Rikki Tahta, La Mame Games

Coup Rebellion G54

In the not too distant future, you are a leading person of interst with connections to both the established government and underground rebels. The popular uprising has brought the government to it's knees, and the country is in chaos with different factions comitimg for power in the newly formed democracy. In this environment anyone can become President if they can find the support and eliminate their rivals.

Contents

75 influence cards(3 of each role)
2 general action cards(coup and income)
25 Role action cards
(1 of each role, 5x finance, 5x communications, 5x force, 10x special interest)
8 Role tokens
(2x treaty, 1x peacekeeping, 3x disappear, 2x tax)
50 coins

Rules

25 role dividers(1 of each role used to organize the inflence cards for easy retrieval)
2 dividers(used to organize and store cards)

Setup

Take the 2 general action cards and place them in the center of the table. Sepearte the Role Action Cards into 4 piles by type. Choose 5 role action cards to play with by randomly taking 1 from each of the Finance, communications, and force piles and 2 from the special interests pile. These are the only roles that will be in play for the game. Only include advanced roles if all players are experienced at the game. For your first game we suggest using: Banker, Politician, Gurilla, Director and Peacekeeper.

Place the 5 choosen role action cards into the center of the table, face up and visable to everyone. Together with the general actions these define the only actions available this game. Pass around the role action cards for each player to see. Players should familiarize themselves with all the roles and their actions before starting the game.

Place the corresponding role tokens (if applicable) into the center of the table, face up and visible to everyone. Roles that have tokens are: mercinary(disappear), Peacekeeper(peacekeeping), foreign consular(treaty) and customs officer(tax)

Take out the 3 copies of each influence card matching the 5 choosen role action cards. These are the only influence cards used in this game. Shuffle these influence cards and deal 2 to each player. Players can always look at their cards but must keep them face down in front of them. Place the remaining cards face down in the middle of the play area as the deck.

Give each player 2 coins. Each player's money must be kept visible. Place the remaining coins in the middle of the play area as the Treasury.

The person who won the last game starts.

Goal

To eliminate all other players and be the last survivor.

lives and influence

Face down influence cards in front of a player repsent the players lives and who they influence. The roles printed on their face down cards represent who that player can influence and their abilities.

Every time a player lose a life they have to turn over and reveal one of their face down influence cards. Revealed cards remain face up in front of the player visible to everyone and no longer provide influence for the player. Each player always chooses which of their own cards they wish to reveal when they lose a life.

When a player has lost all their lives they are eliminated.

Gameplay

The game is played in turns in clockwise order. Each turn a player chooses one action only. A player may not pass. After the action is chosen other players have an opportunity to challenge or counteract that action. If an action is not challenged or counteracted, the action automatically succeeds. Challenges are resolved first before any action or counteraction is resolved.

When a player has lost all their lives and have no face down cards in front of them, they are immediately out of the game. They leave theier cards face up and return all their coins to the treasury.

The game ends when there is only one player left.

Actions

The role action cards and the general action cards define the available actions a player may take in the game.

A player may choose any action they want and can afford.

General actions are always available and do not require a specific influence card. To choose a role action, a player must claim that the required role is one of their face down influence cards. They can be telling the truth or bluffing. They do not need to reveal any of their face down cards unless they are challenged.

If they are not challenged they automatically succeed.

If a player starts their turn with 10 (or more) coins they must launch a coup that turn as their only action. If there are not enough coins or cards to fully take an action you may partially take it. There is no limit to coins in the treasury, if none remain use any additional counters.

General actions

Always available and cannot be challenged or counter-acted.
Income: Take 1 coin from the treasury.
Coup: Pay 7 coins to the treasury and launch a coup against another player. That player immediately loses a life. A coup is always successful. If you start your turn with 10(or more) coiins you are required to launch a coup.

Role actions

A player may claim to influence any of the roles in play and take the role action of defined on any of the 5 role action cards in the game.

If challenged a player must show they have the relevant influence card for the role they were claiming.

A quick summary of the actions available to each role is on the influence card. See the relevant role action cards for full details.

If multiple role actions are claimed, they are resolved in a clockwise order starting with the active player.

Counteractions

Counteractions can be taken by other players to intervene or block a player's action.

Counteractions operate like role actions. Players may claim to influence any of the roles and use their abilities to counteract another player. They may be telling the truth or bluffing. They do not need to show any cards unless challenged. Counteractions may be challenged but if not challenged they automatically succeed.

If an action is successfully counteracted, the effect of the counter-action is applied, but in all other respects the action succeeds. For instance if an action says pay 4 coins to kill another player and that is counteracted by the player to stop the kill, the life is not lost but the 4 coins are still paid

unless otherwise specified, counteractions can only be taken by the target of an action in their own defense.

influence cards with the word "block" usually means that they counteract the same card and prevent the loss of life or coins that same card's action provides. The corresponding role action cards specify the counteraction for that role.

If multiple counteractions are made, they are taken in clockwise order starting with the active player.

Challenges

Any action or counteraction (excluding general actions) can be challenged. Any other player can issue a challenge to a player regardless of whether they are involved in the action.

Once an ation or counteraction is declared other players must be given an opportunity to challenge. Unless otherwise specified any challenge has to be made before the next claim. Once play continues challenged cannot be retro actively issued.

If a player is challenged they must prove they had the required influence by showing the relevant role in one of their face down cards. If they can't or do not wish to prove it, they lose the challenge. If they can, the challenger loses.

A challenge is fully resolved before returning to play.

Whoever loses the challenge loses a life.

If a player wins a challenge by showing the relevant character card, they first return that card to the court deck, reshuffle the deck and take a random replacemnt influence card(that way they have not lost a life and other players do not know the new influence card they have) Then the action or counteraction is resolved.

If an action is successfully challenged the entire action fails. For instance any coins paid as the cost of the action are returned to the player.

If multiple challenges are issued, they are prioritized by who made the challenge first and if in doubt in clockwise order from the active player.

Order of actions, challenged and counteractions

1. claim action and declare any target. (if challenged resolve now)
2. Additional claim(s) of the action. (If challenged, resolve now)
3. Counteraction(s) claimed. (if counterations are challenged, resolve now)
4. Counteraction(s) taken
5. Action(s) taken

Glossary for card terms

Play: pay a coin to the treasury
Active player: The player who's turn it is
Target: The player(s) targeted by the action of another player

Note: Double Dangers of using force
It is possible to lose 2 lives in one turn if you unsuccessfully defend against an attack. For example, if you challenge a Gurerilla used against you and lose the challenge, you will have 1 life for the lost challenge and then 1 life for the successful executiton by the Guerrilla. Or if you bluff having a gurrilla as a counter-action to the execution attempt and are successfully challenged, you will lose 1 life for the lost challenge and then lose 1 life for the successful execution.

Total(lack of) trust

Any negotiations are allowed, but none are ever binding. Players are not allowed to reveal any of their cards to other players. No coins can be given or lent to other players. There is no second place.

Credits

Game Design: Rikki Tahta, La Mame Games
Development & Testing: Haig Tahta, Gabriel Jones, Robin Rightmeys, Roxana Zegan, Sam Dickinson and everyone at La Mame.

Illustration & Graphic Design: Jerek nocon, Luis Francisco, Stepanie Gustafsson. Thank you to Timothy Hunt for reviewing all final print materials.