Senator Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Object of the Game
• Components
• Setup
• Playing the Game
  • Phase 1: Setup Phase
  • Phase 2: Debate Phase
    • Debate Overview
    • Choosing a Subject
    • Taking an Action
    • Winning a Debate
    • Checking for Further Debates
  • Phase 3: Clean-Up Phase
• Game End
• The Agendas
• The Event Cards
• Example of Play

Object of the Game

Your goal is to successfully claim and/or complete the most agendas by the end of the game. The game ends after 3 turns. At that point, the player who has claimed and/or completed the most agendas dissolves the Senate, becomes Emperor, and wins the game.

Components

• Influence Cards: Influence cards are used during debates to claim agendas. There are 7 influence cards in each set of 5 different colors. There are "1," "2," "5," and "assassin" influence cards (assassin cards are marked with a gladius, which is a type of Roman sword).
• Event Cards: Event cards change the rules of the debate from round to round. There are 6 event cards in all.
• Agenda Tokens: Whoever claims and/or completes the most of these open scroll-shaped cardboard tokens by the end of the game wins. Each agenda (except the Imperial agenda) is opposed to two other agendas. These opposing agendas are shown at the bottom of each agenda. There are 5 agenda tokens in each of 6 different varieties.
• Scroll Markers: These 5 large scroll-shaped markers are used by each player to indicate which agendas he has completed. Agendas placed in front of your scroll marker have been claimed, while those placed behind your scroll are completed.
• Consul Tokens: These 2 small rectangular tokens allow you to complete your currently claimed agendas, protecting them from conflicts.
• Veto Token: This small scroll-shaped token allows you to refuse an agenda awarded to you by an opponent, preventing your opponents from causing a conflict among your agendas.

Setup

1. Each player chooses a color and takes the 7 influence cards of that color as well as 1 scroll marker. Return any remaining influence cards and scroll markers to the box. Each player places his scroll marker in front of him.
2. Place all 30 agenda tokens face down in a pile and shuffle them. This pile is referred to as the "forum."
3. Shuffle the event cards and place them face down in a deck to one side of the playing area. This is the "event deck."
4. Place the 2 consul tokens and the veto token next to the event deck. Make sure the 2 consul tokens are face up (the side without the red X).
5. The player who has most recently seen a movie about ancient Rome begins the first debate (or choose randomly).

Playing the Game

Senator is played over 3 turns. Each turn takes place in 3 phases.

Phase 1: Setup Phase

During the setup phase, the docket and event deck are prepared for the turn.

At the start of the setup phase, first fill the docket. To do this, consult the chart below and draw the indicated number of agenda tokens from the forum. Place these face up to one side of the playing area, then make sure that the 2 consul tokens are face up (they get turned face down each turn after being won in a debate to show that they are no longer available for debate that turn). The agendas to one side of the playing area and the 2 consul tokens are collectively known as the "docket."

Players	Agendas on the Docket
3	7
4	9
5	11

Remember, the docket only gets refilled once a turn.

Next, turn the top card of the event deck face up and place it next to the deck. This is the active event card this turn (see "Event Cards" later on).

You are now ready to start the debates.

Phase 2: Debate Phase

During the debate phase, players compete for the agendas and consul tokens placed in the docket during the setup phase. They do this by taking part in debates until either the docket is empty or all players are out of influence cards.

Debate Overview

To have a debate, one player chooses an agenda or consul token on the docket to debate. That player then either plays influence cards in order to try and win the debate, plays an assassin to bring the debate to an end without a winner, or withdraws from the debate. After that, every other player, has the opportunity to do the same (one at a time, in clockwise order). This continues on around the table until only one player remains in the debate or an assassin has been played. If only one player remains in the debate, that player is then declared the winner (see Winning a Debate). If an assassin is played, the debate ends without a winner (see Playing an Assassin).

Choosing a Subject

At the start of each debate, the last player to win a debate (or the player who was chosen to go first if this is the first debate in the game) selects one of the agendas or consul tokens in the docket and places it in the center of the playing area. This agenda or consul token is the "subject" of the debate.

Taking an Action

The first player next takes one of three actions: 1) plays influence cards, 2) plays an assassin card, or 3) withdraws from the debate. Play then continues clockwise around the table with each player taking an action until either A) all players except one have withdrawn, in which case the remaining player is the winner of the debate, or B) an assassin is played, in which case the debate ends without a winner.

1) Playing Influence Cards

To play influence cards as your action, select one or more influence cards other than the assassin from your hand and place them face-up in front of your scroll marker. The total numerical value of the influence cards you have played for the current debate is your total influence. The total influence of cards you play must be higher than the highest total influence currently played by any other player.

For example, if it's your first turn to take an action, and the two previous players have played 4 and 5 total influence respectively, you must play at least 6 total influence in order to stay in the debate.

Adding to Your Total Influence

After you've played at least one influence card during a debate, then when you later play influence cards as your action during the same debate, you can only add to your currently played influence cards. You cannot return previously played influence cards to your hand.

To add more influence cards, select one or more influence cards other than the assassin from your hand and add them, face up, to the influence cards you have already played in front of you. Your total influence is increased by the numerical value of the new card(s). You cannot add to your influence cards unless doing so will raise your total influence higher than any other players' total influence on the table.

For instance, to continue the example above, it's your turn again and one of the other two players has increased his total influence to 7. Now, you must increase your total influence from 6 to at least 8 to stay in the debate, so you take a "2" influence card from your hand and add it face up to the played influence cards in front of you, raising your total influence to 8. You could not just play a "1" influence card, since you must exceed 7 total influence.

2) Playing an Assassin

To play an assassin as your action, take the assassin card from your hand and place it face up in front of you (on top of your previously played influence cards, if you have any). When an assassin card is played, the debate immediately ends without a winner and all players (including you) discard their played influence cards behind their scroll markers instead of returning them to their hands.

Important: Make sure to discard your assassin card along with your other previously played influence cards.

If an agenda was being debated, it is removed from the docket and returned, face down, to the forum. If a consul was being debated, it is turned face down (showing the red X) to indicate that it is no longer available for debate this turn.

Important: The player who played the assassin card starts the next debate.

3) Withdrawing From the Debate

A player who does not wish to debate any further by playing influence cards may withdraw from the debate. The player leaves any previously played influence cards face up in front of his scroll marker and can perform no further actions this debate. His cards are left showing in front of his scroll marker because an assassin (see above) played later in the debate can still discard them, even though the player has already withdrawn from the debate.

Important: Influence cards you've played in a debate can only be added to. You can't return an influence card to your hand after playing it!

Winning a Debate

When a player wins a debate, follow these steps in order:

If the subject of the debate was an agenda:

1. Winner Exercises the Agenda's Power. The winner of the debate may immediately choose to use the power of the agenda he has just won (see their description). Note that the winner may use this power regardless of who he awards the agenda to (see below).

   For instance, if you win a Trade agenda in a debate, you can use its power to claim another agenda from the forum for yourself, and then award the Trade agenda to any player, including yourself.

2. Winner Awards the Agenda. The winner of the debate chooses a player and gives that player the agenda that was up for debate. That player places the agenda in front of his scroll marker to show it has been claimed. Typically you will want to claim the agenda yourself, but you may want to give an opponent an agenda instead because it may cause a conflict (see below).

   The Veto Token: A player who has the veto token may refuse to be awarded an agenda by returning the veto token to the center of the playing area. The refused agenda is then returned, face down, to the forum. In order to receive the veto token, a player must win a Taxes agenda and choose to exercise its power.

3. Awarded Player Resolves Conflicts. The player who was awarded the agenda must now look at his other claimed agendas. If any of them oppose the new agenda, then that player must return both the new agenda and all claimed agendas that oppose it face down to the forum. Do not look at your completed agendas (the agendas behind your scroll marker) when checking for conflicts; completed agendas are safe from conflicts.

   For example, Tim has two claimed Trade agendas sitting in front of his scroll marker, while Rob has a completed Trade agenda sitting behind his scroll marker (He completed them by winning a consul token in a previous debate). If Tim is awarded a War agenda, he has a conflict and must return both the War and his two Trade agendas face down to the forum. If Rob is awarded that same War agenda, he gets to keep the War agenda, since his completed Trade agenda is safe from conflicts.

If the subject of the debate was a consul token:

1. Winner Completes Claimed Agendas. The winner of the debate moves all of the agendas that are currently in front of his scroll marker behind his scroll marker. This shows that these agendas are now completed, and are no longer affected by conflicts.

2. Winner Discards the Consul Token. Next, the winner of the debate turns the consul token face down (showing the red X) to indicate that it is no longer available for debate.

Afterwards, regardless of the subject of the debate:

1. Winner Discards Played Influence Cards. The winner of the debate discards all of the influence cards he played during the debate behind his scroll marker, face up. These cards are public information; any player may look at them at any time. Discarded cards may not be used in any additional debates this turn.

After the winner discards his played influence cards, the other players (everyone who did not win the debate) return their played influence cards to their hands. Thus, only the winning player loses his played influence cards (unless an assassin is played, of course).

Checking for Further Debates

After a debate is resolved, another debate immediately begins (started by the player who either won the last debate or ended it by playing an assassin) unless there are either A) no further agendas and consul tokens on the docket or B) all players have discarded their entire hand of influence cards (including the assassin). If this is the case, no further debates are held this turn and the clean-up phase begins.

Phase 3: Clean-Up Phase

Once the debates for the turn are over and the clean-up phase has begun, all discarded influence cards are returned to their owners' hands.

Afterwards, shuffle the agendas in the forum again to ensure that any agendas that were returned to the forum are well randomized. The next turn now begins with a new setup phase unless you have just completed the third turn, in which case the game ends.

Game End

The game ends after the end of the third turn. Each player then totals up how many claimed and completed agendas they have, and the player with the highest total is declared the winner. In the event of a tie, the player who has the most Imperial agendas is the winner. If there is still a tie, the player with the most completed agendas is the winner. Otherwise, the victory is shared.

To review claimed vs. completed agendas: Claimed agendas sit in front of your scroll marker. They can cause and be affected by conflicts, which occur when you claim opposed agendas. Whenever you win a consul token, move your claimed agendas behind your scroll marker. They are now completed. Completed agendas never cause conflicts, nor can they be affected by them.

The Agendas

As Senators served the Roman state, they also sought to gain power, glory, and influence for themselves. However, the resources of the Republic and the statesmen serving her were limited, and a Senator that pursued one path to power would inevitably close off others.

The agendas, their special powers, and their opposed agendas are listed below.

• Public Works
  • Power: If you win a Public Works agenda, you may return one of your previously discarded influence cards (but not the assassin) to your hand.
  • Public Works are opposed to Rebellion and Taxes.
• Rebellion
  • Power: If you win a Rebellion agenda, you may choose another agenda on the docket and return it face down to the forum. Alternately, you can choose a consul available for debate and turn it face down, indicating that it cannot be debated again until next turn.
  • Rebellion is opposed to War and Public Works.
• Taxes
  • Power: If you win a Taxes agenda, you may take the veto token and place it in front of you, even if another player currently has it. Later, you may return the veto token to the middle of the playing area to refuse one agenda that another player is trying to award to you. Refused agendas are returned face down to the forum.
  • Taxes are opposed to Trade and Public Works.
• Trade
  • Power: If you win a Trade agenda, you may choose an additional agenda on the docket and claim that agenda for yourself. You cannot choose a consul token or an Imperial agenda, and you do not get to exercise the extra agenda's power.
  • Trade is opposed to War and Taxes.
• War

The Event Cards

The event cards and their effects are listed below.

• Socialis Bellum
  • Over the course of several centuries, Rome, through warfare and treaty, forged a confederacy of city-states and territories that united the Italian peninsula. Although unified and ruled by the government in Rome, the citizens of these various communities were not granted equal rights and privileges under Roman law. Between 91–83 BCE, a series of bloody wars raged between Roman allies threatening to tear apart the Republic.
  • Immediately pull 3 additional agendas from the forum and add them to the docket.
• Hannibal
  • Carthage lost its first 23 year war with Rome (264–241 BCE) when the Roman army landed in Africa and rallied the oppressed Carthaginian allies to their cause. In 218 BCE, Hannibal marched off to war against Rome with the intention of turning their own strategy against them by crossing the Alps and bringing the conflict to Italy. For the next 18 years, Hannibal defeated every army Rome sent against him and besieged town after town hoping that he would win allies to his cause.
  • While Hannibal is in play, all players discard their previously played influence cards at the end of each debate, not just the winner of the debate.
• Imperator
  • In 510 BCE, the Romans deposed their last king. The Senate quickly adopted several measures to assure that no one man would ever again exercise supreme power in Rome. New offices were created and authority was divided. The highest of these offices were the Consuls. Every year, two new Consuls were elected from the members of the Senate. Each had the ability to veto decrees and legislation. However, two Consuls in disagreement with each other often caused the Roman state to be indecisive. Therefore, in times of extreme crisis, when a political stalemate threatened to destroy Rome, the Senate could elect an Imperator for a period of six months—and his dictates could never be overturned.
  • Immediately turn all Consuls face down. They cannot be chosen as the subject of a debate this turn.

Example of Play

In this 4-player example, Rob, Tim, Kevin, and Brian are part-way through a turn, and it's Tim's turn to begin a debate. Their hands of influence cards look like this:

(The rulebook shows each player's hand of influence cards as an illustration.)

Looking at the 4 agendas and the consul token on the docket, Tim selects a Trade agenda and moves it forward to show what is being debated.

Tim opens the debate by selecting a "1" influence card and placing it face up in front of him. His total influence is 1. Play then passes to Kevin. Kevin must play more total influence than Tim to stay in the debate, so he plays a "2" influence card. Brian then plays 3 influence (a "2" and a "1" influence card). Rob decides not to play cards, and withdraws from this debate. Tim, worried about playing more influence cards, decides to withdraw as well, leaving his "1" face up in front of him in case it is later assassinated. Kevin decides that the debate has gotten too expensive and decides to withdraw as well, leaving Brian as the last remaining player, so he wins this debate.

Brian first exercises the Trade agenda's power, which lets him choose another agenda on the docket and claim it. Looking at the other 3 agendas, he chooses the Public Works agenda and places it in front of his scroll marker.

Next, Brian chooses which player will be awarded the Trade agenda. Weighing his options, he decides to award it to himself, and moves the Trade agenda in front of his scroll marker to show that he has claimed it. He has already checked to make sure that it will cause no conflicts for him, so he does not have to return any agendas to the forum.

Finally, Brian discards the "2" and "1" influence cards that he has played by placing them behind his scroll marker, while the other three players return the cards that they have showing to their hands.