Red Scare Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
• How to Win
• Set-up
• How to Read
  • Citizen Cards
  • General Rules
  • Hidden and Revealed Information
• Gameplay
  • Start of Round
  • 1: ID
  • 2. TRADE
  • 3. JUDGE
  • Game End
  • ACCUSE
• End Game Scoring
• Variants
  • Real-Time Variant
• Quick Reference
• Source Notes

Components

• 5 Decoder Glasses
• 40 White Stardust pieces (1 value)
• 20 Orange Stardust pieces (5 value)
• Score Board
• Score Tracker (apply stickers to both sides)
• 20 Judgement markers (apply sticker to top)
• 4 Accuse Countdown tokens
• 11 Alignment tokens
• 16 Alignment cards
• 12 Profession cards
• 60 Citizen cards

How to Win

Red Scare pits Patriots against Soviets. Have more points than the opposition when the game ends by exonerating your own citizens and deporting citizens of the opposition.

Set-up

1. Place the Score Board at the center of the table. The Score marker should be set at 0 points. At the beginning of the game, it does not matter which side (Soviet or Patriot) faces up.

2. For a game of fewer than 10 players use spare Judgement markers to cover up any numbers in excess of the player count on the Judgement track at the top of the Score Board.

3. Prepare the Alignment deck:

   • For an even number of players, use an equal number of Soviet and Patriot Alignment cards.
   • For an odd number of players, use an equal number of Soviet and Patriot Alignment cards, and add an additional Unaligned card:
     • Beginner game: Add the 'Double Agent' Unaligned card.
     • Advanced game: Add a randomly selected (without revealing) Unaligned card.
   • Deal each player an Alignment card face down. Each player can look at their Alignment card, but they cannot reveal it to another player.

   Advanced game: Deal each player a random Profession card face down. Each player can look at their Profession card, but they cannot reveal it to another player.

4. Distribute Decoder Glasses to half the players (rounded down). For best play results, have a seating arrangement where players alternate between wearing glasses and not wearing glasses.

5. Shuffle and deal each player 3 Citizen cards. Place the rest of the Citizen cards in a deck nearby.

6. Give each player two Judgement markers.

7. Randomly determine the start player and place the Accuse Countdown tokens next to them, in a stack with the number 3 token at the top, followed by number 2, 1, and finally the red token.

How to Read

Citizen Cards

Throughout the game, players will be trying to ID and JUDGE Citizen cards. However, a player cannot do both to the same card. Players wearing Decoder Glasses will be able to see some information that is hidden to others, but will also have some information hidden from them, which is visible to players not wearing Decoder Glasses.

There are two types of Citizen cards in Red Scare:

• Cards that players wearing Decoder Glasses can only ID
• Cards that players wearing Decoder Glasses can only JUDGE

Players not wearing Decoder Glasses can always do the opposite of what players that are wearing Decoder Glasses can. For instance, if a player wearing Decoder Glasses can only ID a card, then a player not wearing Decoder Glasses can only JUDGE the same card.

You can tell which kind of card you are looking at by checking the stylized faces on the card. If the face wearing red glasses has ID written next to it, then a player wearing Decoder Glasses may only ID that card. In this case the other face (without glasses) will always have JUDGE written next to it, indicating that a player not wearing Decoder Glasses may only JUDGE that card.

Card Type 1: A player NOT wearing Decoder Glasses may ONLY ID this card. A player wearing Decoder Glasses may ONLY JUDGE this card.

Card Type 2: A player NOT wearing Decoder Glasses may ONLY JUDGE this card. A player wearing Decoder Glasses may ONLY ID this card.

General Rules

Lying is fair game in Red Scare, but cheating is not. Try not to peek out of the corners of the glasses to read cards you shouldn't be able to. Table talk is allowed and encouraged during the game. You should be working to actively convince other players to do what is in your best interest, not necessarily theirs. You may declare which side you are on during the game (or lie about which side you are on) but may never show your Alignment card to another player.

Hidden and Revealed Information

If you are holding a card that you can ID (because you either are or are not wearing Decoder Glasses), you can identify whether the Citizen card is a Soviet or a Patriot. Hidden in the coded part of the card will either be the letter S for Soviet or P for Patriot (in the case of cards that do not require decoder glasses to ID), or the words SOVIET or PATRIOT hidden amongst other word fragments (in the case of cards that require decoder glasses to ID).

Note that you may need to inspect the hidden text closely to decipher it.

As a player wearing Decoder Glasses is only able to JUDGE this card, the Decoder Glasses obscure the letter S, which is visible to players not wearing glasses.

As a player wearing Decoder Glasses is only able to ID this card, the Decoder Glasses reveal the word PATRIOT hidden amongst the other word fragments. This is obscured to players not wearing glasses.

Gameplay

Start of Round

A new round begins each time play returns to the start player. At the beginning of each new round (including the first round), before taking their action(s), the start player should discard one Accuse Countdown token from the top of the stack. These are used to track when players are able to ACCUSE (see ACCUSE).

Beginning with the start player and continuing clockwise, a player may take UP TO 3 ACTIONS in any order they choose, but only ONE of each action, or may pass and do nothing. Players are not required to take all 3 actions on their turn. Additionally, a player may use the ability on their Profession card (advanced game only).

The available actions are:

1. ID
2. TRADE
3. JUDGE

1: ID

During the ID action, the active player may show any number of cards in their hand to another player to have them identified. Most commonly this will be to have another player identify cards that the active player is unable to.

Example: Molly is wearing Decoder Glasses and has two Citizen Cards in her hand that can only be identified by a player not wearing glasses. For her ID action, she shows these two cards to Zeno and asks that he identify the citizens for her.

The identifying player will state out loud how many Patriots and how many Soviets are in the cards the active player showed them. They do NOT indicate which cards have which alignment.

The identifying player does NOT have to tell the truth.

Example: Zeno is a Soviet and suspects Molly may be a Patriot. Molly has asked Zeno to identify two Citizen Cards that are both Soviet. Zeno elects to lie and tell Molly that both cards are Patriots in the hope that Molly may choose to exonerate them, losing points for the Patriot team.

2. TRADE

During the TRADE action, the active player may request a trade with another player. Most commonly this will be used to try and build a hand of cards you can judge. The other player must agree to the TRADE.

The number of Citizen Cards traded between the active player and the trading player must be equal so that each player has 3 Citizen cards in hand after the trade has occurred.

You must state out loud the alignment and number of Citizen cards you are exchanging with the other player, but may lie about the alignment of the cards you are exchanging.

Example: Molly asks Zeno if he will TRADE 1 card with her. Molly states that she is handing Zeno a Soviet card that she is unable to judge (but can ID). Zeno happily gives Molly an additional Soviet card but tells Molly that it is a Patriot card. Molly now has a hand of 3 cards that she cannot ID but may JUDGE.

A player who wishes to take the JUDGE action must be holding 3 cards they are capable of judging. In this case, a player not wearing Decoder Glasses is able to judge these cards. They must also have at least one Judgement marker left (each player starts the game with two).

3. JUDGE

Once a player is holding 3 cards that they can JUDGE, they can take the JUDGE action. Patriot players are attempting to Exonerate Patriot Citizen cards and Deport Soviet Citizen cards, with Soviet players trying to do the opposite. A set of three Citizen cards that are judged together is called a Packet.

• You must be able to JUDGE all 3 Citizen cards in your hand.
• You must have a Judgement marker left in your possession.
• Place your hand of 3 Citizen cards face down on either the Deport or Exonerate side of the Score Board. This is called a Packet. You cannot split the cards between sides of the play board: they must all be either deported or exonerated. Rotate alternating Packets 90º so players can identify different Packets throughout the game.
• Cover up the highest number on the Judgement track at the top of the Score Board with one of your Judgement markers.
• Draw a new hand of 3 Citizen cards.

Judged cards are placed either on the Exonerated or Deported side of the Score Board as a Packet. The player that took the JUDGE action places a Judgement marker on the Judgement track.

Each player may only take the JUDGE action twice in a game. Once you have spent both Judgement markers, you may no longer take the JUDGE action.

Example: Molly now has a hand of 3 cards that she cannot ID, but may JUDGE. She also has a Judgement marker left. Zeno previously told her that all three Citizen cards in her hand are Patriots (see examples in ID and TRADE). Molly has suspected Zeno is a Soviet for some time and elects to deport all 3 Citizen cards in her hand, believing that Zeno has in fact been lying about the identity of the Citizen cards. She places her Judgement marker on the rightmost space of the Judgement Track on the Score Board and draws a new hand of three Citizen cards.

Game End

Play continues until the JUDGE action has been used a number of times equal to the number of players OR if a player decides to ACCUSE.

The Judgement Track on the Score Board will fill up with Judgement markers as players take the JUDGE action. Once the last spot has been filled, the game will end immediately following that JUDGE action.

ACCUSE

A player may ACCUSE out of turn order, but only after the start player reveals the red Accuse Countdown token at the bottom of the stack. This will happen at the start of the fourth round. After this point, all players are free to ACCUSE and may do so at any time (even on another player's turn, or in the middle of another player's action).

When a player declares that they wish to ACCUSE, gameplay and discussion immediately stop. The only exception is players may attempt to persuade the accusing player not to ACCUSE. The accusing player may cancel their accusation up until the point when they place an Alignment token in front of another player.

The accusing player takes the Alignment tokens and gives one to each other player.

• If the hammer and sickle is showing, the accuser is guessing that player is a Soviet.
• If the star is showing, the accuser is guessing that player is a Patriot.
• For an odd number of players: If the ? is showing, the accuser is guessing that player is Unaligned.

Don't forget that players may only ACCUSE once the start player has removed three Accuse Countdown tokens to reveal the red token at the bottom of the stack.

End Game Scoring

If a player has an Unaligned Alignment card that has the text REVEAL BEFORE SCORING, they reveal and execute the card's instructions now.

There is a single Score Tracker which will move back and forth on the Score Board like a game of tug-of-war. Your goal is to have the Score Tracker on your team's side of the 0 space (Soviet or Patriot). As the Score Tracker passes from one team's side to the other, flip it over to show the symbol of the team that is currently winning.

If a player ended the game by deciding to ACCUSE, all players reveal their secret roles.

• For every player alignment that the accuser guessed correctly, the Score Tracker moves 1 space in favor of the accusing player's side (Soviet or Patriot).
• For every player alignment that the accuser guessed incorrectly, the Score Tracker moves 2 spaces in favor of the opposing team.

Identify the Citizen cards that are on the Exonerate side of the Score Board.

• For each exonerated Patriot Citizen card, the tracker moves 2 points in favor of the Patriot team.
• For each exonerated Soviet Citizen card, the tracker moves 2 points in favor of the Soviet team.

Identify the Citizen cards that are on the Deport side of the Score Board.

• For each deported Patriot Citizen card, the Score Tracker moves 1 space in favor of the Soviet team.
• For each deported Soviet Citizen card, the Score Tracker moves 1 space in favor of the Patriot team.

For the advanced game: Players with a 'Reveal During Scoring' Profession card do so at this time. If they met their goal, the Score Tracker moves as indicated.

The team with the Score Tracker on their side of the zero space wins the game!

In the case of a tie, the team with more exonerated Citizen cards wins the tie. If a tie still remains, the team to take the final JUDGE action, or whose player decided to ACCUSE, wins the tie.

If you are Unaligned, you win the game (or share the win) based upon the conditions listed on your Alignment card.

When the Patriot team scores, the Score marker moves towards the blue side of the Score Track. When the Soviet team scores, the Score marker moves towards the red side of the Score Track.

Variants

Real-Time Variant

Instead of play proceeding in turn order, all players are free to take all actions in a free-form manner. There is no limit on the number of actions, or the amount of each action a player may take. Players may simultaneously ask others to ID, TRADE and JUDGE cards following the rules set out previously. This hectic variant should only be used by advanced players who are familiar with the game.

A 3 minute timer should be set and no ACCUSE action may be taken before the end of the timer.

Quick Reference

Setup

• Place Score marker on 0 space of Score Board.
• Use spare Judgement markers to cover up numbers in excess of the player count on the Judgement track.
• Alignment Deck: Even player count: equal number of Soviet and Patriot Alignment cards. Odd player count: equal number of Soviet and Patriot Alignment cards plus one Unaligned card (Double Agent for beginner game).
• Advanced game: Deal a random Profession card face down to each player.
• Half of the players (rounded down) wear Decoder Glasses.
• Each player gets 3 Citizen cards and 2 Judgement markers.
• The start player places the Accuse Countdown tokens in front of themselves in the following order, bottom to top: Red Accuse token, 1, 2, 3.

Actions

• ID: Show any number of cards from your hand to another player to ID. Identifying player says how many Soviet and Patriot cards there are. Identifying player may lie.
• TRADE: Request a TRADE with another player, who must agree. Players must announce how many cards, and their alignment, when trading. Players may lie. Players must trade an equal number of cards.
• JUDGE: You must be able to JUDGE all three cards in your hand to take this action. You must have a Judgement marker remaining. Place all three cards from your hand on one side only of the Score Board (Exonerate or Deport), face down. Place your Judgement marker on the rightmost space of the Judgement track on the Score Board.
• GAME END: Judgement track is filled OR a player decides to ACCUSE.

Accuse

• You can only ACCUSE once the start player has revealed the red Accuse Countdown token at the start of round 4.
• Any player may declare that they want to ACCUSE at any time, even on another player's turn.
• Play stops immediately. Other players are only allowed to attempt to convince you not to ACCUSE.
• Place an Alignment token in front of each player, indicating the alignment you believe each player to have.

Scoring

• Reveal any REVEAL BEFORE SCORING effects on Unaligned cards now.
• If the game ended because a player decided to ACCUSE, all players reveal their Alignment cards. The accusing player's team gains: +1 point for each correct guess; -2 points for each incorrect guess.
• Identify all Citizen cards on the Exonerate side of the Score Board. Each team gains 2 points for each of their exonerated Citizens.
• Identify all Citizen cards on the Deport side of the Score Board. Each team loses 1 point for each of their deported Citizens.
• Advanced game: Reveal any "REVEAL DURING SCORING" Profession cards now.

Source Notes

The following printed errors were corrected in this transcription: "make take UP TO 3 ACTIONS" printed as "may take"; "loosing points" printed as "losing points"; "Exonorate" printed as "Exonerate"; "Judgement" spelling kept as printed. Words split by the PDF's display font (e.g. "PL AYER", "GL ASSES") are rejoined. The rulebook's set-up steps are numbered 1–5, 7 and 8 as printed (step 6 is the Citizen deck location noted in step 5).