Revolution

Invented by Reiner Knizia.
Published by Abacus.
Translated by Peter Wotruba.

A tactical game for 2 people.

Contents

Game Idea

Revolution in old Paris. Royalists and Jacobins fight for superiority in the 25 city districts, which are represented by the game board. The two players alternatively place one of their counters in order to control that space. Whoever controls all three of the buildings, or controls eleven city districts has won the game.

Game Preparation

The gameboard is spread out. One player assumes the role of the Royalists, and takes the blue counters and markers. His opponent is the Jacobin player, and he recieves the red counters and markers. All these pieces are placed in front of the players. The three counters with the buildings are then placed near the board.

Set Up & Arrangement of the Buildings

At the beginning of the game, the Royalist player chooses one of the three building counters and places it on any one of the spaces of the board. The Jacobin player then takes a second building counter and he places it on another space. The Now places the third building on any empty space of his choice. The three buildings must be placed so that no two buildings are next to each other. (There must be an empty space between building sites). After these buildings are placed, the stage is set, and now the revolution can begin.

Sequence of Play

The Jacobin player (red) begins. The players alternate taking turns. Whoever's turn it is, places one of his counters on an empty space on the board. Then that player examines the board and sees whether he controls a city district (a space on the board). If he controls a space, he places one of his wooden markers on that space (further explanation below). Then it is the next player's turn.

Placing the Number Counters

When a player puts one of his number counters on the board, he projects influence onto the neighboring spaces in that row and column, and onto the space the counter itself is on. The ammount of the influence corresponds to the number on the counter.

Placing the Markers

When a player has put a number counter onto a space on the board, and subsequently definitly has more influence than the other player, he may mark that number counter with one of his markers during his turn. A marker may still be placed if the counter has an empty space next to it, as long as your opponent, with his highest number counter still available, can not overcome your influence on that space. At the latest, when all the spaces next to a counter have been filled, one of the two players will own the counter. In the case that the influence of both players is the same, the number counter belongs to the player who's color it is.

Important

It is important to realize that the initial influence a number counter has (and projects into neighboring spaces) will remain the same, even if it is marked with an enemy marker.

2nd Illustration

  1. Red controls the blue 9, because blue has only 9 points, while red has 9+8+1=18 points of influence on that space.
  2. Red also owns his 8 counter. There is a stalemate on this counter: red has 8+7=15 and blue has 9+6=15 influence points. (Red owns this space, because in a tie, you control your own counters).
  3. Finally, red also controls his 7. Here red already has 7+8+1=16 influence points, and blue only has at most a 7 and a 5 counter - which is not enough to control the space.
  4. Blue controls the red 9 counter. Here blue has 9+8=17 influence points while red could put at most a six point counter on the empty space giving him only 15 points (9+6) - not enough to control the space.
  5. Likewise blue also controls the red 1. Here also, red has at most a 6 counter to place there - giving him 1+7+6=14 points, while blue has 9+8=17 influence points.

Notre Dame

Along with the number counters, Notre Dame is the only building counter that can be controlled with a marker. Unlike with the number counters however, Notre Dame is controlled by the person who has the least influence on that space. In the case of a tie for the least influence, after placement of a counter on the last empty space next to it, Notre Dame is awarded to the player who did not place the last counter next to it.

3rd Illustration

In this example, red may place a marker on Notre Dame. Blue currently has 7+4=11 influence points, which red could not possibly surpass.

End of the Game & Scoring

The revolution can be won in different ways:

Capture of the Opponent's Flag

Besides the number counters, both players also have a flag of their own color, which in the course of the game must be played on the board. If a player is successful in capturing his opponent's flag, indeed he definitely exerts more influence on it, the game ends immediately, with the victory going to the controlling player.

Controlling the Three Buildings

Versailles and the Bastille may not be controlled by markers (in contrast to Notre Dame). However, it can easily be determined which player has more influence over these buildings without the placement of markers. In the above example, red controls the Bastille in this manner. In the case of a tie, the building is not controlled by anybody.

If a player definitely has the higher influence on the Bastille and Vewrsailles and he also controls Notre Dame, then he immediately wins the game.

Placement of Markers

If a player has put his flag and all eleven of his markers on the board, he wins the game. Therefore it is important that markers may only be placed when it is your turn.

Whoever wins the revolution recieves in any case, as many victory points as his opponent has markers left. In the rare case in which both players reach a victory condition at the same time, the revolution ends undecided.

The Game Cabinet - editor@gamecabinet.com - Ken Tidwell