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DRAFT 8/13/24

IMPERIAL BORDERS

PREMISE
With Napoleon˦˧˥s abdication, the major powers of Europe convene the Congress of Vienna in Austria. It is their
hope that they can redraw the imperial borders of Europe and reinstate the traditional monarchs that preceded the
French Revolution, thereby creating a balance of power that will ensure a lasting peace.
Historically, the Congress did convene, and did succeed in bringing peace to Europe - a relative peace that lasted
for almost a hundred years, ending only with the onset of the First World War in 1914.
IMPERIAL BORDERS – The Congress of Vienna explores what might have happened had history taken a
different course. You will take the reins of a great European nation of the period, and the borders of Europe will
indeed be redrawn, but this time... by you.
You will require both diplomatic and military skills as you lead your nation to its rightful position in the lineup of competing nations. On the
diplomatic front, you will make decisions that directly result in either war or peace with your neighbors. You may form alliances with other
nations. Can they be trusted˦˦˨ Can they endure˦˦˨ You will direct your naval and land forces not only to protect your imperial borders, but also to
expand them when such opportunities arise. Be the most skillful in these matters of statehood and YOU will be recognized as the greatest
statesman and military commander of YOUR time.

GAMEPLAY OVERVIEW
Up to 6 players take control of the major Nations of Europe during this historical period in the aftermath of Napoleon. Each Nation has the goal of
establishing a dominating presence of power and wealth over the others, measured in game terms with Prestige Points.
Advancing through 6 to 9 Game Rounds, each consisting 7 of phases, players take the roles of the great leaders of Europe, who begin with their
Homeland Territories, a single Annexed Territory, and a significant military force at the ready. With the hopes of expanding its control, each
Nation will simultaneously plot secret marching and sailing orders for its Forces.
Nations will bid for Turn Order. The timing of both diplomacy and strategy is fundamentally consequential. It could be critical to strike the
enemy first, or perhaps seek out allies and bide time. Each new Flag raised over a Territory brings additional Prestige and Gold tax income. Once
the easier targets of Independent Territories are few and far between, the time for clashes on the battlefield heats up. Tactical battlefield decisions
are made, and then the Dice are rolled with the booming crash of cannons and gunfire ringing in the ears. A boastful, victorious Commander may
overreach, and if the spoils of battle are not shared generously, or promises are not kept, Nations may be compelled to break ties with close allies
(in a brutal manner no less), and foster new friendships with former enemies.
Nations spend their Gold mustering new Forces and repairing battle-damaged Ships and Fortifications. At the end of
each Game Round, scores are tallied in 5 categories ranging from National Morale to Territory Control to the Elite status
of Land Units and Ships. Scores are then converted to Prestige Points, which accumulate over multiple Game Rounds.
The game will draw to a close when the Congress of Vienna convenes (starting in the 5th Game Round) and a vote for
Peace takes place. Depending on the vote tally˦˧˥s outcome (Peace or War), the struggle for control of Europe will enter its
final stages, and once the final extent of each Nation˦˧˥s territorial conquests is determined and its accumulated Prestige
Points are tallied and compared, the victor will be hailed (or reviled).
The Exalted Winner

Territory & Elite Score + Prestige Track Score

= Total End Game Score

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 Any future updates to this Rulebook will be posted on our website - www.Nightingale-Games.com.

Each player will take on the role of Commander of 1 or more major Nations of post-Napoleonic Europe.
The 6 Nations to choose from are listed below, each with its own Storage Box of components in its color.
Depending on player count, 1 or 2 Nations may be designated as Neutral (and therefore out of play).

NATION CARDS
Each Nation gets a Nation Card (for establishing Turn Order).
FRANCE AUSTRIA PRUSSIA GREAT BRITAIN RUSSIA SPAIN
Blue White Black Red Green Tan

Forces include both static Fortifications (Forts and Ports) and Mobile Forces (Ships and Land Units). British Storage Box
Each Force Type listed below provides a specialized benefit.

SHIPS ELITE PENNANTS

Frigates are standard warships and can transport Land Units. An Elite Pennant can be awarded to one
Land Unit or Ship upon a Major Victory
Ships of the Line can also transport Land Units, but they are more (see Assign Spoils on page X). Fortifications
powerful in battle than Frigates. can never receive Elite Pennants.

LAND UNITS A Land Unit or Ship with an attached Elite

Pennant gains an ongoing Die bonus for
Half Infantry are efficient when annexing Territories, low in cost, and future battles and annexation attempts. See
take up half the normal Cargo space on a Ship. Elite Pennants on page X.
Full Infantry are the core strength of an army, and require 2 hits to fully
eliminate in battle.

Cavalry can move farther than other Land Units in each Game Round.
Insert the Elite Pennant˦˧˥s tab into the base
Cannons are very powerful in battle, firing before other Land Units. of a Land Unit or the hull of a Ship.

FORTS PORTS
A standing rectangular Territory Flag placed atop a A Port Flag roundel placed atop a Port indicates a
Fort indicates a Nation˦˧˥s control of that Territory. Nation˦˧˥s control of that Port.

Each Nation has 1 very powerful Capital Only GREAT BRITAIN and RUSSIA have Capital
Fort in its Capital Territory. Ports: 2 and 1, respectively.

Each Nation has 1 Major Fort in each of its 1 or 2 Major Ports are connected to each
4 Homeland Territories. Homeland Territory that borders the sea.

A Minor Fort is placed in an Independent A Minor Port is placed in a Port region of an

Territory once annexed. Independent Territory once seized or claimed.

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 LAND BATTLEBOARD

Battles are typically resolved using a Battleboard. The front side (battlefield) is for land
battles, and the reverse side (coastline) is for Port battles. Open Sea battles
can be conducted in a clear space. A round Mini Battleboard is available for
minor battles. MINI BATTLEBOARD

Using the included dry-erase pens, players will plot secret movement orders for their Nations˦˧˥ Land Units and Ships on
their respective color-coded Planning Maps. There is a Reference Chart on the inside cover of each Planning Map. PLANNING MAPS

Two kinds of Dice are rolled to resolve battles (and other events). A Die face will have Hit bursts (1 or 2), a Bar icon, or be blank.

BLACK DICE represent Cannons with heavy firepower. WHITE DICE generally represent hand-held weapons and muskets.

Each Nation has 1 double-sided Battle Stance Token used in battles, and also in voting for Peace or War during the Congress of Vienna.
Aggressive Defensive Commanders will choose an Aggressive or Defensive Battle Stance, which determines
Stance Stance whether Bar icons on Dice either serve as Hits or block incoming enemy Hits.

Status Tokens are placed on the Game Map as reminders. Some are double-sided.
HOTSPOT: The ˦˧˦crossed sabers˦˧˧ indicates a potential conflict that needs to be addressed. A
HOTSPOT ADDRESSED Hotspot Token turned on its side serves as a reminder that region has been addressed.
ANNEXATION: The ˦˧˦crossed flags˦˧˧ indicates a potential annexation of an Independent Territory.
ANNEX FAILED ANNEX An Annex Token turned on its side serves as a reminder that the annexation attempt failed.

ARROW TAGS: Arrow Tags (BLUE,RED, and WHITE) serve as reminders of movement and battle actions.

DAMAGE: Each ˦˧˦explosion˦˧˧ token indicates 1 level of battle damage on Forts, Ports, and Ships.
FIELD HOSPITAL TENTS: These serve as reminders of casualties, when verifying plotted orders.
REVOLT: Revolts can occur if an Annexed Territory has no Mobile Forces in it. See Revolts on page x.

MEDALS CHART: Tally each Nation˦˧˥s Medal Points on the Medals Chart with a dry-erase pen during scoring.
MEDALS CHART PRESTIGE CHART
PRESTIGE CHART: At the top of the Prestige Chart, insert the Game Round Tracker peg
to track the current Game Round. Below that, insert a peg in each Nation˦˧˥s row to track its
Prestige Points, which accumulate each Game Round based on the Medal Points rankings:
1st place Medal Points total – gain 3 Prestige Points;
2nd place Medal Points total – gain 2 Prestige Points;
3rd place Medal Points total – gain 1 Prestige Point.

Nations store their Gold in their respective Treasuries. These trays also serve as temporary storage for Enemy Casualties.
TREASURIES GOLD: Nations collect taxes from their Territories in the form of Gold.
Coin = 1 Gold
Nations spend Gold to muster new Forces, to bid for Turn Order, and to repair
Chest = 5 Gold
Ships and Fortifications. Gold denominations may be exchanged at any time.

MEDALS
MEDALS: Medals can be awarded to Nations in 6 categories
during Phase 6- On Parade. Medal recipients gain bonuses, such
as Gold or Dice benefits in the following Game Round.

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Each of the 6 Nations (FRANCE, AUSTRIA, PRUSSIA, GREAT BRITAIN, RUSSIA, and
SPAIN) begins the game controlling its 5 Homeland Territories (defined below), tinted in
its color, on the Game Map. Each Nation also controls 1 Annexed Territory (defined
below) at the start of the game.

TURN ORDER TRACK: Nation Cards are placed in this column for tracking Turn
Order each Game Round.

TREASURIES: Place each Nation˦˧˥s Treasury, along the edge of the

Game Map. Always keep tray contents in public view, except when
bidding for Turn Order.

There are 4 types of Game Map regions:

� Territories are bordered land regions on the Game Map. The Interior of a Territory is a term used to distinguish
the inland area from any connected Port(s) (see below), which are separate regions and not part of the Territory itself.
� Mountain Ranges are land regions that exist in two types: White and Brown. There are no Fortifications in
Mountain Ranges, and no control of them is possible.
� BROWN: Land Units may move into or through a Brown Mountain Range.
� WHITE: Land Units may move into a White Mountain Range, but may NOT exit it in the same Game Round.
A Port consists of a circled region on the coast of a Territory. Some Territories connect to multiple Ports, but each
Port connects to only 1 Territory. Land Units (as Cargo) can pass through a Port to load onto (or unload from) a
Ship. The controller of a Port and its connected Territory needn˦˧˥t be the same.
� Open Sea regions, bordered by coastlines and anchor-lines, are never controlled by Nations. Port circles are NOT
part of Open Sea regions. Only Ships and Cargo can be in the Open Seas.

There are 3 tiers of Territory strength: Capital, Major, and Annexed. Each Territory can have exactly 1 Fort (of the corresponding type) in its
Interior with a Nation˦˧˥s Territory Flag on top designating control. A controlled Territory provides an amount of Gold and Medal Points
according to its number of Government Building Icons shown on the Game Map.
A Nation˦˧˥s Homeland Territories consist of 1 Capital and 4 Major Territories. Ports connected to these Territories are called Homeland Ports.
At the start of the game, each Nation controls its own Original Homeland Territories, tinted in the Nation˦˧˥s color, and the connected Original
Homeland Ports (with the exception of Gibraltar, see next page).

CAPITAL (HOMELAND) TERRITORY: The Capital of each Nation has a Flag printed on the
CAPITAL (Homeland)
Game Map. It contains the Nation˦˧˥s Capital Fort, and is connected to any Capital Ports (if on
3 Gold, 3 Medal Points
the coast). A Nation must control its own Capital to be eligible to win the game.

MAJOR (Homeland) MAJOR (HOMELAND) TERRITORIES: The other 4 Homeland Territories of any given Nation
2 Gold, 2 Medal Points each contain 1 Major Fort and are each connected to 1 or more Major Ports (if on the coast).

Annexed Territory ANNEXED TERRITORIES: Only Independent Territories (pale green regions) can be annexed by a
1 Gold, 1 Medal Point
Nation. If an annex attempt is successful, a Nation gains control of its Minor Fort and any connected,
unclaimed Minor Ports. An Annexed Territory never reverts to an independent state.

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 GREAT BRITAIN starts the game controlling 2 Major Ports in the Mediterranean Sea: Gibraltar (on the
Southern coast of SPAIN) and Malta (an island south of Sicily). Neither provide Gold or Medal Points, as they
are Ports only. Newly purchased Ships cannot be deployed to either location as they are NOT Homeland Ports.
Andalusia (a Homeland Territory of SPAIN) serves as Gibraltar's Interior.
No Land Units can unload in Malta, because it is a Port only and has no Interior.

The tan areas labeled as the OTTOMAN EMPIRE in North Africa and in the Balkans are off-limits, and may
not be entered or controlled.

How many Nations each player controls depends on the number of players. Form a random draw pile of the indicated Nation Cards:

� 6 players: Each player draws 1 Nation Card.

� 5 players: Each player draws 1 Nation Card. SPAIN is Neutral.

� 4 players: Each player draws 1 Nation Card. SPAIN and RUSSIA are Neutral.

3 players: Each player draws 2 Nation Cards.

� 2 players option A: Each player draws 3 Nation Cards.

� 2 players option B: Each player draws 2 Nation Cards. The 2 remaining (SPAIN and RUSSIA) are Neutral.

Players, as leaders of Nations, can form or break alliances and agreements as they choose on a case by case basis, within game rules. Terms can be
discussed secretly or publicly. Agreements can be made, changed, or broken at any time, except during Battle Resolution (after Negotiations) or
during Cargo Management.

TEAM PLAY EXCEPTION: Players can form teams of 2 or 3 if agreed before starting. Victory depends on the team's combined score (see Final
Scoring on page X).
� No betrayal is allowed within teams.
� Nations controlled by one player operate independently in all phases, using separate Planning Maps.
� Disable the Ad Victoriam Imperialis Prestige Bonus in 2-team or 2-player games (see Award Medals: Ad Victoriam Imperialis on
page X).

When there are Neutral Nations in play, they do NOT take a turn during play. Place the Nation Cards of Neutral Nations in the last 1
or 2 slots of the Turn Order Track (face-up). Their Homeland Territories and Homeland Ports are never to be entered by any Mobile
Force (i.e., Land Unit or Ship). Place the Neutral Nations˦˧˥ Flags in the Forts and Ports of restricted regions as reminders of their
Neutral status. This no-entry restriction also includes specific Annexed Territories and their connected Ports listed below:
� If SPAIN is Neutral, then Balearic Islands may not be entered.
� if RUSSIA is Neutral, then Finland, Lithuania, and Moldavia-Wallachia may not be entered.

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Players each claim the Storage Box(es) of their Nation(s) and then follow the steps below (referring to the inside cover of their Planning Map).

Each Nation begins the game in control of its 5 Homeland Territories (including its Capital), tinted in its color, as well as its Homeland Ports:
Each Nation places the following on the Game Map:
� 1 Capital Fort topped with a Territory Flag on the Interior of its Capital Territory.
� 1 Major Fort topped with a Territory Flag on the Interior of its other 4 Homeland Territories.
� 1 Major Port topped with a Port Flag on each of its Homeland Ports.

GREAT BRITAIN also starts the game controlling GREAT BRITAIN and RUSSIA are the only Nations to have their
Gibraltar and Malta, therefore place a Major Port Capital adjacent to the sea; place a Capital Port (with a Port Flag)
with a British Port Flag on each. on each of Liverpool, London, and St. Petersburg.

Each Nation begins the game in control of 1 Annexed Territory (listed below the images of rectangular Territory Flags and round Port Flags):

FRANCE AUSTRIA PRUSSIA GREAT BRITAIN RUSSIA SPAIN

Corsica Tyrol Westphalia Hanover Finland Balearic Islands

� Place 1 Minor Fort topped with a Territory Flag of the controlling Nation on the Interior of each Annexed Territory.
� Place 1 Minor Port topped with a Port Flag of the controlling Nation on each Port connected to the Annexed Territory.

Using the dry-erase Planning Maps, each Nation secretly marks the starting positions for its Land Units and Ships, with dots. The specific type of
Force (Infantry, Cavalry, Cannon, etc.) isn˦˧˥t finalized until placement in Step E, see below. Keep in mind:
� A Nation˦˧˥s Forces must start the game within its own controlled Territories and Ports.
� There is a limit of 3 Land Units per Territory. (This limit only applies for setup.)
� Land Units can NOT start the game as Cargo on Ships or in Mountain Ranges.
� At least 1 Cannon OR Full Infantry must start in each Nation˦˧˥s capital.
� The quantity of Starting Forces for each Nation are detailed in the chart below and on the inside cover of Planning Maps.

After all Nations are ready, randomly deal the Nation Cards face up on the Turn Order Track (on the left side of the Game Map).

In Turn Order, each Nation now places its starting Forces on the Game Map, in the locations and quantities previously plotted in Step C.
Once setup is complete, begin the game with Phase 1 - Collect Taxes. (Turn Order will be reset in Phase 3 - Establish Turn Order.)
Each Nation starts with 1 Elite Ship or 1 Elite Land Unit, as indicated. Attach an Elite Pennant to the base of a Land Unit or hull of a Ship.
FRANCE AUSTRIA PRUSSIA GREAT BRITAIN RUSSIA SPAIN

1 Frigate 1 SoL 1 Frigate 1 Frigate 1 Frigate 1 Elite SoL 1 Frigate 1 Elite Frigate 1 Frigate

6 Half Infantry 6 Half Infantry 6 Half Infantry 7 Half Infantry 7 Half Infantry 6 Half Infantry
1 Elite Half Infantry
1 Cavalry 1 Cavalry 2 Cavalry 1 Cavalry 1 Cavalry 1 Cavalry
1 Elite Cavalry

2 Full Infantry 1 Full Infantry 1 Full Infantry 1 Full Infantry 1 Full Infantry 1 Full Infantry
1 Elite Full Infantry

1 Elite Cannon 1 Cannon 2 Cannons 1 Cannon 1 Cannon 1 Cannon

PRUSSIA and GREAT BRITAIN each start with 1 Gold Chest in their Treasury. This represents benefits gained by defeating Napoleon.

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 Simultaneously, each Nation collects its tax income:
� 3 Gold per Capital
� 2 Gold per Homeland Territory
� 1 Gold per Annexed Territory
� GREAT BRITAIN gains its extra 2 Gold from its Colonies, if relevant.

Step A. Plot Secret Movement Orders [all Nations act simultaneously]

Step B. Indicate Orders Are Complete [by placing Nation Cards face-up near the Turn Order Track]

Step A. Bid Gold for Turn Order [simultaneously]

Step B. Reveal and Pay Bids [simultaneously and without revealing orders]
Step C. Bidders Claim Slots [high bidder chooses a slot first and so on, down to the lowest bidder; randomly break ties]
Step D. Assign ˧˧˦Zero Bidders˧˧˨ [randomly place zero-bidder Nation Cards face-up in the remaining slots]

In Turn Order, each Nation will take its turn as the Active Nation. ALL of the steps below will be resolved before the next Nation takes its turn.
Step A. Review Orders
Step B. Resolve Movement and Battles [below are the 3 Chapters of a battle]
○ Chapter 1: Pre-Battle Setup
○ Chapter 2: Wage Battle (limit of 3 Battle Rounds)
○ Chapter 3: Post-Battle
Step C. Check Status Tokens

Step A. Place/Update Annex Tokens [simultaneously]

� Step B. Resolve Annexation Attempts [simultaneously or in Turn Order]

An elected scorekeeper conducts the following steps:

Step A. Update Medal Points
Step B. Award Prestige Points
Step C. Award Medals
Step D. Convene Congress of Vienna [only in the 5th Game Round and beyond]

Conduct these steps simultaneously or in Turn Order if anyone insists:

Step A. Repair Damaged Ships and Fortifications
Step B. Purchase New Forces
Step C. Place New Purchases on Game Map
Step D. Advance Game Round Tracker

Then, if the game has not ended, proceed to the next Game Round.

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 1 Collect Taxes

Each controlled Territory with a Government Building Icon on the Map provides Gold as tax income, as shown below:

� Each Capital Territory provides 3 Gold. � Neutral Territories, Mountain Ranges, Ports,
and Open Seas never provide tax income.
� Each Major Territory provides 2 Gold.
� Independent Territories provide no tax
Each Minor (Annexed) Territory provides 1 Gold. income (until annexed).

COLLECT TAXES: During Phase 1 - Collect Taxes, each Nation collects its Gold income
for the Game Round and places it in in their Treasury tray.

THE TREASURY: A Nation˦˧˥s Treasury is permanently located in its own Capital

Territory. For convenience, Treasury contents are stored next to the Game Map in each
respective Nation˦˧˥s Treasury tray. A Nation can only spend Gold stored in its Treasury.
LOST CAPITAL: When a Nation loses its Original Capital, its Treasury Gold transfers
to the Victor˦˧˥s Treasury or is shared among allies. The losing Nation cannot collect or Example: FRANCE˦˧˥s tax income is 14 Gold, as shown
spend Gold until its Original Capital is regained. New Gold income remains in its above: 3 for its Capital, 2 for each of its Major
generating Territory until the Original Capital is recovered or the Territory is captured Territories, and 1 for each of its Minor Territories.
by another Nation (at which point the Gold can be immediately transferred to the new 14 Gold Income is placed in France˦˧˥s Treasury.
controller˦˧˥s Treasury).

If GREAT BRITAIN has at least 1 Ship on the Game Map AND controls the
Beginning in the 18th century,
Port of London and England (while neither contain opposing Forces) then
GREAT BRITAIN became the
GREAT BRITAIN will receive an additional 2 Gold in its Treasury, during
dominant colonial Nation in the
each Game Round˦˧˥s Phase 1 - Collect Taxes. As a reminder, place a Hotspot
world. This led to economic
Token on the British Colonies box if these requirements are NOT met.
prosperity and naval supremacy.

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 2 Plot Secret Orders

Each player takes their Nation˦˧˥s Planning Map and SIMULTANEOUSLY

AND SECRETLY plots Marching Orders and Sailing Orders to ALL,
SOME, OR NONE of its Mobile Forces.
� Fortifications can˦˧˥t be moved and therefore are never assigned orders.
� Each Mobile Force can only be assigned one order per Game Round.

SECRECY: While plotting orders, players MUST keep their Planning Maps
confidential, as one can never fully trust an ally.

1. ACCOUNT FOR ALL FORCES: Within each of these plotting areas, the
Nation's player should write the number of its Mobile Forces (excluding
Cargo) that are currently present in that region (see image below).
2. PLOT DESTINATIONS: For each distinct group of Mobile Forces
(Land Units and Ships) to be moved, draw a line from its starting point to
its intended destination (no arrowhead is needed).
3. PLOT QUANTITY: Then draw a number of dots at the destination
equal to the number of Forces being given orders to end movement there.
Each dot represents a single Mobile Force of any Type.

ACCOUNT FOR ALL FORCES PLOT DESTINATIONS PLOT QUANTITIES

DECIDE SEQUENCE AND FORCE TYPE LATER: Both the sequence timing and distinction of which Force Type(s) needn˦˧˥t be decided until
the movements occur in Phase 4 - On the March (only the quantity and path are plotted).
CARGO: Moving Land Units to or from a Ship in a Port DOES NOT require orders, and therefore should NOT be plotted. Land Units may not
end their movement in a Port during Phase 4 - On the March, unless aboard a Ship as Cargo.
CAVALRY: Bonus Cavalry movement should NOT be plotted (see Cavalry Bonus Movement on page X).

Once finished with plotting, all players place their Planning Map down on the
table to indicate they are ready to continue.

Maintain the secrecy of plotted orders.

A Nation˦˧˥s plotted orders are not revealed until it becomes the Active Nation
in Phase 4 - On the March.

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 2 Plot Secret Orders

In each Game Round, Land Units can be plotted to move the following distances:
Cavalry Bonus Movement: A Nation will have the
Half Infantry, Full Infantry, Cavalry, and Cannons: up to 2 land regions.
option of moving each of its Cavalry Forces 1 region
beyond the 0, 1, or 2 regions already moved across
UP TO 2 land regions land during its turn in Phase 4 - On the March.
1 This bonus movement will not be NOT possible if the
Cavalry enters a White Mountain Range region this Game
1 Land Unit is plotted to move 2 regions, passing through Galicia. Round. This movement should not be plotted.

Independent Territories that are empty of Forces are always freely passable, until annexed (see Attempt Annexations on page X). Any Forces
present belonging to other Nations may oppose any exit attempt.
Land Units may not enter an Independent Port until it is controlled by a player˦˧˥s Nation (i.e., no longer Independent).

Mountain Ranges are land regions, but they are never controlled by a Nation and so never have Fortifications or Flags present.
Land Units can be assigned orders to enter, exit, or stop in Mountain Ranges, and even battle there, with the following restrictions:
� Any opposing Land Units present in a Mountain Range may prevent Forces from exiting, but not from entering.
� Upon entering a White Mountain Range region, Land Units MUST end their movement for the
current Game Round. Note: Cavalry Forces ending their movement in a White Mountain
Range are not eligible for Bonus Movement (see above).
� Entering a Brown Mountain Range region does not inhibit further movement.
� Land Units may NOT cross a Mountain Range intersection diagonally (see arrow A). B
� Land Units must enter/exit Mountain Ranges from/to a Territory, i.e. ridge to ridge movement is
NOT permitted. (see arrows B).
� Land Units may NOT enter/exit from the end cap of a ridge line (see arrow C).

PLOTTING: Ships can enter Ports and Open Seas, moving UP TO 6 regions per Game Round. For groups of Ships moving together, draw a
single continuous line on the Planning Map through every region of the path, marking each region to be entered. Loop the line for double-back
maneuvers.
PAUSING IN PORTS: Ships can pause to load Cargo (and then continue on) in plotted Ports that are free of opposing Forces. Unloading Cargo
ends further movement. Ships may also choose to prematurely end movement in a Port along its path, regardless of Cargo or Enemy presence.
SEIZING PORTS: A Ship in an Independent Port can immediately seize control of it by placing a Port Flag on a Minor Port, provided no
opposing Ships are also there. This seizure will end the Ship˦˧˥s movement. Other Ships could sail on.
Example: 2 Spanish Ships have orders to visit the Port of Cagliari and then stop in the Port of Naples, which is a sailing distance of 6.

END

START PAUSE
UP TO 6 Ports 2
and/or Open Seas

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 2 Plot Secret Orders

� ˧˧˦Cargo˧˧˨ is the term for Land Units aboard a Ship. Loaded Cargo is placed beside its Ship and moved along with it.
� ˧˧˦Managing Cargo˧˧˨ is the act of loading, unloading, or ship-to-ship transfer of Cargo in a Port.

� Whether in Port or at sea, each Ship (Frigate or Ship of the Line) may carry up to 2 Land Units. Half Infantry are
considered Half Units, therefore a Ship may carry up to 4 Half Infantry. Ships do not carry Gold.

� Land Units may normally not enter Ports or Open Seas, except as Cargo on Ships. They can only pass through a Port while being loaded or
unloaded as Cargo OR enter to be part of a Port Battle for its duration (see Port Battles on page X). Gold may NOT be stored in Ports.

� Plotted Orders are not required to manage Cargo, and there is no movement cost (for either the Cargo or Ship).

� A Nation can only manage Cargo, during their turn in Phase 4 - On the March, in a Port that contains no opposing Forces. Out-of Action
Ships can˦˧˥t oppose. Cargo Management is not permitted in Independent Ports.

� PORT CONTROLLER: The Port controller must approve all Cargo Management, even if the Port has 0 HP (see Fortifications on page x).
� INTERIOR: Loading Cargo from the connected Interior may be done only if it does not contain opposing Forces. However, Land Units
may UNLOAD into the Interior, even if it contains opposing Forces.
� NO DUMPING CARGO: Cargo may NOT be dumped (i.e., discarded).
� OUT-OF-ACTION: Out-of-Action Ships (see page x) can˦˧˥t take on new Cargo (until repaired). They CAN unload or transfer away Cargo.
� TRANSPORT BY OTHER NATIONS: It is possible for Cargo to be transported by another Nation if all involved agree. Such Cargo may
not be seized by the Ship owner.
Cargo Management LOADING UNLOADING SHIP-TO-SHIP TRANSFER
OPPOSED OR INDEPENDENT PORT NO NO NO
OPPOSED INTERIOR NO YES YES

� BEFORE Land Units are loaded as Cargo, they may move on land via plotted orders. However, If a Land Unit has valid movement
orders to another land region, then it cannot be diverted by loading it onto a Ship. Place a White Arrow to indicate this restriction
for a group˦˧˥s orders that were canceled.
� AFTER Land Units unload from a Ship, tag them with a Blue Arrow to indicate that they may NOT move to another region for the
rest of the Active Nation˦˧˥s turn.

� The involved Ships must be in the same Port. Simultaneous exchange of Cargo is possible.

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 3 Establish Turn Order

Nations (excluding Neutrals) now establish Turn Order Rank by taking the following steps:

Each Nation secretly places any amount of their Gold (including none) from its Treasury in a
closed fist to be spent for Turn Order Bids. Players that control multiple Nations hide each
respective bid beneath its Nation Card.

All players now reveal any Gold bids. All bids (win, tie, or lose) must be paid to Common Storage.

The highest bidder places its Nation Card (face up) into any empty Turn Order slot on the Game
Map, not necessarily the earliest (see image on right). This proceeds in descending order of amount
bid until all slots are filled.
Break ties by drawing Nation Cards randomly among those with the same bid.

If multiple Nations bid zero, randomly place their Nation Cards face up in the remaining open slots
(i.e., no choice of slots). Place Cards of Neutral Nations in the last slots (see Neutral Nations on
page X).

4 On the March

In Turn Order, each Nation takes a turn as the Active Nation, addressing ALL of its plotted orders and movements before the next Nation
becomes the Active Nation. Each Nation˦˧˥s Planning Map is kept secret until it becomes the Active Nation.

When it is a Nation˦˧˥s turn to be the Active Nation, it must first present its Planning Map for all to review for mistakes.
Resolve errors as indicated below placing a White Arrow Tag pointing to any canceled group:

� OUT OF RANGE: An order that plots any Force to move beyond its allowed range MUST be canceled. 1

� FORCE QUANTITY MISMATCH: Check the Planning Map for errors. If quantities
plotted don't match actual Forces, cancel ALL orders from that region unless matching Cancel an order if there are more
losses occurred in a prior battle this Game Round. dots than existing Mobile Forces. 1
� Use Field Hospital Tents (1 tent per Force loss) to track losses from Nations that haven't
acted as Active Nation yet.

� TOO MANY DESTINATIONS: Within each region, if a single group of Land Units or Cancel an order with 2 paths
Ships has vague or too many branching paths, then all orders assigned to the offending for the same group.
group MUST be canceled. 1

� IMPOSSIBLE ORDERS: Illegible orders or those which defy common sense, such as a Ship moving over land, MUST be canceled.

13
 4 On the March

MOVEMENT IN GROUPS: The plotted movement orders of the Active Nation˦˧˥s groups can be completed in any sequence. Fully complete each
group˦˧˥s plotted orders before addressing another group. Forces that both START and END together must move together as a group. Avoid
mixing groups until their movement is complete.
FORCE COMPOSITION: The Active Commander specifies exactly which Force Types (from among those present) will proceed with any given
plotted Order. Plotted orders only specify the QUANTITY and PATH of Forces to be moved and never the FORCE TYPE(S).
SPLITTING AND MERGING GROUPS: It is possible to split and merge groups of the same Nation. Merging groups will inherit each other˦˧˥s
Red, Blue or White Arrows. Splitting Groups will require adding additional relevant Arrows to each new group.
ARROW TAGS: Blue, Red, and White Arrow Tags help keep track of each group˦˧˥s status:
� Place Blue Arrows pointing to groups which have moved (and therefore can˦˧˥t move further except as Cargo).
� Place Red Arrows pointing to groups which have battled this Game Round (and therefore can˦˧˥t battle again, except in defense during
another Nation˦˧˥s turn).
� Place White Arrows point to groups which have canceled their orders and therefore can neither battle nor move (not even as Cargo).
CANCELING ORDERS: Besides being forced to cancel orders due to plotting errors, the Active Nation may optionally cancel any of its
movement orders for any of its groups under 2 circumstances. In both cases place a White Arrow Tag pointing to the affected group.
1. When the group has not yet started its movement. If relevant, it can optionally battle BEFORE canceling orders in this case (see below).
2. When the group is plotted to enter a region currently occupied by enemy Forces, it may stop immediately adjacent to that region.
OPPOSING FORCES: Before a group of the Active Nation˦˧˥s Forces can proceed to move out of its starting region (other than Open Seas), it must
eliminate any enemy Forces that do not give permission to exit. The Active Nation may simply cancel orders (see above) or it may attempt to
fight its way out. Stopping due to the presence of an Enemy in the same region does NOT prompt placement of a White Arrow Tag. Forces that
are not part of the ordered group, even those of another willing Nation, can also contribute to the battle. Forces of the attacking side must share
the same Arrow Tags to avoid confusion, merging and inheriting Arrow Tags, if need be.

SPECIAL MOVEMENT
BONUS CAVALRY MOVEMENT: The Active Nation may move each of their Cavalry Forces 1 adjacent land region further. This
extra movement should NOT be plotted and must be its last leg of movement. Once a Cavalry enters a White Mountain this Game
Round, it may not use this bonus. A Cavalry˦˧˥s canceled order will negate this Bonus.

BYPASSING SHIPS IN THE OPEN SEA: Ship movement out of an Open Sea region cannot be opposed. Upon meeting Ships of
another Nation on the Open Seas, the Active Nation˦˧˥s Ships may optionally stop (AND optionally battle) OR continue on without
tagging a White Arrow. Once Ships have left their starting region, they may NOT continue on AFTER battling or unloading Cargo.

INDEPENDENT PORTS: Only Ships may enter Independent Ports. If an Active Nation˦˧˥s Ship that is not Out-of-Action (see page X)
enters an Independent Port free of opposing Forces, it can immediately seize the Port (without a die roll) by placing its Port Flag.
Only 1 Ship need remain and others may sail on (per orders) or stay. Once a Port is seized, Cargo Management can occur. Land
Units in the connected Independent Territory cannot seize nor oppose the seizure of a Port by a Ship. Battles between Ships can
occur in an Independent Port, but the Port and Land Units DO NOT participate. After a battle, an unopposed Ship (not Out-of-
Action) can seize the Port.

CARGO MANAGEMENT: Cargo Management decisions are made in the moment by the Active Nation with the Port controller's
permission (see page X). Loading requires the absence of opposing Forces in the Interior. Unloading Cargo into an Interior, with the
Port Controller˦˧˥s permission (see page X), cannot be opposed by Forces in the Interior. The Active Nation may initiate a battle in the
Interior after unloading there.

Check the Game Map and remove any irrelevant Status Tokens, while adding Hotspots to any regions where there is a potential

14
 4 On the March

SEQUENCE OF RESOLUTION: The Active Nation may resolve battles

(involving their Forces) in any order on their turn before or after movement. HOTSPOT TOKEN: Hotspot Tokens are placed
on the Game Map in specific regions to highlight
TIMING: Battles can happen either before or after a group's ENTIRE movement but potentially contested situations. Once a particular
never during it. The only exception is after a Port Battle: when unloading Cargo or region has been addressed for the current Game
returning Forces to the Interior. Round, place the relevant Hotspot Token on its
REMINDER: Forces tagged with a Red Arrow may not participate in a battle side to serve as a visual checkmark of completion.
on the Active Nation˦˧˥s side for the remainder of the Game Round.
STEPS OF A BATTLE: As described over the following pages, a battle (land, sea, or port) is broken into 3 chapters, each with sequential steps.

Chapter 1: Pre-Battle Chapter 2: Wage Battle (limit of 3 Battle Rounds) Chapter 3: Post-Battle
A. Negotiations A. Finalize Force Positions A. Clear the Battleboard
B. Choose Sides & Assign Commanders B. Choose Battle Stance B. Claim Control (if on Land)
C. Transfer Forces to a Battleboard C. Gather Dice C. Check for Major Victory
D. Roll Dice D. Check Status Tokens
E. Remove Misses & Assign Hits
F. Apply Damage
G. Continue or End Battle

Before resolving any battle, there is an opportunity for negotiations.

Diplomacy is your soft power. If your soft power fails, you
Discussions could lead to promises of future action.
always have military options. But remember, war is
The Active Nation could call off the battle if satisfied. However, once nothing but the failure of diplomacy. As Sun Tzu said: The
Chapter 2: Wage Battle begins and Dice are rolled, only the Active Nation supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.
can choose to call off the attack before the next Battle Round proceeds.

After negotiations conclude (if there is still a battle to be fought), each Nation with Forces in the region MUST choose one of these options:
� ABSTAIN FROM BATTLE: It is possible for a Force to be present, but choose not to participate in a battle, if the Active Nation allows it.
They form their own group. The Active Nation may not abstain. An abstaining Force can˦˧˥t prevent the capture of a Territory or Port,
unless it is the Fort or Port itself that is allowed to abstain.
� SIDE WITH THE ACTIVE NATION: Any Nation˦˧˥s Force can join the Active Nation˦˧˥s side as an ally, but only if they haven˦˧˥t yet battled
this Game Round and the Active Nation allows it.
� SIDE AGAINST THE ACTIVE NATION: Any Nation˦˧˥s Force can side against the Active Nation in a battle for any number of times,
provided they share the same region.

ASSIGN COMMANDERS: In battles, only 1 Commander for either side is allowed, regardless of
how many Nations are involved. Each side˦˧˥s Commander makes all battle decisions, including setup
formations, hit assignments, division of post-battle spoils, and so on. The Active Commander will
be the first to make their choices, if there is any dispute of who decides first.
� The Active Nation˦˧˥s Commander may NOT relinquish command to an ally.
� For the opposing side, the first Nation in that side˦˧˥s Turn Order will be the Commander (or as
agreed upon).
� Once assigned, Commanders may not change for the entire battle (even if that Commander has no
remaining Forces). A Nation may NOT change sides or drop out at any point DURING a battle,
however an allegiance only need be fixed for that particular battle.

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 4 On the March

Select a battleboard according to the scope and location of battle,: LAND, PORT, or OPEN SEA. Transfer ALL participating Forces from the
selected region of battle on the Game Map to the Battleboard.

LAND BATTLEBOARD
REAR FRONT � Use the LAND BATTLEBOARD for battles occurring in Mountain
Ranges or Territories.
� The Land Battleboard is divided into 4 Battle Zones,
which consist of Front and Rear Zones for each side.
� For convenience, the Active Nation may opt to use MINI LAND
the smaller LAND MINI-BATTLEBOARD. BATTLEBOARD

� Each Commander must line up their Forces in the Front and/or Rear
Battle Zones to face the opposing side, as shown to the left.

FRONT REAR

� A Fortification extends across both the Front and Rear Zones. Place it in the designated pentagon.

� Cannons MUST always be placed in the Rear Zone.

� Half and Full Infantry MUST always be placed in the Front Zone.

� Cavalry may be positioned in the Front or the Rear in any combination. Cavalry can be repositioned at the start of each Battle Round.

Use an OPEN SPACE on the Game Map for a battle occurring in an Open Sea region. There is only 1 Battle Zone per side for a battle in an Open
Sea region, and therefore no Battleboard is necessary.
CARGO: Cargo Forces on Ships do not contribute Dice and cannot be assigned Hits. If a Ship sinks, so does its Cargo.
SHIP LINEUP: Each Commander lines up their Ships (and any allied Ships) in a preferred sequence (opposing Ships face each other). This
ordering of Ships determines which Ship will receive Hits first. For example, a Commander might try to protect a Ship bearing Cargo by placing
it near the end of the line. The order of Ships cannot be changed for the entire battle.

2nd ELITE FRIGATE 1st SHIP OF THE LINE ELITE SHIP OF THE LINE 1st FRIGATE 2nd

The Port Battleboard is divided into 1 Land Battle Zone and 2 Sea Battle Zones (1 per side). Optionally, Port-friendly Invading
the Active Nation may use the MINI-Port BATTLEBOARD (shown at right). Ships Ships

POSITION PORT: A Port battle must include the Port (unless it is an Independent Port without a Port
Flag, see Independent Ports below). Place the Port in its designated circle on the Battleboard.
POSITION SHIPS: Each Commander lines up its Ships (and any allied Ships) in a preferred sequence in Port

the same way as in an Open Sea battle (see above). Place Port-friendly Ships next to the Port.
POSITION LAND UNITS: Cargo can NOT unload to join a Port battle. Only unopposed Land Units (of
the Active Nation or its allies) can join a Port battle from the connected Interior. Land Units
Invading
automatically move to and from the Port without orders and survivors must return to the Interior after the Land Units
battle. Place any Land Units on the single Land Zone (Rear) of the Port Battleboard. Unlike standard land
battles, there is no Front Zone, thus Cavalry˦˧˥s attack Dice are always 1 each. SPAIN is attacking AUSTRIA˦˧˥s
Port by both land and sea.

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 4 On the March

3 BATTLE ROUNDS
For each battle, there can be up to 3 Battle Rounds, until at least one of the following occurs:
� one side is fully defeated,
� The Active Nation chooses to end the battle (this may cause an early end),
� there have been 3 Battle Rounds with survivors on both sides.
BARRAGE: The first Battle Round is a Cannon Barrage in which both Commanders simultaneously roll all
Black Cannon Dice and resolve any Hits. No White Dice are rolled during this opening Barrage.
ASSAULT: For any second and/or third Battle Rounds ALL contributing dice are rolled and resolved
together (i.e., Black Cannon Dice and white Dice, if relevant).

Before each Battle Round begins, BOTH Commanders may reposition their Cavalry. The Active Nation˦˧˥s Commander must finalize
their positions first. Ships and other Land Units may NOT be repositioned.

The Active Nation˦˧˥s Commander declares their stance by placing their Stance Token with the OFFENSIVE or DEFENSIVE side face-up next to
the Battleboard (if any). Then the opposing Commander decides their Battle Stance in the same manner.
� AGGRESSIVE STANCE: Each of the Commander's Bar Dice results is considered a Hit against the Enemy.

DEFENSIVE STANCE: Each of the Commander's Bar Dice results blocks 1 incoming enemy Hit.

Both Battle Commanders use the Combat Reference Charts (example on the right) on the Battleboard to calculate how many
Dice are to be rolled. There is also reference on the rulebook˦˧˥s back cover. Each Commander gathers their Dice in the
shadowed box behind their side˦˧˥s field of battle. Arrange the Dice in alignment with the relevant Force. Keep in mind:
� Damaged Ships, Forts, and Ports will contribute one fewer Die for each Damage Token sustained.
� Full Infantry that were reduced to Half Infantry will contribute fewer Dice accordingly.
� Include any Bonus Dice for Combined Arms, Elite Pennants, or Medals (see Bonus Dice below).
-
BONUS DICE
There are 3 categories of Bonus Dice: Combined Arms (land battles only), Elite Pennants, and Medals.
C O M B I N ECOMBINED
D A R M ARMS
S
A Combined Arms Triad equals 1 Full Infantry, 1 Cavalry , and 1 Cannon. A Half Infantry is NOT sufficient. A contributing
Land Unit˦˧˥s Battle Zone is irrelevant. Each Commander adds 1 extra BLACK CANNON DIE and 2 WHITE DICE for each of
x its Triads. Multiple Triad sets are possible, but a single Land Unit may not be used in more than 1 Triad. Land Units from
different allied Nations may combine to form Triads. The Triad Bonus does not apply in Port battles.

ELITE PENNANTS
x LAND ELITE: Add 1 extra WHITE DICE for each Elite Infantry or Cavalry. SHIP ELITE: Add 1 extra BLACK
x LAND ELITE: Add 1 extra BLACK CANNON DIE for each Elite Cannon. x CANNON DIE for each Elite Ship.

MEDALS
DOMINUS EXERTICUS MEDAL: The recipient DOMINUS MARIS MEDAL: The recipient
DOUBLES the Land Elite Dice Bonus for its Elite Land DOUBLES the Elite Dice Bonus for its Elite Ships
Units (including those of allies). (including those of allies).

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 4 On the March

Both Battle Commanders simultaneously roll their gathered Dice. Dice must be rolled for ALL participating Forces.

HITS: A Burst Die result is a Hit. Forces can sustain 1 or 2 Hits, depending on their Type, before being defeated.

BARS: Bar results can be Hits or cancel enemy Hits, depending on the Commander˦˧˥s chosen Battle Stance.

1. BLANKS: Clear away all blank Miss Die results.

Block
2. BARS: For any side that chose the Defensive Stance, address any blocking Bars (black or white) by pairing
them up with Enemy Hit bursts (of any type) and clearing them away. The Active Commander decides first, if
= Enemy
Hits
relevant. When blocking, die color types are irrelevant, and the Bar roller chooses which Hits to cancel.
3. HITS: The Active Commander assigns their remaining Hits to specific enemy Forces. Then the opposing
Commander does the same for their rolled Dice. Valid rolled Hits or Bars may NOT be withheld NOR assigned to
= Hits
empty Battle Zones. When serving as Hits, Bars on White Dice follow ONLY the Hit Hierarchy, ignoring the
distinction of Blue and Red Battle Zones. White Dice results can never be assigned to Ships.

HIT HIERARCHY
All Hits must be assigned to Forces using the hierarchy below:
� Damaged Forces must be ˦˧˦finished off˦˧˧ before assigning Hits to another Force within the same Battle Zone.
� A Force is defeated in battle if it is assigned Hits equal to its Hit Points (as shown on the Battleboard charts). After having placed all
Dice Hits next to each target, tip over the defeated minis or set them aside (do not return them to Storage yet). Defeated Forces will
not contribute Dice in subsequent Battle Rounds. No Force may be assigned more Hits than its Hit Points.
X
� All Forces of a Type (within the same Zone) must be defeated before assigning Hits to a different Force Type of a lower hierarchy order.

FORTIFICATIONS 1st
An enemy Fort MUST be defeated before Hits can be assigned to any other Forces in either the FRONT or REAR Battle Zones.
An enemy Port extends across both Land AND Sea Battle Zones simultaneously, therefore must ALWAYS be assigned Hits first.
Both WHITE DICE Hits and BLACK CANNON DICE Hits can be assigned to Fortifications.

LAND UNITS 2nd 3rd 4th 5th

WHITE DIE Hits are assigned according to their color: BLUE Hits can only be assigned to Forces
in the FRONT Battle Zone and RED Hits can only be assigned to Forces in the REAR Battle Zone. The DOUBLE HIT result
(showing 2 Bursts) on the
BLACK CANNON DIE Hits can be assigned to Land Units in any Battle Zone, as decided by the
BLACK CANNON DIE results in
Commander who rolled the Dice.
2 Hits, which must be assigned,
as normal, to Forces in the same
SHIPS 2nd 3rd 4th etc. Battle Zone. The second Hit of
Double Hit can NOT spill over to
Ships can only be hit by BLACK CANNON DICE. Hits/Bars on White Dice do not affect Ships.
another Battle Zone if there is
Each Commander will have arranged their own Ships during Pre-Battle Setup in a sequence that
only 1 target remaining.
must now be followed when determining which Ship takes the next Hit.

� ELITE UNITS: Elite Land Units must always be assigned Hits last among their Force Type. (An Elite Half Infantry must be
assigned a Hit before a non-Elite Full Infantry.)
� ALLIED NATIONS: If there is a choice between Land Units of multiple Nations, with all other factors (Force Type, Elite
status, and Damaged status) being equal, the Commander of the side rolling the Hit decides which Force takes the Hit.

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 4 On the March

Once all Hit (and Bar) results are assigned, Battle Commanders can remove defeated Forces from the
Battleboard (do NOT return them to storage). During Chapter 3: Post-Battle Cleanup, defeated Forces will
be collected in Treasuries as morale-boosting Enemy Casualties. Keep any Cargo with its respective Ship.

These Forces take more than 1 Hit to defeat: Full Infantry, Major and Capital Fortifications, and Ships.

FULL INFANTRY
2 Hits will defeat a Full Infantry. If a Full Infantry is assigned 1 Hit, remove the Full Infantry to Storage, then
replace it with 1 defeated (tipped) Half Infantry and 1 standing Half Infantry (retaining any Elite status). This act +X
of ˦˧˦making change˦˧˧ is important for tracking Enemy Casualties correctly.

FORTIFICATIONS
Apply 1 Damage Token to a Fort or Port for each Hit assigned to it. Each Damage Token on a Fortification immediately
reduces its battle Dice by 1. A Fortification that is reduced to 0 Hit Points is defeated (but not removed). Damage Tokens do
NOT get removed until optionally repaired during Phase 7 - Purchase New Forces.
1st
CAPITAL FORT/PORT: 3 Hit Points MAJOR FORT/PORT: 2 Hit Points MINOR FORT/PORT: 1 Hit Point
HIT
Fortifications already damaged from a prior battle will have reduced Hit Points and reduced combat Dice.
Fortifications with 0 Hit Points cannot oppose the movement of another Nation˦˧˥s Forces. 2nd
HIT
An enemy captures a Port or Territory automatically if there are no defending Forces and if the Fortification has 0 HP.

SHIPS
SHIPS: Damage is assigned to Ships according to the Ship Lineup that was decided during Pre-Battle Setup.
Ships can take more than 1 Hit before sinking. For each Hit assigned to a Ship, place a Damage Token next to it.
Ship Damage Tokens are retained until repaired during Phase 7 - Purchase New Forces.
Frigates have 2 Hit Points.
� 1 Hit will cause a Frigate to become Out-of-Action.
2 Hits will sink it (along with any Cargo). Out-of-Action Sunk

Ships of the Line have 3 Hit Points.

� 1 Hit will cause a Ship of the Line to become Damaged (reduced to rolling 1 Die).
� 2 Hits will cause it to become Out-of-Action.
� 3 Hits will sink it (along with any Cargo). Damaged Out-of-Action Sunk

OUT-OF-ACTION SHIPS: Once a Ship is Out-of-Action:

� It will not contribute Dice in future Battle Rounds (until repaired).
� Immediately remove any Elite Pennant from it (and the enemy Commander places it in their Treasury).
� It is still a target, and only 1 Hit away from being sunk.
� It is prone to capture (if without allies) once the battle ends (See Step A of Battle Cleanup on page X ) or if encountered alone.
� It still moves as normal.
� It may not oppose the actions of other Nations, nor capture Ports or other Out-of-Action Ships.
� It may not take on new Cargo, but may unload or transfer its Cargo away as normal.

Only the Active Nation can call off a battle between any Battle Round. Otherwise, continue for 3 Battle Rounds or until one side is fully defeated
(i.e., has no Forces left that can contribute Dice). Commander roles and each side˦˧˥s participants must remain unchanged. When the battle ends,
proceed to Chapter 3: Post-Battle.

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 4 On the March

After a battle ends, one of these situations will apply:

� VICTORY: If only one side˧˧˥s Forces are fully eliminated and/or Out-of-Action, then the other side˦˧˥s Commander is the Victor.
� MUTUAL DEFEAT: If neither side has surviving Forces which can contribute Dice, there is no Victor. For example, a 0 HP Port facing off
against a single Out-of-Action Ship results in mutual defeat. The Port˦˧˥s owner would retain control.
� CONTESTED: If both sides have Forces which can contribute Dice, there is no Victor.

COLLECT ENEMY CASUALTIES: Regardless of the battle˦˧˥s outcome, each side˦˧˥s Commander collects all Enemy Casualties IN THEIR OWN
Nation˦˧˥s Treasury or those of participating allies (regardless of whether or not those allies survived). These Enemy Casualties will be converted
into Medal Points in the Morale column during Phase 6 - On Parade (see page x). Enemy Casualties include:
� Any eliminated Mobile Force from the opposing side. Lost Full Infantry may be split into 2 Half Infantry to divide among allies.
� Out-of-Action Ships. Only a Victor may capture enemy Out-of-Action Ships by replacing them with their own equivalent Ships (or
those of participating allies) taken from Storage. Newly converted Ships retain any Damage Tokens until repaired. Converted Ships
are not eligible for an Elite Pennant resulting from this battle.
� Cargo. Captured Cargo or Cargo lost from sunk Ships, are both tracked as a Enemy Casualties. Cargo from captured Ships, converts
to Gold at half purchase cost (ignoring Elite Pennants), and goes to the Victor's Treasury (or a participating ally˦˧˥s).
� Damage on Fortifications. Place any Fortification back on the Game Map along with its Damage Tokens, and then put equal Damage
Tokens in the opposing side˦˧˥s Treasury Tray(s).

RETURN FORCES TO GAME MAP: Return any surviving Forces to the Game Map. In Port battles, surviving Land Units return to the Interior.

ASSIGN RED ARROWS: Tag surviving groups of the Active Nation˦˧˥s side with Red Arrows as a reminder that they can˦˧˥t join an Active
Nation˦˧˥s side in battle for the remainder of the Game Round. There is no limit for participating in battles on the defending side.

� An invading Victor (see top of page for what makes a Victor) claims control of a Territory or Port by exchanging the
Fortification˦˧˥s current Flag for their own Flag. A victorious defender retains control. After a battle in a Territory˦˧˥s Interior, any
connected Ports remain in control of their current owners. A Flag is never placed in a Mountain Range region.
� A Victor may NOT place their Flag in an Independent Territory until it is annexed during Phase 5 - Attempt Annexations. After a
battle in an Independent Port, the Victor may seize the Independent Port immediately with a Ship (see Seizing Independent Ports
on page X). (This is rare, given most Ports are seized upon entry.)

BENEFITS OF ELITE
� GAIN ELITE PENNANT: If Enemy Casualties of the Victor˦˧˥s
MEDAL POINTS: Each Elite Pennant attached to a Land Unit
side (as the attacker or defender) are valued at 12 or more (see
or Ship contributes 1 Medal Point to its owner˦˧˥s MOST ELITE
1 MP
page X for the value of Enemy Casualties), then it is a Major
LAND UNITS or MOST ELITE SHIPS column on the Medals
Victory. This allows the Victorious Commander to attach an
Chart, respectively.
Elite Pennant to 1 Land Unit or Ship that participated on their
side and survived the battle (see Elite Pennants at right). COMBAT BONUS: Elite Units gain extra Dice in future battles:
� A Mobile Force can never have more than 1 Elite Each Elite Infantry or Cavalry adds 1 WHITE DIE.
Pennant attached. If an Elite Pennant can˦˧˥t be
assigned, the opportunity is lost. Each Elite Cannon or Ship adds 1 BLACK DIE.

� Forts, Ports, and Out-of-Action Ships may not have Elite ANNEXATION BONUS: Each Elite Land Unit adds 1 extra
Pennants. Captured Forces are not eligible for Elite status in WHITE DIE in annexation attempts (see next page).
the same battle that they were captured.

Flip the Hotspot Token to its side and and continue on to address any remaining Hotspots.

20
 4 On the March

PRUSSIA is the Active Nation taking its turn. Prussia has sent a group of Land Units into Lorraine, a Homeland of FRANCE. AUSTRIA,
PRUSSIA˦˧˥s ally, has its own Land Units ready and waiting to join the attack against FRANCE.

A. FRANCE tries to bribe AUSTRIA with 10 Gold to abstain from the battle, but fails to persuade, so the negotiations end.
B. AUSTRIA joins PRUSSIA against FRANCE. PRUSSIA and FRANCE are the 2 side˦˧˥s opposing Battle Commanders.
C. All participating Forces are transferred to the Land Battleboard. Some of FRANCE˦˧˥s Land Units are already tagged
with Red Arrow Tags (having battled previously), but that is moot now because they are on the defensive side.

VS

Battle Round 1: Barrage

A. Both sides Forces are now lined up in their proper Battle Zones. At the last minute PRUSSIA changes their mind and
shifts AUSTRIA˦˧˥s Cavalry to the Rear Zone. PRUSSIA finalizes positions first. FRANCE decides to keep their line-up.
B. Now both choose Battle Stances. Again, PRUSSIA must decide first, and so chooses an aggressive stance placing its
Stance Token with the Red Arrow face up. FRANCE decides to go defensive, placing its Battle Stance Token with the
Blue Shield face up.
C. Both Commanders place their Black Cannon Dice in their respective areas behind the battlefield for the Barrage.
D. Both Commanders simultaneously roll their Black Cannon Dice. France rolls 2 Black Dice (for its Major Fort), while
Prussia rolls 2 (1 for its Cannon and 1 for its Triad Bonus, see Battleboard Chart).
E. Both Commanders set aside Misses and place Hits next to the targeted Forces. PRUSSIA rolled a Double Hit and 1
Miss. FRANCE rolled a Bar and 1 Miss. FRANCE, having chosen a Defensive Stance, cancels one Hit of the Double X
Hit. PRUSSIA must assign the remaining Hit to FRANCE˦˧˥s Major Fort (according to the Hit Hierarchy, Forts are 1st).
F. PRUSSIA places a Damage Token next to France˦˧˥s Fort. It will roll one less Black Cannon Die in the next Battle Round.
G. PRUSSIA, being the Active Nation, chooses to continue the battle.

VS

Battle Round 2: Assault

A. Neither side changes positions for their Cavalry.
B. Both sides maintain their Battle Stances, i.e. PRUSSIA (with AUSTRIA) stays aggressive, while FRANCE remains
defensive.
C. Both sides gather Dice for the Combined Assault, in which both White Dice and Black Cannon Dice are rolled
together. FRANCE, having suffered 1 Damage on its Fort, now will roll 1 fewer Black Cannon Die.
X
D. Both Commanders simultaneously roll their Black Cannon Dice and White Dice together.
E. FRANCE rolled 1 Bar (on a White die), 1 Hit (on a Black die), 1 Blue Hit, and removes 3 Misses on White Dice.
PRUSSIA rolled a Blue Hit, a Bar (on a White die), a Hit (on a Black Die), and removes Misses (6 White and 1 Black).
FRANCE cancels PRUSSIA˦˧˥s Hit result on its Black Cannon Die with its White Bar Result. PRUSSIA assigns its White
Bar to FRANCE˦˧˥s Major Fort (acting as a WILD Hit due to their offensive Battle Stance). PRUSSIA rolling a Blue Hit, X
must assign it to the Front Zone, targeting FRANCE˦˧˥s Full Infantry. FRANCE puts the Full Infantry in storage and puts
2 Half Infantry back in position with one of them tipped over. FRANCE assigns its Black Cannon Hit to a Cavalry in
the Rear Zone, ending PRUSSIA˦˧˥s Triad bonus next Battle Round. All other factors being equal, FRANCE chooses to X
assign its Blue Hit to AUSTRIA˦˧˥s Half Infantry (rather than PRUSSIA˦˧˥s).
F. A 2nd Damage Token is placed next to FRANCE˦˧˥s Major Fort. The eliminated Units are tipped over. X
G. PRUSSIA again chooses to continue the battle.

VS
X X X

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 4 On the March

The previous page˦˧˥s example of battle continues below…

VS
X X X

Battle Round 3: Assault

A. Neither side changes positions.
B. FRANCE decides to be Aggressive changing its Battle Stance, while PRUSSIA stays in Aggressive Battle Stance.
C. Both sides have reduced dice. PRUSSIA has lost its Triad bonus, once AUSTRIA˦˧˥s Cavalry was eliminated.
D. Both Commanders simultaneously roll their Black Cannon Dice and White Dice.
E. PRUSSIA rolled a Bar (on Black), 1 Red Hit, and 3 Misses (White). The Red Hit has no valid targets and so is a Miss. X
The Bar becomes a Hit (due to Aggressive Stance), is not blocked, so it is assigned to the remaining Half Infantry.
FRANCE rolled 1 Red Hit and 2 Misses (on White) and knocks out AUSTRIA˦˧˥s Cannon. X
F. FRANCE is left with 1 Cavalry, while PRUSSIA is left with A Full Infantry and 1 Half Infantry. All other Units are
tipped over.
G. Now at the end of 3rd Battle Round, the battle is over.

VS
X X X X X

A. FRANCE moves its Enemy Casualties to its Treasury. PRUSSIA gives its Enemy Casualties (including 2 Damage
Tokens for the Fort) to AUSTRIA who places them in their Treasury. Surviving Forces (and the damaged Fort) are
placed back on the Game Map in Lorraine.
B. PRUSSIA failed to eliminate all of the Enemy˦˧˥s Forces, so FRANCE retains control of Lorraine.
C. The Battle ended with both sides having survivors so neither side gains an Elite Pennant.
D. PRUSSIA places a Red Arrow Tag pointing at their surviving Forces (reminding they may not participate in battle
on the Active Nation˦˧˥s side for the remainder of this Game Round). FRANCE as the defender does NOT place a
Red Arrow Tag, but it had 1 to begin with, so keeps it.
The Hotspot is turned on its side to indicate the battle is finished, but the region remains contested.

TREASURIES Lorraine

FRANCE AUSTRIA PRUSSIA

22
 5 Attempt Annexations

Nations can attempt to annex Independent Territories where they have Land Units. Any Opposing Land Units also there can choose to prevent
annexation. Ships may NOT oppose annexation. Annexed Territories never revert to an independent state.
Homeland Territories, Mountain Ranges, and Open Seas can˦˧˥t be annexed. Ports can˦˧˥t be DIRECTLY annexed. However, during Phase 4 - On the
March, the Active Nation may seize an Independent Port that does not contain opposing Ships using one of its Ships in the Port (see Seizing
Independent Ports on page X). Annexing the connected Interior also grants control of the Port if not already controlled by another Nation.

An Annexed Territory provides the following benefits to its owner:

� Control of the Territory, and therefore its Fort (and its Black Cannon Die during battles);
� 1 GOLD as Tax Income during Phase 1 - Collect Taxes;
� 1 MEDAL POINT (tallied during Phase 6 - On Parade in the 2nd column on the Medals Chart).
Note: Annexing an Independent Territory does NOT yield Morale Tokens or an Elite Pennant.

All players now review the Game Map and place or reset Annex Tokens in Independent Territories that could be
annexed now (i.e., have present at least 1 Land Unit and no opposing Forces).
Remove any Annex Tokens from regions where there are opposing Forces present.

Each Nation (in Turn Order) resolves ALL of its annexation attempts, one at a time. Nations may opt to conduct
this step simultaneously, provided each Nation is supervised. When ready to annex a Territory, a Nation rolls:

� 1 WHITE DIE for each of its Land Units present (including Cannons);

� 1 extra WHITE DIE for each of its Elite Land Units present (including Cannons);

� The DOMINUS EXERTICUS Medal recipient doubles the bonus of all its Elite Land Units present (including Cannons).

FRIENDLY ASSIST: One or more friendly Nations with Land Units present may contribute all of their Forces (no partial contributions) to the
roll on behalf of their ally, including any Medal bonuses. Otherwise, friendly Nations that are present can agree to each attempt annexation in
Turn Order without each other˦˧˥s assistance.

SHIPS: Ships do not contribute to annexation attempts. Seizing a Port does NOT trigger the annexation of the connected Territory. However, if a
Nation had seized a Port and unloaded Land Units into the connected Territory˦˧˥s Interior, an annexation attempt would now be possible.

SUCCESS: A roll result of 1 or more Hits (red or blue) indicates a successful annexation.
� Place Territory Flag: The annexing Nation takes control by placing a Minor Fort with one of its Territory
Flags on top in the Territory˦˧˥s Interior.
� Place Port Flags: The annexing Nation also claims any connected, uncontrolled Independent Ports by
placing a Minor Port topped with one of the annexing Nation˦˧˥s Port Flags there. Connected Port(s) which
are already controlled are unaffected.
� Remove the Annex Token.

FAILURE: If all of the Dice results are blanks and/or Bars, then the annexation For the owner of the AD VICTORIAM
attempt has failed. A Nation can try to annex the Territory again in future Game IMPERIALIS Bar Die results are considered
Rounds, provided the Territory is still independent and contains no opposing a success in annexation attempts.
Forces at that time.
� There is no penalty for failing to annex a Territory.
� Flip the Annex Token on its side.
= Success
Annex

23
 6 On Parade

Nations in play now tally their Medal Points (MP) in the 5 categories listed on the Medals 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Chart, and then write their sums in the 6th column. Nations can˦˧˥t drop below 0 in any
column. In the National Morale column, erase all previous Medal Points. These reset to 0
each Game Round.

CASUALTY VALUE LIST

4 Half Infantry
1. HIGHEST NATIONAL MORALE: Each
Nation now tallies up its Enemy Casualties
3 4 11 3 1 22
which convert to Medal Points to be written in
6 Cavalry the 1st column (Morale). For each Nation,
divide the total value of its collected Enemy
8 Full Infantry Casualties by 10 and round down (see Casualty
Value List at left). Once the total MP value is
10 Cannon
tallied for each Nation, return all Enemy
12 Frigate Casualties to Storage.

16 Ship of the Line 2. MOST ANNEXED TERRITORIES: In the

second column, write each Nation˦˧˥s sum of MPs Example:
5 Elite Pennant for controlled Annexed Territories (worth 1 1: FRANCE has 3 Medal Points from Enemy
MP each). Casualties affecting Morale in the 1st column.
10 Fortification
2: She has 4 Annexed Territories, so she writes
Damage
3. MOST HOMELAND TERRITORIES: In the
4 in the second column.
third column, write each Nation˦˧˥s sum of MPs
Sum and Divide by 10 = MP 3: She has all her Major Homeland Territories
for controlled Major Territories (worth 2 MPs
Round down. (worth 2 MP each) and her Capital (worth 3
each) and Capitals (worth 3 MPs each).
MP), so that adds up to 11 MP for the third
4. MOST ELITE LAND UNITS: In the fourth column, write each Nation˦˧˥s sum column.
of MPs for its Elite Land Units (worth 1 MP each). 4,5: She has 3 Elite Land Units and 1 Elite Ship,
so that is 3 MP and 1 MP for the fourth and fifth
5. MOST ELITE SHIPS: In the fifth column, write each Nation˦˧˥s sum of MPs for columns, respectively.
its Elite Ships (worth 1 MP each). 6: Her total Medal Point score for this Game
Round is 22.
6. MOST MEDAL POINTS: For each Nation, write the SUM OF ALL MEDAL POINTS
in all 5 previous columns in their respective white boxes of the 6th column.

Nations with the top 3 Medal Point totals in the MOST MEDAL POINTS column
receive Prestige Points. Adjust each Nation˦˧˥s peg on the Prestige Chart (see chart on
right). Tied Nations gain full Prestige Points for their rank (i.e., friendly ties).

� Award 3 Prestige Points to each Nation with the highest Medal Point total for the
current Game Round.
� Award 2 Prestige Points to each Nation with the 2nd highest Medal Point total.
� Award 1 Prestige Point to each Nation with the 3rd highest Medal Point total.

A Nation˦˧˥s Prestige Track will also be updated when it receives a Prestige Point from the
winner of the AD VICTORIAM IMPERIALIS Medal (see Award Medals on page X).
Prestige Points accumulate and will help determine the game˦˧˥s winner (see Final Scoring
on page X). Prestige Points can˦˧˥t be traded or lost.

24
 6 On Parade

Prominent and glorious Medals are awarded just after Prestige Points are distributed.
If the top Medal Point score for any column on the Medals Chart is tied, then no medal is awarded for that
column.
Otherwise, the Nation with the highest total for each of the 6 columns, receives a corresponding Medal,
along with its special benefits (see below). Benefits either apply immediately or last until the Medals Chart
is updated again in the next Game Round.
A Nation can earn multiple Medals. Place the Medals in the Treasury or optionally clip them to the player˦˧˥s
lapel. Nations start the game without Medals.

+
LAETISSIMA NATIONE – Receive this Medal by having the highest National morale.
� Gold Bonus: The recipient immediately places 5 Gold into its Treasury, if it controls its own Capital.

+
TERRA ALIENA – Receive this Medal by controlling the most Annexed Territories.
� Gold Bonus: The recipient immediately places 5 Gold into its Treasury, if it controls its own Capital.

+
MAXIME PATRIAS – Receive this Medal by controlling the most Homeland Territories.
� Gold Bonus: The recipient immediately places 5 Gold into its Treasury , if it controls its own Capital.

DOMINUS EXERTICUS – Receive this Medal by having the most Elite Land Units.
+
� Combat & Annexation Bonus: The recipient doubles the number of Bonus Dice added for
Elite Land Units in both land battles and annexation attempts, including those of all
contributing allies. +

DOMINUS MARIS – Receive this Medal by having the most Elite Ships (including any SOL with just 1
Damage Token). +
� Combat Bonus: The recipient doubles the number of Bonus Dice added for Elite Ships, including
those of all contributing allies.

AD VICTORIAM IMPERIALIS – Receive this Medal by having the highest Medal Points sum of the 5
previous columns on the Medals Chart.
� Diplomatic Bonus: In magnanimous celebration of its glorious power and wealth, the recipient
1
MUST immediately choose one other Nation (i.e., excluding itself or a Neutral Nation) to be
awarded 1 bonus Prestige Point (which is NOT taken from the giver).
� Annexation Bonus: Bars are considered successes for annexation attempts. = Success
Annex

25
 6 On Parade

At the end of the 5th Game Round (and each Game Round thereafter as needed), the Congress of Vienna convenes.
1. Each Nation must secretly cast its vote by placing its Battle Stance Token on the table with the appropriate face up (covered by a hand):

� Peace (Shield) … indicating a desire to end hostilities, or

� War (Arrow)… indicating a desire to continue the conflict.

2. Then votes are simultaneously revealed to show the Battle Stance Tokens.

� PEACE REIGNS: If a MAJORITY of the votes are for Peace, the game will conclude at the end of the following Game Round (i.e., the
end of the 6th Game Round if it is now the end of the 5th Game Round).
� WAR CONTINUES: If the majority of the votes are for War, or there is a tie, then the game continues.

On the 6th Game Round, 1 extra vote for Peace is added to the vote tally (beyond what
Nations contribute). This extra vote for Peace represents the will of the people.
On the 7th Game Round, 2 extra votes for Peace are added.
On the 8th Game Round, a vote need not take place, as the game will conclude at the end of
the 9th Game Round regardless. The first vote occurs in the 5th Game Round.
White doves indicate extra votes for Peace.
Phase 7 - Purchase New Forces can be skipped on the last Game Round of the game.

FINAL SCORING
At the end of the final Game Round, determine the winner as follows:

Each Nation calculates its score by adding Medal Points from

columns 2, 3, 4, and 5 on the Medals Chart for the last Game Round
to its accumulated Prestige Points. Column 1 is NOT included.
� The Nation with the highest score– that still controls its own
Capital– wins˦˦˧
� If playing with teams, combine and compare total team scores.
� A tie is broken by the amount of Gold in each tied Nation's Treasury.
If still tied, victory is shared.

Example: FRANCE has 4 points in the 2nd column (MOST ANNEXED TERRITORIES), 11 points in the 3rd column (MOST HOMELAND
TERRITORIES), 3 points in the 4th column (MOST ELITE LAND UNITS), and 1 point in the 5th column (MOST ELITE SHIPS), totaling 19
points. FRANCE then adds its Prestige score of 17 to the total, for a grand total of 36.

3 4 11 3 1 22

26
 7 Purchase New Forces

SPENDING GOLD: If a Nation doesn't control its own Capital, then it may neither repair nor purchase Forces. Gold must be paid from the
owner˦˧˥s Treasury. Return spent Gold to Common Storage. Make change in Gold denominations at any time (1 Chest = 5 Gold coins).

A Nation may repair its own Damaged or Out-of-Action Ships that are now in any Major or Capital Port, with the permission of the Port's
controller. A Nation may repair any Fortifications it controls.

The cost to repair a Ship or Fortification is 3 Gold per Damage Token removed.
To indicate condition of the Force, remove each Damage Token as repairs are paid for.

Partial repairs are possible (if the Force has sustained multiple Damage Tokens).
Ships and Fortifications that are not repaired will retain diminished capabilities in future Game Rounds (see page X).

Simultaneously, each Nation may now purchase new Land Units and Ships, referring to the Cost Chart below. However, if anyone insists,
purchasing must be done in Turn Order. If the supply of a particular Mobile Force is exhausted, use an appropriate substitute.

ICON GOLD UNIT

4 Half Infantry

6 Cavalry
COST CHART

8 Full Infantry

10 Cannon

12 Frigate

16 Ship of the Line

In Turn Order, each Nation places its new Land Units in any of its controlled Original Homelands and places its new Ships in its controlled
Original Homeland Ports. There are no quantity limits. New Ships cannot be built in Captured Enemy Homelands, nor Malta and Gibraltar.

If the game is not over, then advance the Game Round Tracker Peg on the Prestige Chart, and continue to the next Game Round.
Check the Game Map for any forgotten Status Tokens that should have been removed.

27
28
These optional, advanced rules are modular and can be used in any combination, as agreed upon by players.

Annexed Territories are susceptible to discontent among the local populace in the form of Revolt. There is no limit to the number of
Revolts that may be instigated at one time, but each Territory may contain only 1 Revolt Token at a time.

INSTIGATING A REVOLT: During Phase 4 - On the March, any Nation has the option to instigate a Revolt by placing a Revolt Token (raised
fist icon) in the Territory if the following conditions are met:
� The Territory is an Annexed Territory or a captured Homeland Territory (i.e. not currently controlled by its original controlling Nation),
� The Territory contains no Land Units (allied with the Territory),
� The Territory has no Ships (allied with the Territory) in any connected Ports.

EFFECTS OF A REVOLT: While a Revolt Token is on a Territory, the controlling Nation loses its Gold Income, which accumulates on the Game
Map. Any Enemy Land Force entering the Territory can seize this Gold immediately, transferring it to their Treasury (even before any attempt
to capture the Territory).

QUELLING A REVOLT: A Revolt Token is immediately removed in any of these 3 situations:

� If the Territory is captured by an Enemy Nation.
� If one of the controlling Nation˦˧˥s Land Units ENDS its movement in the Territory.
� If one of the controlling Nation˦˧˥s Ships (not Out-of-Action) ENDS its movement in a connected Port with no opposing Forces.
Note: Passing through by land or sea is insufficient. The presence of an ally˦˧˥s Force is insufficient.

These 2 regions are Special Independent Territories that are harder to annex, requiring
at least 2 Hits (Blue and/or Red) in 1 attempt (i.e., results refresh each attempt). The
Victoriam Medal bonus can apply (see page X).
Follow-up Roll: If a Nation attempts annexation of either Territory with only 1 Land
Unit which rolls 1 WHITE DIE, then a Hit result allows a follow-up roll. If the 2nd roll
also results in a Hit, the region is annexed.
Sweden and Portugal were part of
Bonus half Infantry: The annexing Nation immediately gains 1 Half Infantry of its
the ˦˧˦Committee of Eight˦˧˧ during
color, placed in the newly Annexed Territory.
the Congress of Vienna.

29
 Page #s forthcoming

DICE Active Nation SPECIAL LOCATIONS

Dice, Black Cannon Advanced Optional Rules Gibraltar
Dice, White Alliance Malta
Annexation Ottoman Empire
CARDS Battle Portugal
Nation Cards Land Sweden
Open Sea
MINIATURES Port REGIONS
Cannon Bonus Dice Mountain Range
Cavalry Cargo White
Full Infantry Capturing Brown
Half Infantry Cavalry Bonus Movement Open Sea
Frigate Commander Port
Ship of the Line Congress of Vienna Capital
Fort, Capital Damage Homeland
Fort, Major Deployment Independent
Fort, Minor Enemy Casualties Original Homeland
Port, Capital Force Territory
Port, Major Fortification Annexed
Port, Minor Gold, Income Capital
Gold, Seizing Homeland
TOKENS Mobile Unit Independent
Arrow Tags (Red, Blue, White) Land Unit Original Homeland
Annex Token Government Building Icon Interior
Hotspot Token Game Round
Battle Stance Token Hit Hierarchy
Damage Token Medal Points
Stance Token Medal Bonus
Gold Coin Mobile Force
Gold Chest Movement, Land Illustrations Index
Elite Pennant Movement, Sea
Medal Neutral
Port Flag Out-of-Action
Territory Flag Opposing
Game Round Tracker Seizing Ports
Revolt Token Prestige Points
Purchasing Forces
BOARDS Repair
Medals Chart Revolts
Prestige Chart Treasury
Planning Map Turn Order
Reference Victory, Major
Battleboard Victor
Mini-Battleboard

BOXES
Common Storage
Nation Storage
Nation Treasuries

30
 DESIGNER NOTES

Imperial Borders - The Congress of Vienna, although a departure from my well-known World War II game series, is not a
new or unfamiliar topic for me. My frequent visits to the Waterloo battlefield and time spent at Les Invalides in Paris, coupled
with my deep fascination for Napoleon and his saga, have fueled my interest in historical military battlefields and history.
Europe, particularly France, holds a treasure trove of such places.
This Napoleonic influence surfaced in my professional life when I had the honor of being the lead designer for the Collector’s
40th Anniversary Edition of Risk. Into that project, I infused as much of Napoleon's essence as possible. Imperial Borders
represents a deliberate attempt to capture the essence of the distinctive historical period it portrays. The mechanics, aesthetics,
and playability underwent continuous improvement through deep discussions and playtesting, involving exceptional
playtesters, many of whom contributed to the development of War Room (see Credits). Notably, Kevin Chapman has once
again brought his editing talents to this effort.
The conscious omission of Napoleon from the game is a design choice. The Congress of Vienna provides the perfect backdrop
for this post-Napoleon historical setting. Can the competing nations avoid war, or will the post-Napoleon rulers of Europe fail
to secure lasting peace? The nation with the most Prestige at the game's end emerges victorious. This fly in the ointment is
introduced intentionally. I aimed to explore not only military conquest, but also the diplomatic intricacies of the six European
superpowers of the Napoleonic era. To achieve this, each player assumes the role of Head of State, adorned with glorious
medals of the period, facilitating their immersion into the unfolding Imperial Borders story.
By design, players are invited to not only compete in the military balance of power, but also, as Heads of State, to navigate the
complicated and treacherous political landscape of the time. With Napoleon absent, and thus there is no common enemy, an
interesting Congress of Vienna bushel of crabs is created.
One intriguing avenue explored is the hypothetical scenario of "What if Napoleon had won at Waterloo?" This speculative
angle opens up possibilities for a future game project, envisioning a thoughtful and engaging approach to alternate history.
While playing the role of Napoleon, players could someday award Marshal Ney another Legion D’Honneur.
The design choices for Imperial Borders are deliberate and purposeful, aiming to offer players a rich and immersive
experience of an incredible historical period. The emphasis on the diplomatic side deals with shifting alliances, and the unique
challenge of the Napoleonic era underscores our commitment to delivering an experience that transcends mere entertainment.
It invites players to navigate intricate political landscapes, strategize complex alliances, and immerse themselves in this
dynamic historical sandbox.
- Larry Harris, 2024

CREDITS
Game Designer and Inventor: Larry Harris
Art and Development: Thomas Gale
Rulebook Editor: Kevin Chapman
CORE TEST GROUP
Todd L. Nicholson, Joe Churma, Randy Van Dyke, Adam Sherson, Vincent Wurster, Chris Carnivale.
ADDITIONAL TESTERS
Daniel Gustum, Mathias Gustum, Wyatt Fraser, Matthew Wechsler, Frank Scherra, David Blacher, Tyler Brooks, Lawrence Waller

Concept Art for Box-cover: Tyler Edlin & Mike Hayes

Final Box-cover Art: Thomas Gale
Miniatures modeled in 3D: Fabrice Hourlier and Thomas Gale

©2024 Nightingale Games LLC ~ Imperial Borders - The Congress of Vienna IP owned by Larry Harris
For news and updates visit: www.Nightingale-Games.com

31
 1st CUSTOM 2nd 3rd 4th 5th

6 6 2 2 2(+1) 2
Each Ship can transport 2 Land Units. Each Half Infantry is considered ½ Land Unit in terms of Cargo capacity.

& OR OR

DOMINUS
BONUS

3 2 1 1˧˥˦ 2˧˥˦ 1 2 1 1
˧˥˦ A Cannon or Frigate is Out-of-Action after 1 Hit and lost after 2 Hits. SoL is Out-of-Action after 2 Hits & sunk after 3 Hits.
5 10/ 10/ 10/ 12 16 4 8 6 10
Major Victory: The Victor must defeat all enemy Forces in a region, with a total value of 12 or more, to earn an Elite Pennant.

DOMINUS
EXERTICUS BONUS

PURCHASE COST

REPAIR COST

32