Carolus Magnus
Carolus Magnus Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
- 15 province cards
- 5 sets of 5 number discs (in 3 shades)
- 30 castles (10 each in 3 shades)
- 4 stronghold cards (with castle picture)
- 200 wooden cubes in 5 colours, representing knights of 5 families
- 5 cylinders representing control of a family
- Big Karl (the yellow figure)
- 4 colour-dice
Preparation
The 15 provinces are placed (with a little space between) in a circle on the table.
Big Karl is placed in a random province.
In the middle of the circle the 200 wooden cubes are placed.
Then one takes 15 cubes — 3 from each colour — and places them randomly in the provinces, one in each.
Each player has 10 castles of one colour, one set of numbered discs, and a stronghold card.
The rest of the components are not needed in the 2 player game (10 castles, 3 sets of number discs, 2 stronghold cards, 1 die) and are returned to the satchels.
Each player then rolls 7 dice and takes 7 cubes of the corresponding colours (the crown on one face gives a free choice). These 7 cubes represent the knight reserve from each family for that player. They must be kept where the opponent can see them.
It is best if all the play pieces are laid out as follows: the 7 cubes on the left, then the 10 castles, then the number discs with the unused numbers, and then the stronghold card. On the right of this card, space is left where later coloured cubes will be lined up.
Flow of a Round
Each round consists of the preparatory phase and the action phase following it. In the preparatory phase the players decide in which order they will play in the round and how far each player may move the emperor. In the action phase each player executes 3 actions in turn:
- bring 3 knights from his reserve into the game;
- move the emperor and build a castle where he stops (if entitled to one);
- roll the dice, in order to supplement his reserve again to 7.
Preparatory Phase
One and then the other of the two players selects a number disc from their set and puts it in front of them openly on the table. On the first round it is decided by lot who selects their number disc first. Subsequently, the player who chose the lower number in the previous round selects first. The second player may never select the same number as the first. (Exception: if both players have only the same number remaining, the disc of the first player is considered the lower.) If all discs are used up, they are taken up and used again. The number discs are played so the new disc is on top of the others, but the numbers already played remain visible (as in fig. 1).
The number discs have 2 functions: firstly, they indicate the order in which the players will play — the lower number begins. Secondly, the number indicates the maximum number of steps a player may advance the emperor.
Example: Andreas selected the 3 disc, Barbara the 2 disc. Therefore Barbara plays first and thereby advances the emperor either 1 or 2 steps. Andreas plays next and can move the emperor 1, 2 or 3 steps.
Action Phase
The player who selected the lower number in the preparatory phase now performs the following 3 actions (and afterwards the second player likewise):
Bring three knights into play
The player selects 3 of the 7 knights from their reserve and places each of them either (A) on the right-hand side of the stronghold or (B) directly in one or more provinces (in any combination).
Remember that the cubes in the reserve have no effect until they are played. Cubes played to the stronghold cannot be moved, but remain until the end of the game.
A) If knights are placed at the stronghold they are placed in a line beside the circle with the appropriate colour. The aim is to attain control of one or more families by setting up at their stronghold more knights of a colour than the opponent. If the numbers are equal, control remains with the current owner. If a player took over control of a family, they get the family coat of arms (cylinder) with the appropriate colour and place it on the coloured circle on the stronghold: this shows that they control all the scattered knights of this colour in all provinces.
B) The other possibility is to set up the knights directly in the provinces. That can be very helpful, because — as we will see — one of the prerequisites for the transfer of a province is that one has there a majority of knights in the colours which one controls. But it is also risky, because one can easily lose control of a colour again in the course of play, and then suddenly faithful knights become dangerous opponents. And, naturally, each knight in a province is one fewer at the stronghold. It is advisable not to send knights too early into play in the provinces. During the endgame, however, it can be crucial to move knights into the provinces.
Advance the emperor
Once the knights are brought into play, the emperor is advanced in a clockwise direction, at least 1 step and at most as many as the number shown on the disc the player chose in the preparatory phase. If after movement Big Karl stands in a province in which the knights controlled by the player are in the majority, then that player sets up a castle there. But if the majority is under control of the opponent, then the opponent sets up their castle! (See "Castles and Provinces.")
For example, at the beginning of the game one cube is already in each province. We assume a player has attained control of red (by playing a red cube at their stronghold and setting up the red cylinder): if this player now moves the emperor into a province in which a red cube is situated, they have the majority there and can set up their castle. In the early rounds one can almost always set up a castle, however later it becomes much more difficult.
The knight reserve is replenished
Once the player has moved the emperor, they roll the 3 dice, and take knights of the corresponding colours from the centre (the crown allows free selection) and put them in their reserve. Then their turn is finished. If the second player has also finished their turn, the next round begins with the preparatory phase. The player with the lower number in the previous round selects their new number first, and so on. If the case should arise that all the knights of a colour are in play, then both players give back the same number of knights of this colour into the centre.
Castles and Provinces
Castles
In order to win, one must build all her castles. There are 2 prerequisites for being able to set up a castle: on the one hand the player must have a majority of knights whose colours they control in the province, and on the other hand the emperor must stop in this province. At the beginning the majorities are easy to spot; later, however, when players try to take over opposing provinces, the totals should be recounted exactly. Everyone counts the knights whom they control, and whoever has most sets up their castle. If there is a draw, no castle may be set up. If the emperor stops in a province where no player controls any knights — which can occur at the beginning — this is ignored. In each province one castle may be established.
Taking Over Opposing Provinces
The control of a province is not permanent. Each change of the control of a colour, or sending new knights into a province, can have profound consequences. If the emperor stops in a province in which a castle is already located, the castle counts like one knight. In the determination of the majority the castle is taken into account for the player to whom it belongs. If the player to whom the castle belongs still has the majority, or if it is a draw, then everything remains as it is. (A second castle may never be added to a province.) However, if the opponent has attained the majority in the meantime, they remove the castle and set up their own.
Joining Provinces into Regions
One of the most important and most interesting events is joining neighbouring provinces into a region. This occurs if one player sets up castles in neighbouring provinces. Then the provinces are pushed together and form a region. All castles, and likewise all knights, of the original provinces now belong to the new region. Regions are stronger and more difficult to take over than individual provinces, because they contain several castles which are counted like knights. They are simultaneously more desirable targets, because all castles change ownership if the region is taken over. Once joined, a region cannot be divided again. However, further neighbouring provinces and regions can be added, if the same player has a majority there too. For moving the emperor, a region counts as one step, exactly like a province.
Estimating the Opponent's Options
During the game one must constantly have an eye on the knight reserve of the opponent, because from this their possibilities in the next round can be determined.
Counter Attacking
Defense is not always the best response. Particularly at the end of a game there are often opportunities for dramatic transfers of power.
Game End
The game ends with the victory of the player who first establishes 10 castles in the provinces and regions. But the game can also be ended if fewer than 4 regions remain on the table. Then the player who established most castles wins.
Rules for 3 Players
The 3 player game is the most fastidious version, since the players must track many more individual items. For this reason it is recommended that at least one 2 player game be played first.
The rules for three players are the same as for two, with the following exceptions:
- The players take only 8 castles of one of the three shades, instead of 10, and a corresponding set of number discs. The target is to establish 8 castles (not 10).
- Each player receives a reserve of 9 knights (instead of 7) and at the start rolls 9 dice.
- In each round a player brings 4 knights into play (instead of 3) and also replaces 4 at the end of their turn by rolling 4 dice.
- Majorities in the provinces or regions must be only relative to each player, not absolute. Thus one must have more than each individual opponent, not more than both together.
- The numbers on the discs selected by the players determine the order in which they play. This order also determines the order for selecting numbers in the following round.
Rules for 4 Players
The game for 4 is the most thrilling and dynamic version, with more frequent changes of control. The game is played in teams of 2 players. The partners may not sit opposite each other. The rules are as for the 2 player game, with the following exceptions:
- The partners of one team play together with 10 castles. The partners each take a set of number discs of the same colour.
- The 4 players play in the sequence of the number discs that they have chosen. Thus the players in a team may take their turns consecutively.
- Each player has their own stronghold, where they place their own knights and reserve. Partners may not exchange cubes.
- The control of a colour can only belong to one player, who has the most cubes of that colour at their stronghold. The number of cubes of one colour at the strongholds of two partners are never added together.
- For the control of a province, the knights controlled by each player are counted. The team which controls the most knights (including castles) controls the region.
- The players should decide before the game whether or not the players can discuss the turns with their partners.
Tips
Play in teams. If one partner has control of a colour, the other should not play knights of that colour to their stronghold.
Control the sequence of play. By correct choice of discs, one team can arrange to have up to 4 consecutive turns.
Defend your provinces and regions. It is easier to take over a region from the opponents in this version by taking several turns in sequence.
Figure Notes
Fig. 2 shows the simplest and most frequent situation in which a transfer can take place. The black player controls the two green cubes, the white opponent only controls the red. Black thus has a 3:1 majority, taking the castle into account. If white, however, can attain control of the green cubes by adding some green cubes at her stronghold, then she gains the majority in the province with 3:1 (3 for the cubes against 1 for the castle) and can, if the emperor comes there, replace the black castle with her white castle. (A more complex example of a transfer is shown in fig. 6.)
Fig. 3. White moves the emperor and takes over province B from black. White also controls the neighbouring provinces A and C, thus she joins all 3 to make a region — in which are then 6 cubes and 3 castles (fig. 4).
Fig. 6. We see as before the situation in the provinces. It is white's turn — and she is in a miserable position. The emperor is in A. Black controls the two strong regions A and C, whereas white has only the two weak provinces B and D. If it were black's turn, he would have practically won already and the game would be over: he would move the emperor to B, where he already has the majority despite the white castle, exchange the castle, and combine A, B and C into a powerful region with 6 castles. However, white has chosen the 3 disc for this round and can therefore move the emperor 1, 2 or 3 steps. 1 step would be suicidal, so she plans to move the emperor 3 steps into province D to get a temporary reprieve. But there is a much better course: black has a majority of 9 to 3 in C, but this majority is based on 3 yellow cubes — and white has 3 yellow in her reserve. Therefore she places 2 of them at her stronghold and transfers the control of yellow. The third yellow cube she places in C and gains the majority in C with 7 to 6 (4 yellow, 2 red and 1 pink against 2 green, 1 blue and 3 castles). Then she moves the emperor to C, exchanges the castles for white ones, and adds provinces B and D to the region. In this way white walks the edge of the abyss and nevertheless still achieves control of a powerful 5-castle region.