Brazil: Imperial Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Missive to the Players
• Contents
• Goal of the Game
• Rules Summary
• Setup
  • Setup diagram key
• Player Board
• Action Tokens
• Player Turn
• Action Arches
  • Deploy
  • Painting
  • Build
  • Renovate
  • Manufacture
  • Harbor
  • Trade
• Additional Movements
• Products and Arch Upgrades
• Assets and Resources
• Production
• Buildings and Cities
• Terrains
• Paintings
  • Example Paintings
• Gold Cards
  • Example Gold Cards
• Exploration Tiles
• The Monarchs
• Military Units
• Combat
• Combat Aftermath and Seized Tiles
• Combat Cards
• Palaces
• Capitals
• Mission Cards and Eras
• End of the Game and Scoring
  • Triggering the End of the Game
  • Scoring
• Assembling Map Scenarios
  • Solo Challenge — Battle of Guararapes
  • Water hexes in scenarios
• Credits

Missive to the Players

Salutations, Most Noble Players. I pray that this letter finds you well in both body and spirit. No doubt you have heard the announcement regarding the unexpected discovery of a New World. It is in regard to this very topic that I felt compelled to pen this correspondence, so that you may play a part in this historic episode. I have been told that this shall be a strategic contest for as many as four Players, in which the participant who secures the greatest quantity of Victory Points shall be given the Emperor's crown of this as yet terra incognita.

Upon arrival in Terra Brasilis, it is paramount that you immediately expand your Territory by placing constructions on the maps included within — you have been provided with our most accurate and detailed hexagons — while concurrently improving your forthcoming Actions through the manufacture of new Products. Bear in mind, noble Players, that the myriad unexplored areas on the map will be of great benefit to the brave adventurers willing — and able! — to forge a path to them: such acts of courage may require a sizable army to protect these forays into the unknown.

Your conquest of new Territories shall be primarily achieved by the foundation of new Cities and by the construction of numerous Buildings. Said edifices will provide your settlements with all manner of Resources and Gold — some can even advance your understanding of Science, a most useful Asset. As always, remain prudent: foreign adversaries will, in all probability, attempt to snatch away much of what you have worked tirelessly to accomplish — effectively wiping your name off the map, and from history.

The Players' rivalry shall traverse three historical Eras — each, with the passage of time, offering more freedom and the latest advances in technology. Each Era presents increasingly arduous challenges that must be overcome by at least one Player; completion of any challenge shall advance the contest to the Era subsequent.

I should not have to remind you that great civilizations are built by great minds: Gold alone does not suffice. For this reason, you must make avail of the wisdom, knowledge and advice given to you by the greatest heroes of Terra de Santa Cruz, who have offered to stand at your side. And, dear Players, if I may leave you with a piece of my own advice: When in doubt, never forget that what truly counts toward your victory are those selfsame Victory Points. May wisdom guide your actions and decisions. Go forth, be an Emperor and build your mighty Empire!

"May God grant me these last wishes – peace and prosperity for Brazil." — Dom Pedro II

Contents

• 4 large Land tiles / 8 small Land tiles — Maps are put together using combinations of Land and Water tiles.
• 2 large Water tiles / 9 small Water tiles
• 1 Common board — Combat cards, Gold cards and City tiles are placed here.
• 32 Resources / 26 Assets — Resources: 8 Sugarcane, 8 Coffee Bean, 8 Brazilwood, 8 Cotton. Assets: 10 Science, 16 Gold.
• 1 Scorepad / 4 (+1) tokens
• 24 Palaces / 8 Mansions — Each color has 6 Palaces and 2 Mansions.
• 20 Military Units — Each color has different shapes, names and quantities.
• 4 Player boards / 5 Monarch boards — The green player (the Brazilians) has two Monarch boards to choose from.
• 12 Action tokens (4 per Era) — The reverse side of each Era's Action token carries a bonus.
• 24 Painting cards — Paintings come in three different frame colors: red, pink and blue (8 of each).
• 24 Mission cards — Missions are separated into 3 Eras: I, II and III (8 of each).
• 20 Gold cards / 24 Combat cards — Gold and Combat cards are placed on the Common board.
• 24 Products — Product bases come in three shapes: Squares, Pentagons, and Octagons (4 of each of the six Products).
• 50 Building tiles / 8 City tiles — Buildings are separated by Era: Era I – brown Building tiles; Era II – yellow Building/City tiles; Era III – gray Building tiles.
• 18 Exploration tiles / 4 Capital tiles — The Capital tile with the 1st Player icon determines the game's starting player.

Goal of the Game

During the game, each player will accumulate Victory Points (VP) as they develop their Empire. These points – represented by Imperial Laurels ranging in value from 1 to 5 – are tallied at the end of the game using the provided scorepad.

The game takes place over three Eras, starting with Era I. For the game to advance to the next Era, a player must announce completion of their current Mission Card. When a player announces completion of their Mission in the third Era, the current round is played out and the game ends. The Golden Star symbol present on Era III Mission cards serves as a reminder that they trigger the end of the game.

Victory points are tallied at the end of Era III, and the player with the most is declared the winner!

Rules Summary

A player's turn consists of two phases: an Action Phase followed by a Movement Phase.

A — Action Phase: The player may perform one Action by placing their Action token onto an available Action Arch on their player board. If payment is required for this action, Science can be used in lieu of Gold or Resources, and Gold can be used in lieu of any Resource.

B — Movement Phase: The player may perform 1 free movement by moving one of their Military Units already on the map to an adjacent hexagon, or hex. They may also perform 1 additional movement if their selected Action Arch permits. When a player moves a Military Unit onto a hex that is occupied by an opponent's City, Building or Military Unit, combat will be initiated.

Upon completing their Movement Phase, the current player's turn ends and the next player's turn begins. Turns are taken in clockwise order.

As soon as a player announces (and shows) that they have completed their Mission for the current Era, the game – and all players – must advance to the next Era. First, each player places their Action token face down below an Action Arch of their choosing, adding the bonus depicted to the benefits of that Arch for the rest of the game. Then all players receive a new Action token, corresponding to the new Era.

Note: Despite the simplicity of the player's turn, there are still many options for players to weigh. Don't be concerned if everything isn't clear after this introduction: the rules will be explained in more detail in the coming pages.

Setup

1. Choose a Map Scenario from the Assembling Map Scenarios section for the correct number of players and assemble its map in the center of the table. Randomly place Capital tiles face down on the indicated hexes, ensuring that the 1st Player tile is included among them. Randomly place Exploration tiles face down on all cloud-covered hexes marked by a "?" and return the rest to the box.

2. Place the Common board near the map. Shuffle and place the Combat cards and Gold cards onto their designated spaces. Shuffle all the City tiles, and place them face up in two equal stacks.

3. Shuffle and separate the Painting cards into three decks according to their frame color. Create a gallery of six Paintings by drawing the top two cards from each deck and placing them face up next to one another.

4. Each player receives the Player board, Monarch board(s), 5 Military Units, 5 Palaces and 2 Mansions of one color, as well as 6 Products (one of each type). Place the Products, Military Units and Palaces onto their indicated positions on the Player board.

5. Each player receives the Action tokens and 2 random Mission cards for each Era (I, II and III). Players must keep one Mission card from each Era and place the other at the bottom of its respective deck. Players then pick their Monarch, placing that side of the board face up just to the left of their Player board.

6. Reveal all the Capital tiles by flipping them over, then decide which player will pick one first. This player chooses a Capital, adding the Resource depicted on the tile to their personal supply. They then remove the tile from the map, placing their Palace I on the same hex. Proceed in clockwise order until all players have chosen a location for their Capital.

7. The player who selected the Capital tile with the 1st Player icon starts the game! This player should keep the tile as a reminder of who started the game; all other Capital tiles can be returned to the box. Players take turns in clockwise order (the next player is the person sitting to the left of the current player).

Separate Building tiles by Era. Place Resources and Assets within all players' reach.

Setup diagram key

• A — Map Scenario
• B — Capital tiles
• C — Exploration tiles
• D — Common board
• E — Combat cards
• F — Gold cards
• G — Cities
• H — Painting cards
• I — Player board
• J — Military Units
• K — Products
• L — Palaces
• M — Mission cards
• N — Player's Palace I (Player's Capital)
• O — 1st Player icon
• P — Buildings, Resources and Assets

Player Board

The Player board helps players choose their actions and store Resources and Assets. During setup, each player chooses a Player board or is dealt one at random. Every board comes with at least two Monarchs of the same color; players will choose one of these Monarchs to use during the game. Each player's 6 Products, 5 Military Units and 5 Palaces are placed on their indicated spots. Painting cards are kept face up next to the Player board, while Mission, Combat and Gold cards can be kept in the player's hand.

1. Military Units — Place your five Military Units on the spaces indicated. Their unique abilities and Victory Points are shown under each, and the cost to Deploy them for the first time is shown below.

2. Building Overview — Key information about the buildings available during each of the three Eras is shown here: VP earned, Production acquired, Cost to build, and Terrain requirement.

3. Monarchs — Monarch boards come with a pair of monarchs – one on each side – with personality traits that confer unique skills or bonuses to their player. Each player places their chosen Monarch to the left of their Player board.

Mansions — Each player has two Mansions of their color which are used to identify their Cities on the map.

4. Products — Place the six Products on the spaces indicated by their shape and color. Victory Points are shown under each, and the cost to Manufacture them is shown below.

5. Personal Supply — The central area of the Player board is used as storage, and can hold at most 5 Resources and/or Assets. Defeated Military Units are also kept here, but they do not take up any space.

6. Action Arches — A player must place an Action token onto one of these spaces in order to perform the action depicted.

7. Action Arch Upgrade — A player can place a Manufactured Product onto one of these spaces to upgrade an Action Arch.

8. Economic Period Palaces — Place the five Palaces II to VI on the spaces indicated by their shape. When a player completes a Mission, they may put one of these Palaces onto one of their Building tiles in order to unlock its bonus.

Action Tokens — Each player has three Action tokens, one for each Era. Action tokens not yet in play should be kept next to the Player board.

Action Tokens

Action tokens are an integral part of the game: they allow players to choose an action by placing one on an unoccupied Action Arch. Each player has three Action tokens, one for each Era (I, II and III). A player cannot perform the same action two turns in a row with the same Action token.

When a new Era begins, players place their Action token from the previous Era face down below an available Action Arch. In doing so, they add a bonus to that Arch's action during their Movement Phase.

Note that Eras always advance for all players at the same time, so everyone should always be using the same Action token. The first action of an Era can be any action, since the previous Era's token is no longer covering an Action Arch.

Era I Action Token bonus: The player can look at an Exploration tile without revealing it to anyone else, then return it face down. This tile must still be explored by a Military Unit to gain its bonus.

Era II Action Token bonus: The player may draw a Combat card.

Example: A) The current player performed an action, and as a result was the first to announce completion of a Mission card from the current Era (II). B) All players must place their Era II Action token face down below an Action Arch of their choice, and from now on will receive the depicted bonus whenever they perform that action during their Movement Phase. C) The game immediately advances to Era III, and Action token III is provided to all players.

Player Turn

A player must complete the Action Phase before they can make a movement on the map. The two phases of the player turn must be played out in this order:

A) Action Phase — Place your current Action token onto an unoccupied Action Arch and take that action. You must move your Action token to a different Arch, meaning that you cannot perform the same action two turns in a row.

Example: If you would like to acquire a Painting, place your Action token onto the Painting Action Arch.

B) Movement Phase — After completing your action, you may perform – if you wish – one free movement to an adjacent space with a Military Unit already on the map. If your chosen Action Arch provides one additional movement, you may move the same unit or a different one. It is vital to remember that there are several types of additional movements, and that they can all be performed either before or after your free movement.

Example: By choosing the Painting Action Arch, you will have one free movement as well as its indicated additional movement (a movement into an adjacent forest).

Action Arches

Action Arches are the spaces on the Player board used to select and perform actions by placing Action Tokens onto them. The first five Arches can provide various items and Victory Points; the last two, Harbor and Trade, provide Resources, Assets and Gold cards. And remember, a player cannot perform the same action two turns in a row with the same Action token.

Be aware that constructions are divided into Eras. When the game is in Era II, for example, players can only build Cities, Era I Buildings and Era II Buildings. Buildings of Era III can only be constructed when the game progresses to Era III. Details such as the terrain(s) on which each type of Building can be built are shown at the top of the Player board.

Deploy

Pay the cost shown below a Military Unit to deploy it onto the map, then draw a Combat card. If you wish, you can simply draw a Combat card for free without deploying a Unit. To deploy a Military Unit, move it from your Player board and place it on one of your Cities or Capital on the map. An Imperial Laurel will be revealed when deploying a Military Unit for the first time, indicating how many Victory Points you will earn at the end of the game.

Once deployed, never return a Military Unit to its original spot on the Player board. A defeated Military Unit (one that has been returned to your personal supply) can be redeployed using the Deploy Action Arch at no cost.

Painting

Acquire one of the available Painting cards, paying its cost if present. Place your newly purchased card face up next to your Player board. This Painting's abilities are yours to use for the rest of the game.

Build

Add an available Building or City to your Empire by paying its required cost. Verify its terrain requirements.

Choose one Building tile from the table. Place the desired side face up on a hex adjacent to your Capital, Cities or Buildings that is not adjacent to any enemy tiles. Immediately put its Production on it, indicated by the white gear. To build a City, choose one of the two City tiles from the Common board. Place it face up on the hex where your Monarch Unit is located. It does not need to be adjacent to any of your tiles, but it cannot be adjacent to an opponent's.

You cannot place a tile on a hex occupied by an enemy Military Unit!

Production is one of the main concepts to understand in this game. Players can use the Resources and Assets produced by their constructions to make payments and trades, but these constructions will not produce goods again unless the player performs a Renovate Action or obtains another way to do so.

Building Quick Reference

1. Select a Building or City tile matching the current or any previous Era, choose a side to build and pay its cost.
2. Place the tile on a hex with the correct type of terrain (as shown on the Player board) adjacent to any of your Buildings, Cities or the Capital. It cannot be placed adjacent to an enemy Building, City or Capital.
3. Cities can only be placed on the hex where your Monarch Unit is currently located. It cannot be placed adjacent to an enemy Building, City or Capital.
4. Place the Resources and/or Assets indicated by the white gear on this tile.

A building begins Production immediately. Example: when built, this Farm produces 2 Coffee Beans as indicated. Place those Resources onto the tile. The player can now use these Resources in future transactions.

Renovate

Renovate a Building that does not have Resources or Assets on it. Pay one Resource of any kind, then choose one of the following two options:

• A) Replenish its current Resources or Assets, indicated by the white gear; OR
• B) Flip the tile over and replenish the new Resources or Assets, indicated by the white gear. Ignore the terrain type during a Renovate Action.

You cannot use a Resource currently on a Building to renovate it.

Manufacture

Choose one of the Products available on your Player board and pay the cost printed below it. Place the chosen Product on a similarly shaped upgrade slot of an Action Arch. Now when you place your Action token on that Arch, you will also receive the indicated bonus.

Harbor

Take one Resource from the general supply and place it into your personal supply. Remember that your supply only has space for up to 5 items (Resources and/or Assets).

Trade

Here a player can exchange Resources and Combat cards for Assets and Gold cards. You may choose and repeat as many trades as desired, but keep your storage capacity in mind!

• Exchange 1 Resource of any kind for 1 Gold;
• Exchange 2 Cottons, 2 Coffee Beans, or 1 of each for 2 Gold and 1 Gold card;
• Exchange 4 Resources of any kind for 1 Science, 1 Gold and 1 Gold card;
• Exchange 2 Combat cards for 1 Gold and 1 Gold card.

When exchanging Resources, you can take them from your personal supply or from the production of any Building on the map under your control; any Assets that you get in return must be placed in your personal supply. Your supply can hold up to five Resources and/or Assets, and you can hold up to three Gold cards in your hand. If, after any trade, you have too many of either, return some of your choice to the general supply before completing another trade or advancing to the Movement Phase.

Additional Movements

Depending on the Action Arch chosen during the Action Phase, you may be able to make an additional movement during the Movement Phase. This movement can be made before or after your free movement, and by any Military Unit (including those just used in combat).

If you placed your Action token on:

• Deploy: You can move a Military Unit to your Capital, or to a City that you built that is under your control (regardless of distance).
• Painting: You can move a unit onto an adjacent Forest hex.
• Build: You can move a unit onto one of your adjacent Building or City tiles.
• Renovate: You can move a unit onto an adjacent space that borders the edge of the map, OR on / off a Water hex.
• Manufacture: You can move a unit onto an adjacent Gold Mine hex.
• Harbor or Trade: You gain a tactical advantage in combat while your Action token is on either of these Arches: +2 CS when defending and +1 CS when attacking.

Products and Arch Upgrades

Every player has 6 Products, represented by prisms with three distinct bases: square, pentagonal, and octagonal. Products are obtained by using the Manufacture Action Arch and the associated cost is shown on the Player board below each one.

Product	Base	Victory Points	Cost to Manufacture
Dye	Square	2	2 Brazilwood
Sugar	Square	2	2 Sugarcane
Cocoa	Pentagon	2	1 Gold
Fabric	Pentagon	3	2 Cotton
Coffee	Octagon	3	2 Coffee Bean
Rubber	Octagon	4	1 Brazilwood + 1 Science

Manufacturing a Product will reveal an Imperial Laurel, indicating the quantity of Victory Points earned for it at the end of the game. After manufacturing a Product, immediately place it on an available Action Arch with a matching shape to upgrade the Arch. The upgrades for Action Arches are:

• DEPLOY — Deploy an additional Military Unit and draw an additional Combat card. (If you are deploying this unit for the first time, pay the associated cost.)
• PAINTING — Acquire Paintings with a printed cost of 1 Gold for 1 Resource; acquire Paintings with a printed cost of 1 Resource for free.
• BUILD — Any Resource can be used to pay construction costs that normally require specific Resources.
• RENOVATE — Renovate buildings for free.
• MANUFACTURE — Reduce the cost of manufacturing a Product by one Resource.
• HARBOR — Draw a card from the Gold card deck (in addition to the Resource provided by this Arch).

Assets and Resources

There are 2 Assets and 4 Resources in the game. The most valuable is Science, as during transactions it can be used in place of any Resource or Gold, which in turn can be used in place of any Resource.

Assets:

• SCIENCE — Produced by Academies and Churches. (Can be used as Gold or any Resource.)
• GOLD — Produced by Trading Posts, Gold Foundries and Churches. (Can be used as any Resource.)

Resources:

• SUGARCANE — Crop produced by Cane Fields.
• COFFEE BEAN — Crop produced by Farms.
• BRAZILWOOD — Produced by Trading Posts and Sawmills.
• COTTON — Produced by Plantations.

Some icons in the game mean that any Resource can be used; another icon (a split green/red symbol) means that either a Sugarcane or a Coffee Bean can be used.

The +1 token: place it under a Resource or Asset if there aren't any of that type remaining in the general supply (the token counts as an extra copy, i.e. the marked piece = 2).

Production

You will need a strong economy to sustain your growing Empire. A Building will produce goods when it is Built or Renovated, and upon acquiring certain Paintings and revealing certain Exploration tiles. A Building produces the Assets and/or Resources shown next to its white gear icon; these can be used to pay for many types of Actions throughout the game.

Assets and Resources on Building tiles cannot be moved to your personal supply or vice-versa.

Some bonuses immediately increase Production at specific Buildings. This improvement is granted to the Buildings that you already have on the map and any that you Build or Renovate in the future. Example: the Production at all your Gold Foundries has permanently improved.

Buildings and Cities

There are 8 types of Buildings and 8 different Cities that players can construct by paying their associated costs. During any stage in the game, however, only those belonging to the current or a previous Era can be built. At the start of the game, for example, only Era I Buildings are available.

While City tiles have only one side, regular Building tiles have two. Each side has a different type with its own cost, production and terrain requirements. And you can, if you wish, flip a Building tile already on the map using the Renovate action in order to gain the other side's Production. Cities cannot be renovated; they have no Production nor two sides.

These are the five key attributes found on Building tiles:

• ERA: The earliest Era in which it can be built.
• Terrain: The terrain type(s) that the tile can be placed on. Once built, this hex's terrain type becomes Building.
• Cost: The Assets/Resources required for the Build action.
• Production: The Assets/Resources that the Building produces.
• Victory Points: The amount of VP earned at the end of the game for this Building. This value also doubles as its Combat Strength (CS).

Building and City tiles are grouped at the top of the Player board on colored banners representing each Era. Information about both sides of the same tile is also shown.

Building	Era	Terrain	Cost	Production	Victory Points
Sawmill	I	Forest	1 Sugarcane	2 Brazilwood	1
Trading Post	I	Forest	1 Brazilwood + 1 Sugarcane or Coffee Bean	1 Brazilwood + 1 Gold	2
Cane Field	I	Field	1 Brazilwood	2 Sugarcane	1
Farm	I	Field	1 Brazilwood + 1 Sugarcane or Coffee Bean	2 Coffee Bean	2
Gold Foundry	II	Gold Mine	1 Brazilwood + 1 Sugarcane or Coffee Bean	2 Gold	2
Plantation	II	Field	1 Gold	2 Cotton	2
Church	III	All Terrains	1 Cotton + 1 Gold	1 Gold + 1 Science	2
Academy	III	All Terrains	1 Gold + 1 Science	2 Science	3

CITIES (8) — All Terrains. Each city has its own cost. You may Build either of the two Cities available on the Common board. Victory Points: 5.

Terrains

The hexagonal spaces on the map (hexes) belong to one of three terrain types, defining and limiting what can be constructed on them. When a player uses the Build Action to add a Building or City to their Empire, that space changes to a Building terrain. Cities and Era III Buildings can also be built on top of Building tiles from Era I and Era II.

Each type of terrain is represented by a different symbol or background:

• Field
• Forest
• Gold Mine
• Era I/II Buildings

Paintings

There are 24 Painting cards in the game. Many portray historical figures who will confer special abilities and Victory Points to their owner. They can be obtained by using the Painting Action Arch and paying their cost, if present. Once acquired, you will keep the Painting for the rest of the game, placed face up to one side of your Player board. While some Paintings have a one-time effect, others can be activated multiple times during the game. Players may collect as many Paintings as they desire.

During the game, six Painting cards are available for purchase at any given time. Paintings belong to one of three Imperial Orders, identified by color: red, pink or blue. When a Painting is purchased, reveal another from the same Order. If there are no more cards remaining in that Order, reveal a card from another one.

Each Painting card shows its cost (if present), its ability, and its Victory Points.

Some Paintings increase the Production of specific Buildings. This improvement applies to all your Buildings of that type currently on the map, as well as any that you Build or Renovate later on in the game. When you acquire a Painting with this bonus, all your upgraded Buildings immediately produce the extra Asset or Resource indicated.

For example, if you acquire the painting Guaraní, all your existing Sawmills will immediately produce one Brazilwood, and all your Sawmills will now produce one additional Brazilwood when you Build or Renovate them.

Example Paintings

• Camarão — Increases the Combat Strength of all your Buildings adjacent to Forest hexes by 1. And at the end of the game, each Forest hex adjacent to your Empire earns you 1 Victory Point.
• The Immigrants — Allows you to place Manufactured Products on any Action Arch, regardless of the shape of its base.
• Araribóia — Allows you to Build a City where any of your Military Units are located, not only your Monarch.
• Maria Quitéria — Increases your Combat Strength (CS) in all your battles: +2 CS when defending, and +1 CS when attacking.
• Dona Leopoldina — Allows you to ignore Buildings' terrain requirements when constructing. You may even place new Buildings on top of existing Buildings from any Era; the bottom Building is removed from the game.
• Coroados — Allows you, at any moment during your turn, to place your Action tokens from previous Eras on this Painting to earn a bonus. Era I token: +2 VP at the end of the game. Era II token: Draw 2 Gold cards. Once an Action token is placed here, it stays on the card for the rest of the game.
• Rebouças — Once per turn, when Building, allows you to pay one less Resource or Gold than the printed cost of a Build Action.
• Factory — You can place Manufactured Products on the Factory painting at the end of the game (after your final turn) to earn Victory Points.
• Dona Isabel (The Princess of Brazil) — Lets you place a Palace from your Player board onto a compatible Building tile at any moment during the game. Follow the same rules as outlined in the Palaces section. This bonus can only be activated once.
• Mauá — Allows you to build twice when using the Build Action Arch. When doing so, you must pay one Resource of any type in addition to the total cost of both buildings.

Gold Cards

There are a total of 20 Gold cards in the game. They can be obtained in three main ways: during certain Trade Actions, during upgraded Harbor Actions, and once when Palace III is placed on the map. Many Gold cards provide an Extra Action for the player to take during their turn.

A Gold card has the same value as 1 Gold, and can be used to pay for anything that requires Gold or Resources.

Gold cards are discarded when used as Gold or when their extra action is taken. Create a discard pile near the Common board: if the Gold card deck runs out of cards, use the discard pile to replenish it.

Players can have many different Gold cards during the course of the game, but may only hold up to 3 in their hand at one time. Whenever a player has more than 3 Gold cards in their hand they must immediately discard down to this amount, without earning any benefits from the discarded cards.

Example Gold Cards

• Agricola — Gold cards like this one require that you have it in your possession at the end of the game – and fulfill its requirements – to earn Victory Points.
• Jesuits — You may build a Church during any Era (although it cannot be Renovated until Era III).
• War — Reveal this card immediately after winning a combat to earn its bonus.

Exploration Tiles

During setup, Exploration tiles are shuffled and randomly placed face down on cloud-covered hexes identified by "?" symbols. An Exploration tile must be revealed (turned face up) when a Military Unit moves onto it for the first time.

The bonus ability of the Era I Action token allows players to peek at an Exploration tile without revealing it. The tile's bonus, however, can only be awarded once it has been revealed. For construction purposes, unexplored Exploration tiles and cloud-covered hexes are both Field terrains. Should you choose to build on an unexplored Exploration tile, it must be discarded without being revealed or awarding its bonus.

Some Exploration tiles provide an immediate bonus to the player who reveals them, while others have a requirement that must be met in order to earn their reward. In both cases, these tiles are removed from the map when it is received.

• Unknown Species — Players earn 1/3/5 VPs at the end of the game for having 1/2/3 of these tiles in their possession. These tiles are taken off the map and kept by the player who revealed them.
• Minas Gerais — When revealed, leave it on top of the same hex. The first player to Build something here earns 1 Gold. All terrain types are permitted.
• River Basin — When revealed, leave it on top of this hex for the remainder of the game. This tile increases the Production of all adjacent Buildings by 1 Resource of the same type (Sugarcane, Cotton, Brazilwood or Coffee Bean). This applies to all adjacent Buildings already on the map as well as any Buildings that are later Built or Renovated adjacent to this tile.
• Quilombo — The player may draw a Mission card from any Era and add it to their hand. The tile is then discarded.
• Culture — When revealed, leave it on top of the same hex. The first player to Build something here earns 2 VP at the end of the game. This tile is taken off the map and kept by the player who builds on this hex. All terrain types are permitted.
• Mandioca — Immediately gain 1 Resource. The tile is then discarded.
• Expedition — When revealed, leave it on top of the same hex. These tiles have a minimum Combat Strength requirement that must be met for a player to receive its bonus. To initiate combat with the tile, move a Military Unit onto it or spend the free movement of a Unit already on the tile. As in normal combat, players can use Paintings, Action Arch bonuses and Combat cards to increase their total CS, with the only difference being that you must equal or surpass the total CS number on the tile. If the player wins, they receive the depicted bonus (if it's VP, they keep the tile). If they lose, nothing happens. Regardless of the outcome, any Combat cards used must be discarded. (Each Expedition tile shows the Combat Strength required and the bonus for winning this Combat.)

The Monarchs

Ten Monarchs from history are available for players to choose from, and each has special abilities that can be used to gain a strategic advantage throughout the game. The color of the player's chosen Monarch board must match that of their Player board. The green Player board (representing the Brazilians) has four Monarchs to choose from; all other colors have two.

• Dom Afonso Henriques — Once per turn when making a payment you may use either 1 Combat card as 1 Gold, 2 Combat cards as any 2 Resources, or 3 Combat cards as 1 Science and 1 Gold. You cannot mix it.
• Dona Isabella I of Castile — Your first three Trading Posts are worth 3 Victory Points and produce 1 Brazilwood and 2 Gold.
• Dom Manuel I — Your first three Sawmills are worth 2 Victory Points and produce 2 Brazilwoods and 1 Gold.
• Maurice of Nassau — Your first three Cane Fields are worth 3 Victory Points and produce 3 Sugarcane.
• Napoleon — Draw an additional Combat card after your first Deploy Action. When making payments, Combat cards can be used as Resources and 2 Combat cards can be used as 1 Science.
• Queen Victoria — When you Manufacture a Product, you may place it on your Monarch board to immediately collect 1 Science. You may do this up to three times. At the end of the game, earn 1 VP for each Product placed here.
• Tibiriçá — The first 3 Buildings or Cities that you construct on Forest hexes provide bonuses: 1st – 1 of any Resource; 2nd – 1 Gold; 3rd – 1 Science.
• Dom Pedro I — Immediately after your first deployment of Archer and Cannon units, collect 1 of any Resource for each. After your first deployment of Monarch and Dragoon units, collect 1 Gold card for each.
• Dom Pedro II — You receive a bonus for the first Painting acquired in each color: Red – 1 of any Resource; Pink – 1 Gold; Blue – 1 Science.
• Dom Obá II — Collect 1 Science upon completion of your first and second Missions. Each of these cards is worth +1 Victory Point at the end of the game.

Military Units

Military Units are used to explore the map and engage in combat during the Movement Phase. Each player receives five of their color, which are placed on their indicated positions on the Player board during game setup (shapes, names and quantities differ on each board). Each Military Unit has a cost printed below its space that must be paid when a player Deploys them. When deployed, Military Units are placed on the player's Capital or one of their Cities.

Each Military Unit has a specific Victory Point (VP) value – which also serves as its Combat Strength (CS) value – and, in some cases, a special power. Each unit's space on the Player board shows its Cost as well as its VP & CS.

Their special powers are represented by the following symbols:

• House symbol — Cities can only be built on the hex where your Monarch is located.
• Arrow symbol — This unit can bring along other units when moving.
• Fuse symbol — This unit can use a free movement to attack an adjacent space.

At the end of the game, all Military Units deployed – whether on the map or in the player's personal supply – earn Victory Points.

Cannon and Grenadier units can initiate combat with an adjacent space by spending a free movement. All Military Units on both spaces are included in the Combat, as well as the Buildings and Cities built by these two players.

Combat

Combat happens only during the Movement Phase.

As soon as one or more Military Units enters a space with an enemy Military Unit, Building or City, combat is initiated. Combat is resolved by comparing the total Combat Strength (CS) of the attacker with that of the defender in the space(s) where the Combat is taking place.

The Combat Strength of a Military Unit, Building or City is equal to the number of Victory Points shown on its Imperial Laurel. Players can also add modifiers to their Combat Strength by using Paintings, Combat cards and Action Arches. The player with the highest total Combat Strength is declared the winner of the combat.

Combat must abide by the following order of events:

1. The Attacker uses as many applicable Painting cards as they wish, and the Harbor/Trade Arch bonus if present. Any and all effects are applied immediately.
2. The Attacker may use up to 3 Combat cards from their hand, placing them face down on the table.
3. The Defender performs the same two steps described above.
4. All face down Combat cards are revealed, and their effects – as well as ones from Painting cards – are resolved. The attacker applies the effects of all their cards first. Winning or losing, both players must discard all these Combat cards.
5. The player with the highest total Combat Strength wins the combat! In the case of a tie, the Defender has the advantage and wins.
6. The losing player moves all their defeated Military Units into their personal supply. Defeated units are never placed back onto their initial spots on the Player board. The winning player can also lose Military Units during combat, but at least one of their units will always survive.

Example: A green Military Unit has moved into a hex with an orange Military Unit, initiating Combat between those two players. Each player increases their Combat Strength by adding valid Painting cards, Combat cards and Action Arch bonuses. When both players are ready for combat, they follow the order of events outlined above. (In the illustrated example the green player totals CS = 11 against the orange player's CS = 4.)

Combat Aftermath and Seized Tiles

After combat, all Military Units defeated in combat are placed into the personal supply of their owners, not back onto their initial spots on the Player board. Military Units in a player's personal supply can be redeployed at no cost, and their Victory Points are already assured.

If an attacking player wins a combat on an opponent's Building or City, they seize control of it. It will remain under their control for as long as they maintain at least one Military Unit on the tile, during which time they can use its Production to make payments and to complete Missions. Note that you cannot Build adjacent to a tile that you have seized because it is still considered part of the opponent's Empire. A player's Capital cannot be attacked or seized!

If all enemy Military Units are removed from a seized building, its original owner (the player who built it) immediately regains control. However, if the original owner (or another player) decides to initiate Combat with this construction in an attempt to claim it, neither player gains the Combat Strength shown on the tile.

The special ability of Cannons and Grenadiers allows them to use the player's free movement to initiate combat with an adjacent space. If they are defeated, all Military Units on that space are placed in the personal supply of their owner, as usual. If they win, however, they cannot take control of the opponent's building (if one exists) because they are not positioned on its tile.

Seized Buildings and Cities — When an adversary wins a Combat on a Building or City tile, they seize it for as long as one of their Military Units remains there. If no adversary Military Units are present, however, the player who built it immediately regains control.

Use your two Mansions to identify City tiles. They help identify you as their original owner.

Example: The Green player initiated an adjacent combat and the Orange player lost. However, the Orange player used the Sepé Tiaraju Combat card, which defeated one of the Green player's Military Units. The Military Units that were defeated are sent to the personal supply of their owners. The Green player won the combat, but the Orange player maintains control of the Sawmill because there is no Green Military Unit on it.

Combat Cards

There are 24 Combat cards in the game, and they can be obtained in two ways: During the Deploy Action (even if a Military Unit isn't deployed) and by placing Palace VI on the map.

Players can have different Combat cards in their possession during the game, but may only hold up to three in their hand at one time. Whenever a player has more than 3 Combat cards in their hand they must immediately discard down to that amount, without earning any benefits from the discarded cards.

Combat cards are placed face down during Combat, first by the attacker, then by the defender. Each player can select up to three cards, and must discard all of them once Combat is over.

Some Combat cards confer a special ability and/or increase the Combat Strength (CS) of the player. Take, for instance, the Count of Eu card: If you have Military Units on a space adjacent to the combat, you gain 2 CS; otherwise you gain 1 CS. The card Sepé Tiaraju grants you 1 CS in combat, as well as a special effect that will be activated if you lose.

Palaces

All players start the game with a Palace belonging to Economic Period I – simply called Palace I – and five more Palaces on their Player board that can unlock special bonuses. Palace I marks the location of a player's Capital on the map. Every time that someone reveals a successfully completed Mission card, they may place a new Palace on a Building or City in their Empire.

When you complete a Mission, the Palace symbol depicted on the card reminds you to follow these steps:

1. Choose any Palace on your Player board for which you have met the required placement prerequisites. Each Palace must be placed on a specific type of Building, and there can only be one Palace per tile. For example, Palace II must be placed on an available Era I Building.
2. Bonuses will be revealed when you remove the selected Palace from your Player board. Collect the bonus item(s) immediately; the Victory Points revealed will be tallied at the end of the game.
3. Building tiles with Palaces on them cannot be flipped over using the Renovate action. They can, however, be Renovated to replenish the Building's production.

Palace	Requires	Bonus
Palace II – Sugarcane Period	An Era I Building	Gain 1 Sugarcane and Manufacture and place 1 cube-shaped Product (Dye or Sugar) at no cost.
Palace III – Gold Period	An Era I or II Building/City	Gain 1 Gold card. Earn +1 VP for each Gold Foundry you built that you still control at the end of the game.
Palace IV – Cotton Period	A Plantation	Gain 1 Cotton. Earn +2 VP for each Plantation you built that you still control at the end of the game.
Palace V – Coffee Period	A Farm	Earn +1 VP at the end of the game for each Product manufactured.
Palace VI – Rubber Period	A City	Gain 1 Combat Card. Earn +1 VP at the end of the game for each Military Unit deployed.

Example: The player completed a Mission card and chose Palace IV (Cotton Period) to add to their Empire. Palace IV must be placed on a Plantation. The player immediately receives one Cotton resource and will earn more Victory Points for their Plantations. This tile can no longer be flipped over, but the Plantation can continue to be Renovated to produce more Cotton.

Capitals

During setup, Capital tiles are placed randomly on the indicated map hexes, one for each player – remember to include the 1st Player tile among them. Revealing the tiles, each player must choose a different one as their starting position, placing their Palace I on that hex and collecting the Resource depicted on the tile. The selected hex will be that player's Capital for the entire game. A Capital is considered as a City, except for combat: it cannot be attacked.

Place and reveal the Capital tiles, and then place your Palace I on one of them. Collect the indicated resource and put it in your personal supply. If you selected the 1st Player tile, keep it with you; otherwise return it to the box.

Mission Cards and Eras

The game is divided into three Eras, each one having an impact on which Buildings can be built and which Action token is currently in use. The Eras are:

• I: The Era of Exploration
• II: The Era of Sail
• III: The Era of Rail

Each Era has a deck of Mission cards. It is through the completion of these Missions that the game progresses to the next Era.

When a player has completed the objectives on their Mission card of the current Era, they may – if they wish – reveal this card at any point during their turn. The game will then advance to the next Era for ALL players.

What happens when a player is the first to complete their current Mission?

1. The player reveals this Mission card, places it on the table, and earns the Victory Points indicated on the card.
2. This player adds a Palace from one of the five Economic Periods (II-VI) to the map as a reward for completing a Mission, and collects that Palace's bonuses.
3. The game advances to the next Era. The Action token used during the previous Era is flipped over and positioned under an Action Arch of the players' choosing. From now on, players receive the depicted bonus when this Action is performed.
4. All players receive the new Action Token for use during the current Era. At the start of an Era, all Arches will be available.

Mission cards from previous Eras can still be completed! In this case, only items 1) and 2) apply. Players may complete as many Missions as possible!

Era III Missions cards award Victory Points differently than the previous Eras: players will earn the VP indicated for each of its 3 objectives successfully completed by the end of the game.

Anatomy of a Mission card: the objectives and their symbols; the VP earned when this card is completed and revealed; the bonus Palace to place on the map; and the Action token to use if the game advances to the next Era. Era III Mission cards additionally show the VP earned for each objective fulfilled on this card, a text description of the card's objectives, and the Golden Star, which reminds players that the game will end at the end of the current round.

End of the Game and Scoring

During the game, players accumulate Victory Points – represented by Imperial Laurels ranging in value from 1 to 5 – by expanding and developing their Empire.

Triggering the End of the Game

The end of the game is represented by a Golden Star. It is triggered when someone completes and reveals a Mission card from Era III. When the current round ends, so does the game!

All players will take the same number of turns during the course of the game: the final round ends when the player to the right of the player with the 1st Player tile completes their Movement Phase.

Scoring

Now comes the time for players to sum the Victory Points of their respective Empires! Use the provided scorepad to assist with the calculation.

The actions and items that award Victory Points are:

• Military Units deployed
• Products manufactured
• Paintings acquired
• Era I and II Missions revealed + Era III Mission objectives completed
• Gold cards
• Exploration tiles acquired
• Palaces II-VI placed on the map
• Building/City tiles in your possession (including seized tiles)

The player with the most Victory Points is crowned the Emperor or Empress of Brazil and wins the game! In the case of a tie, the winner is the player who possesses the most Science production tokens on the map.

Assembling Map Scenarios

Choose one of the following scenarios designed for the appropriate player count, and assemble its map as shown in the rulebook. The large Land tiles required are identified by letter: A through D on one side; W through Z on the other.

Scenario	Players	Chance of Combat	Large Land tiles shown
Battle of Guararapes (Solo Challenge)	1	—	A, B
Rio de Janeiro, 1567	2	3	A, B
Cisplatine	2	3	W, D
The Amazon	3	1	A, B, D
Platine War	3	2	Y, A, B
Treaty of Tordesillas	3	2	Y, A, B
The Empire of Brazil	4	2	A, B, C, D
Over the Atlantic	4	1	X, A, D, Y
São Francisco	4	1	Z, A, Y, B

Solo Challenge — Battle of Guararapes

The Dutch want to become the Kings of Sugar, but the Empire has plans to deal with the invaders arriving in the State of Pernambuco...

To win, you must complete these three objectives before the end of Round 20:

• Advance the game to Era III by completing Missions from Era I and Era II;
• Have all five Military Units deployed and on the map; and
• Seize the Dutch Capital (in this challenge you can attack the enemy Capital).

Use the green Player Board, its corresponding pieces, and a matching Monarch. Assemble the map as shown in the rulebook, placing green Palace I, orange Palace I and orange Military Units on the map as indicated. Then complete the rest of the setup as usual (see Setup). The five orange (Dutch) Military Units placed on the map have Combat Strengths of 2, 2, 2, 3 and 5.

Solo mode uses the same rules as a multiplayer game, but enemy Military Units do not attack. They will defend themselves from your attacks using the sum of their Combat Strength plus 1 Combat Card for each orange Military Unit on the hex. Their Combat cards are drawn, revealed and applied by the player following the same sequence as outlined in the Combat section.

Tip: Keep track of the number of turns on a sheet of paper or with a twenty-sided die.

Water hexes in scenarios

Several scenarios include water tiles on the map, indicated by blue hexagons in the scenario diagrams. To enter or exit a water hex you must spend a free movement or use the additional movement provided by the Renovate Action Arch.

• Rio de Janeiro, 1567 — Guanabara Bay in Rio de Janeiro was the site of a battle for control of the New World.
• The Amazon — In this scenario, the mighty Amazon River divides your empires.
• Over the Atlantic — An entire ocean separates your four empires!
• São Francisco — The great São Francisco River divides this map right down the middle.
• Treaty of Tordesillas — Terra Brasilis isn't big enough for the three of us!

Looking for more scenarios? Visit our social media to find more historical maps and challenges: @meeplebr @brazilmundus

Credits

Game Design and Art Direction: Zé Mendes

Developers: Michael Alves and Diego Bianchini

Publisher: MEEPLE BR and MALDITO GAMES

Graphic Design: MUNDUS Jogos

Proofreading: Ron Halliday

Illustrations: Carlos E. Justino, Vinícius Menezes, Victor Sales, Isaias Junior, Ryan Teo, Arthur Parisi, Tom Ventre, Adalberto Junio and Girleyne Costa