Enigma: Beyond Code
Enigma: Beyond Code Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
- Game Contents
- Object of the Game and Victory Conditions
- Setup
- After Each Game, if You Are Playing to Three Victories
- Remember or Write Down?
- Turn Order
- Player's Turn
- Time Runs Out
- Silence, Decryption and Chaos Tokens
- Triumph and the Abyss of Defeat
- Thematic Guide
- Two-Player Game
- Variant: Gradual Addition of Characters
- Alone with Chaos (Solo Mode)
- Mansion Cards: Changes in Solo Mode
- Create Your Own Characters and Mansion Rooms!
- Quick Rules (Player Aid)
Game Contents
- 9 character cards
- 5 decryption tokens
- 5 Chaos tokens
- 1 Chaos breakthrough token
- 5 triumph tokens
- 4 silence tokens
- 10 mansion cards
- 1 time board
- 1 time marker
- 5 player aids
- 5 notepads
- 1 solo mode aid
- 2 blank character cards
- 2 blank mansion cards
- Thematic guide
- Rulebook
Object of the Game and Victory Conditions
"Enigma: Beyond Code" is a deduction game. Each game lasts 5-10 minutes. Sometimes luck will help you win, but more often victory depends on your ability to understand your opponents' motives and keep them from guessing where the needed cards are. The gameplay of "Enigma: Beyond Code" is fully revealed over several games, when the participants are already fluent in the game.
At the start of the game each player receives a character card: a cryptology specialist who has come to the Agency mansion to solve the Enigma code. But not all who have arrived are genuine cryptologists. Some pursue entirely different goals, which do not always lead to the salvation of humanity.
To achieve the goal of their character, players take turns looking at cards, each of which corresponds to a room or object inside the mansion.
The invited cryptologists work as a team. Therefore, after looking at a mansion card, a player always announces to the others what is on it. He may lie or tell the truth. If the player is not caught lying, he applies the effect of the mansion card he named.
The player who first achieves the goal of his character wins the game. But if nobody manages within the allotted time, Chaos breaks through into our world and all participants lose.
It is recommended to play "Enigma: Beyond Code" to three victories. You can also play individual games without counting previous victories.
Setup
The following describes setup for a game of 2-5 players. In a two-player game the rules differ from the usual ones (see "Two-Player Game" below). The rules of the solo mode are at the end of the booklet (see "Alone with Chaos" below).
Agency Mansion
Find the mansion card "Personal Assignment" (used only in solo mode) and return it to the box, then shuffle the remaining 9 mansion cards and lay them face down in a 3 x 3 grid (1).
Time Keeper
Determine by any method you like the player who will be the Time Keeper.
The Keeper takes the time board and places it in front of him with the side with six round spaces up (the other side is for solo mode). Then he places the time marker on the leftmost space of the board, with the hourglass symbol (2).
Tokens and Aids
- Place the Chaos breakthrough token on the table with the "I" side up (3).
- Place the decryption, Chaos, silence and triumph tokens on the table to form a supply (4).
You need as many decryption, Chaos and triumph tokens as there are players, and 1 fewer silence tokens than players. You may leave the extra tokens on the table or put them in the box.
Give each player a player aid (5).
Character Set for 3-5 Players
If at least one participant is playing "Enigma: Beyond Code" for the first time, we strongly recommend playing with the character set for introductory games. Once you have mastered it, move on to the "Standard Set" (if you are playing to three victories, you can do this between games).
For the character set for two players, read the section "Two-Player Game".
Introductory Games
Prepare the character set. Take both "Cryptologist" cards, both "Dark Messiah" cards and the "Wanderer" card, 5 cards in total. Return the remaining character cards to the box.
Before each game: shuffle the 5 cards listed above and deal each player 1 card face down.
If there are fewer than five participants, remove the remaining cards; you will not need them until the next game.
Standard Set
Prepare the character set. Take one "Cryptologist" card and one "Dark Messiah" card (male or female characters, as you choose). Return the remaining 2 cards, "Cryptologist" and "Dark Messiah", to the game box. Add the cards "Wanderer", "Infiltrator", "Medium", "Archivist" and "Ghost", for 7 cards in total.
Before each game: shuffle all the character cards. Deal each participant 1 card face down (6). Place the remaining character cards in a pile (7); they are needed for the "Ghost" character.
SECRECY ABOVE ALL! Do not let the others guess what your character is.
After Each Game, if You Are Playing to Three Victories
As soon as one player wins or time runs out, do what is stated in the section "Triumph and the Abyss of Defeat", and then do the following:
- Shuffle and lay out the 9 mansion cards face down again in a 3 x 3 grid.
- The player sitting to the left of the previous game's Keeper becomes the Time Keeper. He takes the time board and places the time marker on the first space with the hourglass symbol.
- Return all tokens to the supply (except triumph tokens and the Chaos breakthrough token).
- Shuffle and deal the character cards again, as described in "Setup".
Remember or Write Down?
In "Enigma: Beyond Code" you must remember where each of the 9 mansion cards is. Some players can easily remember these cards; for others we recommend using the notepads included in the box (5 notepads, one per player).
A notepad page is divided into 9 sections corresponding to the 9 mansion cards on the table. In a section you can write the supposed or already known name of the mansion card.
Next to a section we recommend writing the names of the players who have seen that card. Near it you may also note what is shown in the upper right corner of the mansion card (a Chaos or decryption token), if this became known thanks to the "Library".
Use the notepad cover to hide your notes from opponents.
If you have used up all the sheets, you can keep notes on ordinary paper or a mobile device. You can also scan and print the last page of the thematic guide, which contains images of the notepad pages.
Turn Order
The game is always started by the Time Keeper. Before taking his turn, the Keeper always (including his very first turn) moves the time marker 1 space forward on the time board. If the marker has moved to the last space of the board (with the erased hourglass), time has run out and the game ends.
Starting with the Time Keeper, players take turns clockwise. The participant taking a turn is called the active player. When the turn returns to the Keeper, he again moves the time marker 1 space forward and only then takes his turn.
Player's Turn
On his turn the active player must name a mansion card and may try to achieve the goal of his character.
- Action "Name a Mansion Card" (mandatory).
- Action "Achieve the Character's Goal" (optional). You may perform this action instead of, or after, the action "Name a Mansion Card".
Name a Mansion Card
The active player chooses any of the 9 mansion cards. If the card is face down (closed), the player secretly looks at it and returns it to its place face down. If the card is face up (open), the player simply points to it.
Thus a closed card remains closed, and an open card remains open. At the start of the game all mansion cards are closed.
Then the active player announces to the others which card he has just looked at. He may lie, naming any other mansion card, or tell the truth.
SPECIAL CASE. If every opponent has a silence token, you may even call an open card by another name and nobody will be able to catch you lying!
After the active player has named a mansion card, two developments are possible.
First Option: "Truth!"
The other participants believe the words of the active player. In this case he applies the effect of the mansion card he named. It does not matter which card it actually was.
Second Option: "Lie!"
One of the opponents does not believe the active player and decides to check his honesty. The doubting participant secretly looks at the named card.
If the active player was honest, the doubting participant takes a silence token. If the card was face down, he places it face up, since now everyone knows for certain what it is! After that, the active player applies the effect of the named card.
If the accusation is justified, the doubting player announces to the others that the active player lied, and returns the card to its former place (if the card was face down, he returns it face down). He does not tell anyone what the card is.
After that, the active player caught lying takes a silence token and immediately passes the turn (without applying the effect of the mansion card).
FIRST VOICE DECIDES! If two or more players doubt, the right to check the named card goes to the one who raised the alarm earlier. If it is hard to determine who was first, the card is checked by the doubting player who will take his turn sooner.
Truth and Lies
Only the active player can lie, when he names a mansion card.
In all other cases players tell the truth, even if it does not suit them (for example, when checking a card named by another player, applying the effect of the "Library" card, or performing the action "Achieve the Character's Goal").
Of course, this applies only to the game process. Players are free to say whatever they like when discussing which card is where!
But there is a special case. It is recommended not to reveal whose character is which, if you have managed to learn it for certain. Let everyone try to guess for himself!
Achieve the Character's Goal
The active player reveals his character card and tries to achieve its goal. This action can be performed both after and instead of the action "Name a Mansion Card".
If the player manages to fulfil all the conditions stated on his character card, he wins the game. If not, he is immediately eliminated from the game, places his character card face up on the table, and the game continues.
If the Keeper is eliminated, he retains the honorable duty of keeping track of time.
Time Runs Out
Time runs out when the time marker is on the last space of the board.
As soon as this happens, immediately go to the section "Triumph and the Abyss of Defeat". No actions are performed after this.
Time may run out before the start of the Keeper's turn or after the effect of the card "Book of Order and Chaos" is applied.
Silence, Decryption and Chaos Tokens
During the game players receive and discard (return to the supply) silence, decryption and Chaos tokens.
One-Token Rule
A player cannot have more than 1 token of each type. If a player is required to take a second silence, decryption or Chaos token, he simply does not take it.
Silence
A player receives a silence token if he is caught lying or wrongly accuses another player of lying. For a while he is under the watchful supervision of the mansion's guards. Any of his words are put in doubt, and he is not allowed to act freely.
A silence token has the following consequences.
- Ending the turn. An active player who receives a silence token immediately passes the turn to the next player. The silence token stays with him until the end of his next turn.
- Loss of voice. A player with a silence token has no right to doubt the words of another player when that player names a mansion card.
- Look only. When the turn of a player with a silence token comes, he secretly looks at one of the closed mansion cards, but does not name it and does not apply its effect. Then he immediately passes the turn to the next player and only after that returns the silence token to the supply.
A player with a silence token can neither achieve the goal of his character, nor use a decryption token, nor cancel the effect of the card "Enigma Machine" by discarding a Chaos token.
A SILENT PLAYER IS SILENT! If you have a silence token, you must be silent in all game situations. Even if an opponent lies about a closed card that you have seen, you cannot suggest that the others check it!
Decryption
A player can receive a decryption token through some mansion cards. Decryption symbolizes the character's approach to solving the source code of "Enigma".
If the active player has a decryption token at the start of his turn, he may use it (return it to the supply) in order to name a mansion card. Then, if he is not caught lying, he applies the effects of the named card.
- A decryption token allows naming only closed mansion cards.
- A decryption token can be used at any moment of your turn (but not during the performance of other actions and not after the action "Achieve the Character's Goal").
Chaos
A player can receive a Chaos token, or lose it, through mansion cards. A Chaos token symbolizes the penetration of a chaotic force into the character's mind, which leads to harmful consequences but at the same time opens new possibilities.
- The application of the effects of some mansion cards depends on whether the player has or does not have a Chaos token.
- A Chaos token can be returned to the supply to cancel all effects of the card "Enigma Machine".
Chaos Breakthrough
The first time a game ends with no winners, flip the Chaos breakthrough token to its "II" side. If there are no winners a second time, all players lose finally and irrevocably.
If the players are experienced enough, Chaos breaks through rarely, but in the first games it can be a serious challenge! You can agree in advance that the participants lose after the third Chaos breakthrough rather than the second. To do this, at the start of the game set the Chaos breakthrough token aside. After the first victory of Chaos, place the token in a visible place with the "I" side up.
Triumph and the Abyss of Defeat
The game ends when one of the players has achieved the goal of his character or when time has run out.
A player who has achieved the goal of his character immediately wins the game.
If time has run out, the player with the character card "Infiltrator" may win. If there is no such player or he has a silence token, Chaos has devoured the world and all participants have lost.
SPECIAL CASE. Occasionally all players but one fail to achieve their characters' goals and are eliminated from the game. In this case the remaining participant plays the game out to the end alone. He may lie with impunity when naming mansion cards, since there is nobody to check him!
If this was a separate game, you can start the next one or try to play to three victories. You can learn the fate of the world by reading the story of the winning character (see the thematic guide).
If you are playing to three victories, what happens next depends on whether one of the players won or a Chaos breakthrough occurred.
A Player Achieved His Character's Goal
The first time he wins in a game to three victories, the player takes a triumph token from the supply and places it in front of him with the "I" side up. Upon winning a second time, he flips the triumph token to the "II" side. Upon winning a third time, the player finally and irrevocably wins the whole game... if Chaos has not yet devoured the world.
Chaos Breakthrough
See "Chaos Breakthrough" above.
Thematic Guide
More about the mansion cards and characters can be read in the first part of the thematic guide.
Example of Play
The second part of the thematic guide contains a detailed example of an individual game of "Enigma: Beyond Code".
Two-Player Game
A two-player game has two differences from a game with 3-5 players: the character set and the way the effect of the card "Shadow of Scherbius" is applied.
Character Set for Two Players
Introductory games. Take both "Cryptologist" cards, both "Dark Messiah" cards, the "Wanderer" card and the "Medium" card, 6 cards in total.
Standard set. See "Standard Set" in the section "Setup". You will have 7 cards in total.
Before each game. Shuffle the character cards and deal each player 3 cards face down. Then each, having chosen 1 card for himself, places the remaining 2 face down on the table. Shuffle all the remaining character cards and form a pile.
Card "Shadow of Scherbius"
When applying the second effect of the card "Shadow of Scherbius", the player does not swap characters with an opponent. Instead he may take a new character from the top of the character pile, and then place his former character card face up beside the pile. If the pile has run out of cards, shuffle the cards lying beside it to form a new pile.
Moderate Secrecy
When playing with two, it is recommended to leave mansion cards face up on the table at every check of truth and lies, regardless of whether the active player was caught lying or not. There is no point in secrecy, since after the check both participants know for certain what the card was.
Variant: Gradual Addition of Characters
This variant is intended for 2-5 experienced participants playing to three victories.
First Game
Take both "Cryptologist" cards, both "Dark Messiah" cards and the "Wanderer" card (see "Introductory Games"). Shuffle all 5 cards and deal each player 1 card face down. Set aside the remaining 4 character cards ("Infiltrator", "Medium", "Archivist" and "Ghost"). These characters are considered to be outside the mansion.
Second Game Onward
Change the character set depending on how the previous game ended (see the list below). Then deal the character cards to the players in the usual way (see "Standard Set. Before each game").
After four or more games all 7 character cards, one of each, will be in play. Unless, of course, one of the players wins earlier or a second Chaos breakthrough occurs!
TWO-PLAYER GAME. While there are 5 characters in play, before the game each player takes two character cards to choose from. As soon as there are 6 or more, three.
- The "Cryptologist" character won for the first time: remove this card from the game. Then, if the "Infiltrator" is still outside the mansion, add that character's card to the set.
- The "Dark Messiah" character won for the first time: remove this card from the game. Then, if the "Medium" is still outside the mansion, add that character's card to the set.
- The "Wanderer" character won for the first time: if the "Archivist" is still outside the mansion, add that character's card to the set.
- A second victory of "Cryptologist", "Dark Messiah" or "Wanderer", or another character won: if the "Ghost" is still outside the mansion, add the "Ghost" to the set. Otherwise choose at random and add the card "Infiltrator", "Medium" or "Archivist" to the character set.
- In case of a Chaos breakthrough: the character set for the next game does not change.
Alone with Chaos (Solo Mode)
Test your luck and wits in a confrontation with Chaos! Playing different characters, you must achieve a goal 3 times in a row before time runs out and Chaos breaks through into our world.
"Alone with Chaos" is a unique mode of "Enigma: Beyond Code". Games are lightning fast: you can win in 10 minutes. You can, however, lose even faster!
Solo Setup
Agency mansion. Return the mansion card "Joint Work" to the box. Shuffle the remaining 9 mansion cards (together with the card "Personal Assignment", used for solo mode) and lay them face down in a 3 x 3 grid (1).
Time board. Place the time board with the solo-mode side up (with the solo symbol). Place the time marker on space "I" of the board (2).
You can reduce the difficulty:
- time will run out when the marker moves off the last space, rather than when it reaches it. This does not affect the number of mansion cards you reveal between games;
- do not discard decryption and Chaos tokens between games, unless they were presented by your character to achieve the goal.
Tokens and player aid. Place 4 silence tokens and one each of decryption, Chaos and triumph tokens on the table to form a supply (3). Take the solo mode aid (4).
Character set. Take 1 "Cryptologist" card (either of the two), 1 "Dark Messiah" card (either of the two) and the "Wanderer" card. Shuffle them face down to form a pile and take one card from the pile (5).
Return all other game components to the box. But wait! Place the Chaos breakthrough token in a visible place with the "II" side up, as a reminder of who your opponent is (6).
Solo Play
Your task is to defeat Chaos three times in a row (playing each of the characters in turn). After the first and second victories you remove the character who achieved his goal from the game, and after the third victory you win "Alone with Chaos".
Unlike games with 2-5 players, you always reveal a mansion card when you look at it in any way. Note that when you reveal a mansion card through the effect of another card, you do not move time forward, even if it shows a Chaos token.
Before or after choosing a mansion card you may try to achieve the goal of your character (by the usual rules). If you succeed, you win the game. If not, you have lost and your progress is not saved.
You may use the decryption token by the usual rules. However, unlike a game of 2-5 participants, you can choose both closed and open mansion cards, provided they have no silence token.
After finishing your turn, move the time marker 1 space forward and, if time has not run out, begin the next turn.
Player's Turn (Solo)
Perform in order:
- Choose any mansion card that has no silence token. If it is a closed card, flip it face up. If it is an open card, place a silence token on it. If the silence tokens in the supply have run out, move a silence token from another mansion card of your choice.
- If the upper right corner of the chosen card shows a Chaos token, immediately move the time marker 1 space forward. If the card shows a decryption token or no token image (the card "Library"), do not move the time marker.
- Apply the effect of the chosen mansion card. You cannot lie, as you can in a game of 2-5 players.
Many mansion card effects, especially those of the cards "Enigma Machine", "Shadow of Scherbius" and "Book of Order and Chaos", are applied differently than in a game of 2-5 players (see below). This is not marked on the cards themselves but is reflected in the solo mode aid.
Time Runs Out (Solo)
Time runs out as soon as the time marker is on the last space of the time board. You have lost: Chaos has broken through into our world and there is nobody to stop it. The game ends with the first Chaos breakthrough.
Victory and Preparation for the Next Game
To win, you must win 3 times in a row. The second and third games depend on how the previous one ended.
You can remember how much time (how many spaces) was left after each character achieved his goal, in order to learn the fate of the world if you win solo mode.
First victory.
- Place the triumph token in front of you with the "I" side up.
- Shuffle and lay out the 9 mansion cards face down again. Reveal as many mansion cards as there were spaces left on the time board, after the first game, between the time marker and the last space. For example, if the time marker is on the 5th space of the board, reveal 2 mansion cards of your choice.
- Remove from the game the character card whose goal was achieved. He no longer participates. Shuffle the 2 remaining character cards and take one of them.
- Return the decryption and Chaos tokens to the supply, if you had them.
- Place the time marker on space "II".
Second victory.
- Flip the triumph token to the "II" side.
- Shuffle and lay out the 9 mansion cards face down again. Reveal any one of the 9 mansion cards. Additionally reveal as many cards as there were spaces left between the current position of the time marker (at the moment of the second victory) and the last space. For example, if the time marker is on the 5th space, reveal 3 mansion cards in total.
- Remove from the game the character card whose goal was achieved in the second game. He no longer participates. Take the remaining character card.
- You begin the third game with a decryption token.
- Return the Chaos token to the supply, if you had it.
- Place the time marker on space "III".
Third victory. Congratulations, you have finally and irrevocably won! Chaos is stopped. What happened to the world you will learn by reading the story of the character who achieved his goal with the greatest time in reserve (see the thematic guide). In case of a tie, the character who achieved his goal earlier than the others is considered to have determined the fate of the world.
Mansion Cards: Changes in Solo Mode
Card "Book of Order and Chaos". You may cancel the forward movement of time by the card's effect by returning a Chaos token to the supply. This does not cancel the forward movement of time that occurs at the moment "Book of Order and Chaos" is chosen.
Card "Shadow of Scherbius". The first time you apply the card's second effect (swapping characters) in the first game, you may take at random one of the two set-aside character cards and place your own face up beside them. The second time you may take the remaining character, and shuffle the two other cards face down and place them as a pile. In the second game you may swap one character for another. In the third game you do not apply the second effect of the card "Shadow of Scherbius".
Card "Enigma Machine". When applying the second effect of the card "Enigma Machine", you shuffle only the open cards (if the only open card in the game is "Enigma Machine", simply flip it face down). If the shuffled cards had silence tokens on them, return them to the supply.
Card "Personal Assignment". Apply one of the effects of your choice.
- First effect: choose any other mansion card without a silence token and apply its effects in the usual way (including moving time forward, if a Chaos token is shown in its upper right corner).
- Second effect: take a Chaos token or return it to the supply.
Create Your Own Characters and Mansion Rooms!
"Enigma: Beyond Code" includes 2 blank character cards and 2 blank mansion cards.
If a card is damaged, you can replace it with one of the blank cards, writing in the name and effects of the damaged card. You can also use the blank cards to introduce your own characters and rooms of the Agency mansion!
Quick Rules (Player Aid)
Turn Order
Players take turns clockwise until one of them achieves the goal of his character or time runs out.
The first turn of the game is taken by the Time Keeper. Before the start of each of his turns the Time Keeper moves the time marker 1 space forward.
On your turn you must name a mansion card. After or instead of this you may also try to achieve the goal of your character.
Name a Mansion Card
- Choose a mansion card. Is the card open?
- YES: Name the chosen mansion card.
- NO: Secretly look at the chosen card. Then name a mansion card. You may name this card (tell the truth) or any other (lie).
- Do the other players believe you?
- YES: Apply the effect(s) of the card you named.
- NO: The player who did not believe you earlier than the others checks your truthfulness: he secretly looks at the card you chose. Did he catch you lying?
- NO: You told the truth. The player who did not believe you takes a silence token. The mansion card is placed face up.
- YES: You lied. Take a silence token and immediately pass the turn to the next player. The mansion card remains closed.
Achieve the Character's Goal
On your turn reveal your character card and fulfil the goal conditions stated on its card. Did you manage to fulfil all the conditions?
- YES: The game is over; you won (see "Ending the Game").
- NO: You are eliminated from the game until the next game.
Tokens
At no moment of the game can you have 2 identical tokens.
You receive a silence token when you are caught lying or when you accuse another player of lying while he told the truth.
- If you start your turn with a silence token, secretly look at a closed mansion card, but do not name it and do not apply its effects. Then immediately pass the turn to the next player, after which return the silence token to the supply.
- A silence token does not allow you to achieve your character's goal or use a decryption token.
- A silence token forbids you to check another player and to discard a Chaos token to cancel the effects of the card "Enigma Machine". You also must not voice doubts about the truthfulness of other players' words; you are silent!
On your turn you may use a decryption token if you had it at the start of your turn. It allows you to name a mansion card, but you may choose only a closed card.
A Chaos token affects the application of the effects of some mansion cards.
Ending the Game
You achieved your character's goal: you won! When playing to 3 victories, mark this with a triumph token. If it is the 3rd victory, you finally win the whole game.
Time ran out: the player with the "Infiltrator" character wins (if he is in the game and does not have a silence token). Otherwise a Chaos breakthrough occurs. In that case:
- in individual games, all players lose;
- in a game to 3 victories, at the first breakthrough flip the Chaos breakthrough token to side "II"; at the second, everyone loses.