead. If, at the end of that "round", player decides not to launch the missile, he will lose it. Otherwise, he will select a WARHEAD card he has, combine it with the MISSILE card, if it's of the allowed yield, and select the target (other player).
| maximum yield | % chance of obtaining |
|---|
| 200 | 50 |
| 500 | 30 |
| 700 | 10 |
| 1000 | 5 |
| 1500 | 3 |
| 2000 | 2 |
Details:
Missiles have to be prepared for launch. It takes 1 turn. Missiles can be used with warheads of equal or lesser yield. Missiles can only support one W-card launch, unless S21 "MIRV bus" card is used, in which case the total yield of warheads should not exceed missile's maximum yield. If the missile is prepared, player can use W-card to start a launch, if he decides to do something else, then the missile will be lost.
Warheads
Warhead is a fission/fusion nuclear device, or a pressurized virus colony. Nuclear devices range from 200 kiloton to 2 megaton and deal the damage accordingly. Biological warheads are quite rare, but they do x2 more damage of nuclear warhead for the same yield.
| maximum yield | % chance of obtaining |
|---|
| 200 | 50 |
| 500 | 30 |
| 700 | 10 |
| 1000 | 5 |
| 1500 | 3 |
| 2000 | 2 |
Details:
Before card is drawn, a 9:1 roll is made to see whether the card will be nuclear or biological. Biological weapons have the same yield, but do two times more damage. After the missile hits the target, there is a 10% chance that additional damage will be done to random player (viral or radioactive fallout). That player can also be the launcher or the target country. The damage from fallout is 50% of the damage that the warhead was supposed to do to the target (i.e. fallout from 200 biological warhead is (200*2)/2=200), and if vaults, shelters and such were used they further protect the victim of fallout from this damage (i.e. fallout of 200 on country with fallout shelter brings damage to 100 points). Note that S15 "Antidote" card is not activated by viral fallout, and it does NOT negate the damage.
Propaganda:
Propaganda is a powerful tool of government mind control program, and time showed it well-suited to culture wars and international trade politics as well. By creating dissent in the enemy population, you also gain supporters for your cause and your country. Although not particulary effective compared to weapons of mass destruction, your opponent will have a hard time protecting his people from your propaganda!
| damage | % chance of obtaining |
|---|
| 100 | 50 |
| 200 | 25 |
| 300 | 15 |
| 400 | 7 |
| 500 | 3 |
Details:
50% of damage goes as population bonus to player who used the card. Player does not get any bonus points for points lost by opponent.
Example: player uses 300 propaganda card on opponent. opponent loses 300 points, player gains 150 points to his population.
Defense
| maximum yield | % chance of obtaining |
|---|
| 200 | 50 |
| 500 | 30 |
| 700 | 10 |
| 1000 | 5 |
| 1500 | 3 |
| 2000 | 2 |
Details:
Works during 1 round against all attacks that used M-cards. If M-card's max yield exceeds the indicated max.yield of the D-card currently in use, the damage is NOT substracted.
Example: 200 missile meets 500 defense, with no damage to player. 700 missile meets 500 defense, for 700 damage to player. 500 missile with 500 bio warhead meets 700 defense, with no damage to player.
Special cards:
Special cards give their user special powers, like anonymous warhead detonation, or card theft. The cards have to be activated before use. Some of them will disappear once they are used once (they can be deactivated at any time), others will remain active for a few "rounds" (these cards cannot be deactivated). Some of the cards will negate the effects of other cards by either making them disappear (duration cards), or putting them back in player's inventory.
I.e., "Vaults" negates "Shelters" by cancelling that duration card, if it's active at the moment. Please note that "Shelters" also negate "Vaults", with no comparison of powers between cards.
Special cards cannot be pulled at will. Every 5 "rounds", the game will give player a special card, selecting one randomly from the "deck".
S1 |
Steal a highest-yield NUCLEAR WARHEAD from opponent. (lowest priority) |
If opponent does not have a nuke W-card, lose S1 card anyway. Opponent will get a private message about the incident after this "round" has ended. Player will get the card at the end of this "round". Doesn't take the card used by opponent during this "turn" into account when finding the best card he has. 1 use. |
S2 |
Steal a highest-yield BIOLOGICAL WARHEAD from opponent. (lowest priority) |
If opponent does not have a bio W-card, lose S2 card anyway. Opponent will get a private message about the incident after this "round" has ended. Player will get the card at the end of this "round". Doesn't take the card used by opponent during this "turn" into account when finding the best card he has. 1 use. |
S3 |
Steal a biggest MISSILE from opponent. (lowest priority) |
If opponent does not have an M-card, lose S3 card anyway. Opponent will get a private message about the incident after this "round" has ended. Player will get the card at the end of this "round". Doesn't take the card used by opponent during this "turn" into account when finding the best card he has. 1 use. |
S4 |
Destroy opponent's satellite to cause temporary communication failure. (first priority) |
Opponent's move on his "turn" (including S-card he used) is ignored by the game - he loses 1 "turn". i.e. if he used a special card, the game deactivates that card, if he launched a missile, he gets his W-card back. 1 use. |
S5 |
Computer virus thrashes opponent's network. (second priority) |
Anonymous. Opponent's move on his turn is ignored by the game - he loses 1 "turn". i.e. if he used a special card, the game deactivates that card, if he launched a missile, he gets his W-card back. None of opponent's S- and D-cards work during this "round", if their time of use expires during this "round", they will still disappear. 1 use. |
S6 |
Sell warhead to terrorists (past W-cards) |
Anonymous. Player selects a W-card to 'donate', this card will explode on opponent's territory in this "round". Note that S15-17 cards of the opponent, if active at the moment of strike, will reduce the damage done. 1 use. |
S7 |
Pay mercenaries to sabotage MISSILE launch. (before M-cards) |
Anonymous. Opponent loses the M-card he used during his last "turn" to prepare an attack (unless it was a Submarine Launch), if opponent tried to launch the missile he also loses the W-card he used. Overrides S14 "Adv.Warning System". 1 use. |
S8 |
Greedy scientist sells defense network passcodes. (before D-cards) |
Opponent's D-cards don't react to player's missile attacks during this "round". Active for 1 round. |
S9 |
Launch spy satellite (???) |
Tells player what cards did the other players took and what M-cards they "prepped", for 5 "rounds" including this one. |
S10 |
Anti-terrorist organisation (first-est priority) |
Card remains idle until some another player uses any anonymous card against the player, then 1) card fails, 2) name of the card is revealed to player, 3) another player's name is revealed to player, and 4) this card remains active for the rest of the "round", protecting player against other possible attacks from any other player in the game. 1 use. |
S11 |
Minute of Hate (before P-card) |
All propaganda cards used against player fail. Cancels S12. Active for 2 "rounds". |
S12 |
Media blockout (before S11 card) |
All propaganda cards used against player fail, but the player himself can't use any of his P-cards against any opponent. Cancels S11. Active for 6 "rounds". |
S13 |
Counter-propaganda (before S12 card) |
Card remains idle until P-card attack used against player, the P-card then does the damage to another player who used it, adding 50% of the damage to player (i.e. 200 P-card is used against player, who has S13 card. Player who used P-card loses 200 points, and player with S13 card gains 100 points). Overrides S11-12. 1 use. |
S14 |
Advanced Warning System. (before D-card) |
If D-card was not used in this "round", and the player is attacked by another player, give player a chance to cancel his current action choice for this "round", and choose a D-card instead. Opponents are not warned that player used this card. Does not work if current player used W-cards in his "turn". Active for 4 "rounds". |
S15 |
Fallout shelters (before W-card) |
-50% damage from every nuclear damage, be it W-card or fallout. Cancels S17. Active for 4 "rounds". |
S16 |
Antidote. (before W-card) |
Card remains idle until attack by bio W-card, then it completely negates all damage of this and all W-cards during this round on this country. Overrides, but not cancels, S17 card. 1 use. |
S17 |
Underground vaults (before S15) |
-50% damage from every nuclear or viral damage, be it W-card or fallout. Cancels S15. Active for 4 "rounds".
|
S18 |
Stealth bomber. (before S14) |
Player selects a W-card and a target. It is then "bombed", and no D-card can protect opponent against this attack. S14 "A.W.S." does not warn the opponent of Stealth Bomber. This card ends the turn! 1 use. |
S19 |
Submarine launch. (before M-card) |
Player can immediatelly launch the missile during this "turn", without having to prep it. He selects the missile and the warhead at the same time. 1 use. |
S20 |
EMP blast (before D-card) |
Card remains idle until player uses a nuclear W-card, with M-card or S18 "Stealth bomber". If the player dropped a bomb on opponent who used D-card, opponent's defense grid becomes fried, and he can't use any D-card for 4 "rounds", including this one, so no defense against the used W-card). W-card still does the damage it's supposed to do. 1 use. |
S21 |
MIRV bus (before M-card) |
Card remains idle until player uses a nuclear W-card with M-card. If the W-card's yield is not equal to the maximum yield of M-card, the player can select other warheads of the same type (i.e. if the first W-card was nuclear, then all other W-cards have to be nuclear too), if their total yield does not exceed the max yield of M-card. 1 use. |
S22 |
Bunker Buster (before S-17) |
Card remains idle until player uses a nuclear W-card, with M-card or S18 "Stealth bomber". The effect of S15 "Fallout shelters" and S17 "Underground vaults" currently in use by the opponent is completely negated against the player's nuclear W-card. 1 use. |
Generally S-cards don't end player's turn, but there are some exceptions. Player can only use one S-card during his "turn". If he made up his mind, he can choose another S-card to use, if his "turn" have not ended yet. He can also deactivate (get back) any card that is idle at the moment, and throw away any card that is active right now (however, if the card was activated during this "round", he will get the card back and can choose another S-card) - these moves are not counted as usage of S-card.
Cards that are idle at the moment will disappear after 1 use.
An ultra-special kind of special cards, called ULTIMATE cards, give the user a great advantage over his opponents (albeit at a great bonus point price). Every 20 "rounds", the game will roll 50% of introducing ULTIMATE card in the game. If the roll succeeds, the game will inform that ULTIMATE card is now in the game, and gives one of the players this card by selecting one randomly from the "deck". The game will announce the type of this card and its owner after 10 "rounds".