The Target Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Components
• Setup
  • Affiliation Setup Chart
  • Setup Steps
• Play
• Winning the Game
  • Double Agents
• Security Clearance
  • Security Clearance Guide
• Advanced Decks
  • Espionage Clearance
  • Surveillance Cards
  • Evasion Cards
  • Outed
• Operative Clearance
  • Attacks
  • Missed
  • Bombed
• Intel Clearance
  • Intel
  • Deflect
  • Reverse
  • Advance to HQ

Components

The Target includes:

• 2 Headquarter Placeholders
• 16 Affiliation Cards
• 12 "Top Secret" Envelopes
• 4 Deck Trays
• 36 Clearance Tokens (3 Colors)
• 1 Rookie Deck (96 Cards)
• 1 Operative Deck (36 Cards)
• 1 Espionage Deck (40 Cards)
• 1 Intel Deck (34 Cards)
• 1 Target Marker

Setup

Affiliation Setup Chart

Number of Players	Pile 1: Cards automatically included in deck	Pile 2: Possible cards included in deck
4	1 CIA, 1 KGB	(1 CIA, 1 KGB, 1 DOUBLE AGENT) PICK 2
5	2 CIA, 2 KGB	(1 CIA, 1 KGB, 1 DOUBLE AGENT) PICK 1
6	2 CIA, 2 KGB	(1 CIA, 1 KGB, 2 DOUBLE AGENT) PICK 2
7	2 CIA, 2 KGB	(2 CIA, 2 KGB, 2 DOUBLE AGENT) PICK 3
8	3 CIA, 3 KGB	(1 CIA, 1 KGB, 3 DOUBLE AGENT) PICK 2
9	3 CIA, 3 KGB	(2 CIA, 2 KGB, 3 DOUBLE AGENT) PICK 3
10	4 CIA, 4 KGB	(1 CIA, 1 KGB, 3 DOUBLE AGENT) PICK 2
11	4 CIA, 4 KGB

Setup Steps

Split the Affiliation Deck into 2 piles according to the Affiliation Setup Chart above.

Pile 1 will have an equal number of CIA and KGB cards and are automatically included in the Final Combined Affiliation Pile.

Pile 2 will have varying numbers of CIA, KGB and DOUBLE AGENT cards (depending on the number of players). Only some of these cards will end up in the Final Combined Affiliation Pile.

Shuffle the cards in Pile 2 and randomly pick the amount indicated on the Affiliation Setup Chart. Shuffle these cards into Pile 1. Remove the cards not picked from play. This Final Combined Affiliation Pile will have as many cards as there are players.

Example: There are seven players. Make Pile 1 with 2 CIA cards and 2 KGB cards. Then make Pile 2 with 2 CIA cards, 2 KGB cards and 2 Double Agent cards. Shuffle Pile 2 and randomly pick 3 cards. Add these 3 cards to Pile 1 and shuffle. Remove the cards not picked from play.

Note: The manual repeats this example on several pages, partly printed under black bars in the scan so that it is illegible; the legible copy above is the one transcribed.

Each player draws one Affiliation Card, secretly looks at their affiliation and inserts the card inside their envelope (making sure the affiliation color can be seen through the notch on the back of the envelope). Place the CIA and KGB HQ cards in the middle of the table and then place all the envelopes ("Top Secret" side up) in a circle with the HQ cards on opposite ends of the circle (*see diagram). Make sure the envelopes are evenly distributed around the circle and that all players remember which is theirs.

Shuffle and place the four other decks face-down in the designated trays. Then deal 4 cards to each player from the Rookie Deck.

Place the Target Marker on the KGB headquarters then move it clockwise on top of the next envelope. This will be the first Target.

Play

For each turn, ALL players place one of their cards face-down into the area in the middle of all the envelopes. The player with The Target Marker on their envelope is "The Target", and the recipient of all the cards played in the center. The Target flips over and reveals all the cards in the pile so that all players can see which cards were played. The Target then deals with the cards in this order:

1. If a "Deflect Forward" or "Deflect Backward" card is played, The Target Marker immediately is moved to the next envelope and that player is the new Target and recipient of the cards. (*see Deflect) This card is discarded to the Intel discard pile.

2. Any Operative Card is applied to the Target unless the "Missed" card is played (this card applies to all attacks on The Target) or The Target is able to use the two card combination of Rookie cards indicated on the particular Operative Card (he/she can use cards played in the pile or cards in his hand to make the combination). Discard Operative Cards to the Operative discard pile.

3. Any Surveillance Card that is not countered by an Evasion Card or combination must be placed face up in front of The Target. Countered Surveillance Cards and used Evasion cards are discarded to the Espionage discard pile.

4. If the Target is on one of the Headquarters, any Intel played is deposited (unless destroyed by the "Bombed" Operative Card). Deposited Intel is placed next to HQ for all to see and remains there permanently. Destroyed Intel is discarded to the Intel discard pile.

5. If a "Reverse" card or "Advance to HQ" card is played it is noted that the next turn will be on a different Target and those cards are discarded to the Intel discard pile.

6. The Target adds the remaining cards to his hand and uses the ones he/she can to gain advanced security clearance (*see Security Clearance). Players should always have 4 cards in their hand, so he/she discards all cards not used to the appropriate discard pile or draws enough cards from the decks where he/she has clearance. The Target Marker then moves clockwise around the board to the next envelope or HQ, indicating the next Target.

Winning the Game

When the Target Marker lands on either team's headquarters, the cards are revealed and any Intel Cards stay at the headquarters.

The game ends when one team has successfully deposited 3 Intel Cards of the same letter (including dirty intel) on the team headquarters. The team whose headquarters has 3 matching Intel cards wins.

Double Agents

Double Agents play the same as other agents, only their goal is to deposit 3 Dirty Intel cards to either Headquarters. In other words, if there are 2 Dirty Intel Cards on the CIA headquarters and 1 Dirty Intel Card on the KGB headquarters, Double Agents win. If no Double Agents claim victory, play continues until the CIA or KGB has won.

Security Clearance

Players may draw cards from any deck, as long as they have security clearance for that deck. To gain security clearance, simply turn in a set of 3 Rookie cards of matching colors and place them in the Rookie Deck discard pile.

Security Clearance Guide

• 3 Training Cards (Martial Arts, Deception, Explosives) grant you access to the Operative Deck.
• 3 Materials Cards (Kevlar, Chemicals, Technology) grant you access to the Espionage Deck.
• 3 Contacts Cards (Defector, Informant, Mole) grant you access to the Intel Deck.

When you gain access, take a Clearance Token of the appropriate color to indicate that you have clearance to take cards from that deck.

Turning in a set of three Language cards (French, German, Russian) grants you limited, one-time access to any advanced deck. This means you can take cards from whichever deck you like to restore your hand to 4. There is no token for this type of temporary clearance.

Players may turn in cards whenever they have a match, regardless of who is the Target, but all players must restore their hand to 4 cards before advancing the Target Marker to the next Target.

Advanced Decks

Espionage Clearance

The Espionage Deck contains cards that help deduce the affiliation of other players. When a Surveillance Card is played on the Target, the card is placed face up in front of the Target, and remains there until it is removed with an Evasion Card. Surveillance Cards can also be removed by the combination of the two Rookie Cards indicated on the Surveillance Card (both cards are required).

Surveillance Cards

While there is a Surveillance Card in play on a player, he/she must show their card to the indicated player before playing on the Target on each turn.

• The Target has been Staked Out! Show your card to the player on your left before playing on the Target. COUNTER: Training: firearms; Materials: technology.
• The Target has been Tailed! Show your card to the player 2 to your left before playing on The Target. COUNTER: Training: martial arts; Materials: kevlar.
• The Target has been Wiretapped! Show your card to the player 3 to your left before playing on The Target. COUNTER: Training: deception; Materials: audio/visual.
• The Target has Blown His Cover! Play cards face up when playing on The Target. COUNTER: Training: explosives; Materials: chemicals.

Evasion Cards

In order to remove a Surveillance card you can play a "The Slip" card or a "Deep Cover". Simply match the Surveillance Card with the Evasion Card and discard both cards to the Espionage discard pile.

• The Slip: Remove 1 espionage card that has been played on you.
• Deep Cover: Remove all espionage cards that have been played on you.

Outed

When the Target receives the "Outed" card, he/she must show the bottom side of their affiliation envelope (revealing their affiliation) to another player of their choice. However, every time he/she is outed, they must show the bottom side of their affiliation envelope to a new player.

• The Target has been Outed! Reveal your affiliation to a player of your choice. COUNTER: The Slip or Deep Cover.

Operative Clearance

The Operative Deck contains cards to kill and protect other players.

Attacks

If an attack is played on the Target and he cannot counter it, he/she must discard all cards in their hand and draw four new cards from the Rookie deck. He/she also returns all security clearance tokens. However, all Espionage Cards remain active on that player.

Each attack has a specific combination of Rookie cards that can be used to defend against it. These combinations are indicated on each attack. Also, a "Missed" card can be used to avoid the effects of the attack.

• The Target has been Shot! Discard hand and draw 4 new cards from the Rookie deck. COUNTER: Training: firearms; Materials: kevlar.
• The Target has been Stabbed! Discard hand and draw 4 new cards from the Rookie deck. COUNTER: Training: martial arts; Materials: audio/visual.
• The Target has been Poisoned! Discard hand and draw 4 new cards from the Rookie deck. COUNTER: Training: deception; Materials: technology.

Missed

A "Missed" card protects the Target from oncoming attacks. It can also protect Intel from being destroyed by "Bombed" cards.

• All attacks on The Target have Missed!

Bombed

In addition to attacking a person, bombs may be used on a team Headquarters. If a "bombed" card is played on the Headquarters, any Intel played is also destroyed. However, if a "Missed" card is played, that Intel will be preserved. Bombs will not destroy Intel that was deposited in previous rounds. Once Intel is successfully deposited, it cannot be removed or destroyed.

• The Target has been Bombed! Discard hand and draw 4 new cards from the Rookie deck. COUNTER: Training: explosives; Materials: chemicals.

Intel Clearance

The Intel Deck contains Intel and cards that manipulate who or what the next Target will be.

Intel

There are 4 types of Intel: A, B, C, and D. In order to win the game, your team must deposit 3 matching Intel Cards into your headquarters. Intel can be transferred from player-to-player through the Target pile. Dirty Intel counts as Intel, but has special significance when Double Agents are in play. Double Agents win if 3 Dirty Intel Cards have been successfully deposited. If on the same turn one team deposits their 3rd matching Intel Card and the Double Agent deposits their 3rd Dirty Intel Card as well, the Double Agent wins.

Card faces shown in the manual: the card captioned "Dirty Intel." with a red letter A, and the card captioned "Intelligence." with a letter D.

Deflect

If a Deflect Card is played on the Target, the contents of the Target pile are redirected to the player before or after the intended Target as indicated by the Deflect card. If multiple Deflect cards are played, they combine and/or cancel each other out.

• Deflect Forward: All cards this turn are played on the next Target.
• Deflect Backward: All cards this turn are played on the previous Target.

Reverse

When this card is played, the rotation of the Target reverses from clockwise to counter-clockwise (or vice-versa). The change takes place on the subsequent turn.

• Reverse: Direction of play reverses on the next turn.

Advance to HQ

This card directs the Target to the next Headquarters on the following turn. But, if a "Reverse" card is played at the same time, "Reverse" is applied first and "Advance to HQ" is applied last.

• Advance to HQ: The Target is moved to the next HQ on the next turn.